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Should I Get an Aussie?

by Lydia Kim
(North Carolina)

I really want an Australian Shepherd. I researched a lot on them but as I started getting really into it I’ve just been getting worse and worse reviews on them.

I go to work everyday and I come home around 5 and my daughter comes home around 4 from school. My son is off on Mondays and my other son goes to college so on some days he doesn’t have classes.

They could exercise the dog when they don’t have things to do and my daughter could play with it for at least 20 minutes before she leaves for school. When she gets home she could play with it for hours.

I’ve heard that if they’re left alone and bored they become destructive. They just seem like amazing dogs but every website I looked at for research say they need constant attention and exercise. Is this true?

I was thinking about getting two but that’s just too much. I’ve also thought about getting a dog walker when we’re not home but there’s no way we can pay for a dog walker everyday. We have a pretty big yard so we could let it out when we’re not home and we could give it toys to play with like a Kong.

There will definitely be times when it’ll be home alone for hours.

Also we have a cat and I’ve heard they will chase after everything. My cat hates every living being but would it be okay if I introduced them when the Aussie's a puppy?

Am I crazy for wanting an Aussie?

Comments for Should I Get an Aussie?

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Should I get an Aussie
by: Anonymous

Never leave any dog in the yard when no one is home. Dog are stolen every day.

getting an Aussie
by: James

hmmm , so long as you can be around the dog alot - any dog...things will go well. they like outside in the yard 50% of the time .

The best dogs every ! VERY smart loving dogs . Just have a commitment to them for their life - that means hanging around them as much as possible !

The older Cat should be fine …the Aussie will be running things , in his own way in 6 months . HA! :)

Let us know how things go.

James

should I get an Aussie
by: James

Good point about a dog in a year alone - Where im from ( Canada - rural) this is not a problem. Where do you live ? But I hear in built up areas in the USA this is a problem. Here in Canada on the farm - if anyone touches your Horses , Your Pickup and your dogs - its a serious offence… and plus it is very remote they would for fear of our Police , or you taking care business yourself :) . Stealing a dog is a 'come after you' offence. We usually settle this without an outside source on the farm - keeps theft down :) . Always has .

@James
by: Lydia Kim

i live in the usa but i live in a nice neighborhood and ive never heard of dog stealing happening here. and i would never leave it out for more than an hour. what do you think about it staying home alone for 7 hours? ive heard many different things like how they need 3-4 hours of exercise or they will become destructive. ive also heard that they have the same energy level as a lab. whats true?

Aussies need a job
by: Anonymous

To have a happy, well adjusted, well behaved aussie you need to do three things.
1. Intensive, daily training when they are young that includes mental as well as physical activity.
2. A schedule that they can count on.
3. A job
My aussie has a small flock of chickens she is responsible for.

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