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  Discipline
  
   The Australian Shepherd is an easy dog to train. Being a working stock
   dog, he has been bred to learn to take directions and listen to his
   owner. He is also bred to be able to think on his own and make
   decisions for himself. It is up to you, the owner, to teach the dog
   what is, and is not, allowed. When he is a puppy, he must learn to
   look to you as his leader or you could be in for trouble when he
   becomes an adult. This does not mean you need to treat your puppy
   roughly. If trained correctly, Aussies readily accept the authority of
   their masters and a harsh word is often as effective as physical
   punishment. While he is eating, your puppy should allow you to be
   present and to take away his food. He should not growl or nip at you
   when you try to make him do something. A good method to show a puppy
   who is boss is to pick him up by both sides of the scruff of his neck
   and shake him gently while looking him in the eye and speaking firmly.
   This is very similar to the way a mother dog disciplines her pups and
   he will understand this far better than a spanking or a swat with a
   newspaper. Aussies are very intelligent and will test you from time to
   time. You should be firm and let them know who is in charge. The
   earlier you do this, the less trouble you will have later. A dog who
   knows his place in the family is far happier and more secure.
   
     
  Obedience
  
   It is highly recommended that you teach your puppy some obedience. It
   is much more enjoyable to have a well-mannered dog that can go out for
   a walk than a lurching, wild dog that pulls you along or runs away
   when off lead. It is also a satisfying experience to train your dog
   and have a dog that listens to you and minds you. The Aussie is an
   extremely quick learner and enjoys the attention and the mental
   challenge of learning what you have to teach him. Even a young puppy,
   if taught in a positive manner, with no force, can learn basic
   obedience. Look for obedience training classes in your area or read
   some of the many good books on this subject. For your peace of mind,
   and your dog's safety, he should know at least these basics: sit,
   down, stay, come, and be able to walk at your side.
   
     
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Are Aussies good with children?

   Australian Shepherds are basically very good with children if they
   have been raised with children, and sometimes even when they have not
   been around them. One of the basic prerequisites for your children and
   your puppy to have a good relationship is to teach the child, as well
   as the puppy, what is allowed. Babies and toddlers should not be left
   unattended with your dog, no matter what breed. A child should learn
   not to handle the dog roughly or tease him. The parent, not the child,
   should be responsible for correcting the puppy if he gets too rough.
   Puppies and dogs have a tendency to look at children as "siblings" in
   the social order of the family, and the dog should never be allowed to
   get the upper position over the child. Something that sometimes occurs
   with Aussie puppies and kids is that, in play, the puppy may chase and
   nip at the heels of the child. This is because the dog is bred to herd
   and he is trying to "herd" the child because it is natural to herd
   something moving. In this situation, it is a good idea to have the
   child stop running and tell the dog "no bite." This should not be
   confused with actually trying to harm the child, but the game should
   not be encouraged.
   
     
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Can an Aussie live in town?

   Unlike many breeds, Aussies don't need a lot of space to run or a big
   yard to play in. What they DO need is LOTS of social interaction and
   things to do. They need to be a member of the family, as they are very
   pack-oriented dogs. In short, they need a job to do, whether that job
   is working livestock, protecting the family, or going to
   obedience/agility classes. The more time you spend with them, the
   better companions they will be. As long as these needs are met,
   Aussies can make wonderful suburban pets.
   
     
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What are some good resources?

   _The Aussie Connection_ should be your next internet stop. There you
   can find information about national clubs, affiliate clubs, breeders &
   enthusiasts, email discussion lists, and more. _The Aussie Connection_
   can be found at:
   http://incolor.inetnebr.com/roanoak/TheAussieConnection.shtml.
   
   Also check out the Australian Shepherd Homepage at:
   http://www.everett.net/users/jimmb/aussie.html, as there is some great
   information there, as well as many references to check out.
   
     
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Miscellaneous Questions

   If you have questions that are not addressed in this FAQ, please email
   me at Roanoak@InetNebr.com.
   
     
  What are the standard color genetics?
  
B  - Black gene
b  - Red gene
BB - Black dog (not red factored)
Bb - Black dog (red factored)
bb - Red dog

   The black/red gene is a simple dominant/recessive trait. Two BB
   (black) dogs will produce all BB (black) dogs. Two bb (red) dogs will
   produce all bb (red) dogs. One BB (black) dog bred to one bb (red) dog
   will produce all Bb (black) dogs. The merle gene is completely
   separate from the color gene. The merle gene is an incomplete dominant
   gene. It is NOT straight dominant/recessive like black & red.
   
M  - Merle gene
m  - Solid gene
MM - Excessive white dog (aka double-merle, lethal-white, lethal-merle)
Mm - Merle dog
mm - Solid dog

   As you can see from the charts below, two solids bred together will
   produce all solids. One solid dog bred to one merle dog will produce
   50% merles and 50% solids. Two merles bred together will produce 25%
   solids, 50% merles, and 25% lethal-white. Which brings us to the next
   question in the FAQ below.
   
