History Of The Australian Shepherds

AKC (2025, July 10). About the Breed.

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-shepherd/

The Australian Shepherd traces its lineage to some of Europe's finest herding dogs. The breed's journey began near the Pyrenees Mountains in Europe. In the borderlands between France and Spain, the Ba

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sques, known for their exceptional shepherding skills, favored the Pyrenean Shepherd, the ancestor of today's Aussie. 

In the early 1800s, British settlers in Australia began exploring the continent's vast interior to find fertile grazing land for cattle. Many Basques, accompanied by their loyal shepherd dogs, traveled east to the new Australian continent, which offered vast opportunities for sheep herding.        During their time in Australia, the Basque shepherds improved their dogs by selectively breeding them with British imports, including Collies and Border Collies. After establishing their flocks, the adventurous Basques moved on from Australia, seeking more promising opportunities, and eventually arrived in California. 

California ranchers, impressed by the Basques' herding dogs, mistakenly assumed they were an Australian breed, leading to the name Australian Shepherd. Further developed and refined in America, Aussies have become an iconic part of cowboy culture. Many still herd in the American West, while others perform in rodeos or serve as therapy dogs, drug detectors, service dogs, and search-and-rescue dogs. The Australian Shepherd joined the AKC Herding Group in 1993.