About Aussies
Australian shepherds are beautifully colored with a wide variety of patterns that never get repeated. We have all four colors, reds, blacks, red merles and blue merles. Eyes can be any pattern from blue (marbled, halves, striped, and dotted) to brown, green or amber. We even produce blue eyed tri’s and bi’s.
Our Aussie’s temperaments are an added bonus. They are loving, protective and willing to please. Their intelligence is astounding. The more you teach them, the more they want to learn. Their sense of humor is a trait that is an extra bonus, they love to make us laugh and especially seem to know when we need cheering up. Their grins are infectious and a total joy to come home too, they make us feel we are the most important person in the world. In their world, we are.
We are always glad to introduce people to the wonderful world of Aussies. If you’re ever in the area, stop by for a visit.
Below is an article written by CA Sharp a geneticist who is also an Aussie breeder and has a wealth of important info for us breeders. This issue below of breeders not doing eye exams on puppies when so many of these issues and diseases are discoverable at that early age and yet some are no longer detectable after 8 or 9 weeks of age, has always been a sore spot for me, especially when trying to find new bloodlines or dogs to breed too. So many “breeders” feel the genetic panel eye test are all they need to test for, but they are sadly mistaken. Yes as a buyer and breeder I would be very unhappy to find my dogs now carried and had Iris Coloboma’s or other eye problems, but the worst part of their negligence is now the dogs have to suffer with diseases that were easily avoidable.
Health Corner by ASGHI (Australian Shepherd Genetic Health Institute)
Eyes, Eye Exams and DNA Tests
“There are several helpful DNA test for eye diseases but DNA testing alone is not enough. There are other diseases that don’t have a test, including common ones like Iris Colobomas, Distichiasis. Any dog with the HSF4 mutation, even one copy, needs to be monitored periodically for cataracts because it is at risk of developing them sometime during its life.
All breeding dogs should be examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist within the year prior to any breeding. All puppies should have a puppy eye exam before they go to their new homes. There are several diseases that are present from birth. Failure to detect that puppy could cause you to make unwise mating decisions with the parents and their offspring that become a crisis down the line when a lot of people realize you didn’t bother to check and passed it along. You could also find yourself faced with unhappy breeders and puppy people when they discover their dogs or litters now have something you didn’t bother to check for.”