        Solid X Solid =         Solid X Merle =         Merle X Merle =
        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
           |  m   |  m             |  m   |  m             |  M   |  m
        ---------------         ---------------         ---------------
        m  |  mm  |  mm         m  |  mm  |  mm         M  |  MM  |  Mm
        m  |  mm  |  mm         M  |  Mm  |  Mm         m  |  Mm  |  mm

     
  Should merle-to-merle breedings be done?
  
   The merle color seems to be a trademark for Aussies. Non-merled
   Aussies are often mistaken for other breeds or mutts. However, the
   merle gene can be lethal to the uneducated breeder.
   
   The merle gene is an incomplete dominant gene - NOT a simple
   recessive. This gene is also completely separate from the color genes
   (black, red, tan, white, etc.).
   
   A dog with one merle gene and one solid gene will be a normal merle
   dog. A dog with two solid genes will be a solid (black or red). A dog
   with two merle genes will be a double-merle (a.k.a. lethal white,
   excessive white, or lethal merle). These double-merle dogs are usually
   predominantly white, and most often are deaf and/or blind, and can
   develop numerous other problems, such as organ failure, auto-immune
   disorders, and other disorders.
   
   The only way to get double-merle dogs is if two merles are bred
   together. If two merles are bred together, approximately 25% of the
   litter will be double- merles. Because of all the problems that
   double-merles are born with, they must be euthanized at birth.
   
   Some breeders feel that bringing puppies into the world and then
   euthanizing them is wrong. Other breeders have no qualms whatsoever
   about these breedings. Many responsible breeders feel that a
   merle-merle breeding should be done only for an exceptional cross.
   
   So, the issue becomes a personal decision, one breeders must make for
   themselves. For more information on the merle gene in Aussies,
   contact:
   
     
    C.A. Sharp - helix@qnis.net
    Editor, Double Helix Network News
    730 East Weldon Avenue
    Fresno, California 93704
    (209) 264-2685
    
     
  What are the most common genetic diseases?
  
   There are many diseases that affect Australian Shepherds. The most
   common of these are eye diseases include:
   
     * Cataracts
     * CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly)
     * PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
     * Detached Retinas
     * Colobomas
     * Small eye
       
   Other diseases that commonly affect Aussies are:
   
     * CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia)
     * vWD (von Willebrand's Disease)
     * PH (Pelger-Huet)
     * Epilepsy
       
   Eye and hip problems are much more common than any of the others, so
   be sure that breeders have clearances on hips (OFA, PennHIP, GDC) and
   eyes (CERF, GDC) for all their breeding stock.
   
   For more information on genetic diseases in Aussies, contact:
   
     
    C.A. Sharp - helix@qnis.net
    Editor, Double Helix Network News
    730 East Weldon Avenue
    Fresno, California 93704
    (209) 264-2685
    
     
  Why are tails docked?
  
   Many Aussie tails are naturally bobbed (NBTs). NBTs can come in almost
   any length. Natural tails (long tails) taper at the end, whereas NBTs
   stop short at a stub or "bob". Those dogs with long NBTs or with
   natural tails are most often docked.
   
   Probably the most popular reason for short tails is due to working.
   Tails have a different coat texture and are more prone to collect
   burrs when working in dense brush. These burrs, if left untended, can
   cause extreme pain and irritation to the dog. Also, there have been
   many undocumented cases of tails being broken from cattle stepping on
   them and gates being slammed shut on them.
   
   Another reason cited is that the short tail is a "signature," or
   recognizable characteristic, of the breed. The breed standard calls
   for a tail less than four inches long. Docking tails lends to
   consistency and type within the breed.
   
   Regardless of your views on tail docking, please visit The Council of
   Docked Breeds at http://www.cdb.org/index.htm.
   
     
  What's the difference between inbreeding, line-breeding, and outcrossing?
  
   Many people look upon inbreeding as an immoral breeding practice. This
   is a human taboo, however, not a canine one.
   
   There are basically three different kinds of breedings you can do when
   breeding purebreds; inbreeding, line-breeding, and outcrossing. A
   basic understanding of genetics is needed to understand the
   difference.
   
   Inbreeding is that of father/daughter, mother/son, brother/sister, and
   possibly including first cousin/first cousin and
   grandparent/grandchild. Inbreeding offers more consistency in type
   (offspring will look and act very much like the parents), and a
   smaller gene pool (which is an advantage if the gene pool is clean,
   and a disadvantage if it's not).
   
   Line-breeding is that of more distantly related relatives. It falls
   between inbreeding and outcrossing.
   
   Outcrossing is a breeding of two unrelated dogs. Outcrossing will
   introduce new genes (increase the gene pool). This can be an advantage
   if it brings in desirable genes, or it can be a disadvantage if it
   brings in undesirable genes (like a disease that wasn't found in the
   line before).
   
   No matter which plan is used for breeding, ANY responsible breeder
   should know what phenotypical and genotypical genes or problems are in
   the breeding dogs' backgrounds. This will greatly reduce the
   probability of genetic problems in the litter.
   
     
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   
    Australian Shepherd FAQ
    Randy 'n Monica Barger, Roanoak@InetNebr.com

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