Best products from r/AustralianShepherd

Oh wow! That's a big decision to make on an impulse. If you've never owned a puppy totally on your own before, check out r/puppy101. There's a lot to learn about when and how to socialize a puppy (there is a right way and a wrong way, not all socialization is good socialization). The book "Social, Civil, and Savvy" is a fantastic resource.

Take your puppy to a vet ASAP to have it looked at. Not to be hyper critical, but my guess is that you may not have gone through a super reputable source to get this puppy. Most reputable Aussie breeders I know wouldn't sell to an impulse buyer. Getting it taken to a vet will be doubly important if that's the case. You should know what diseases they are at high risk for and what to look out for in your pup. Here is a list of recommended health screenings reputable breeders should do to give you some background info.

Aside from that, as others have said, they're a smart and high energy breed. They'll need a lot of training and activities to burn off mental and physical steam every day. Getting your puppy enrolled in a puppy class is a great place to start. A lot of young herding breeds will also go through a reactivity phase, meaning they will bark and lunge at things like people, other dogs, cars, bikes, etc. It is really important you set your puppy up for success with these things and know how to handle it before it happens so you are ready when it does.

Good luck!

Well, I can provide a bit of info but also hope to get a few answers myself.

I have a 4(ish) year old, 50lb aussie/bc mix. I bought a walky dog system this spring:

http://www.amazon.com/Petego-Walky-Hands-Free-Bicycle-Leash/dp/B003OYIAW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374676694&sr=8-1&keywords=walky+dog

and I am quite happy with it.

It is quite an advantage to have dog/leash tethered to your seat. Last weekend we were out for a ride/run and a fawn jumped out of the trees. Instead of having my arm ripped off or the bike pulled off the road, the combination of your weight on the seat and the good sized spring in the bar that allows the leash to flex kept us both under control. It is also good that the dog can't cut in front of the bike with this setup. The bar is a quick detach from the bracket so it is easy to deal with as well. Thumbs up on the product.

Now my related question. I have been unsure how far is too far for my Aussie to run. We were out for a couple of miles on the weekend and I think that is about the max without a good break at this point. I don't know know if more trips will increase range or not. So anyone been doing this long enough or have some data on how far a fit Aussie should be able to run? I would love to get up to 6-10 miles but heck, the dog has to run alongside. I am not sure that is reasonable?

Yeah, most of those would get destroyed in minutes in our house.

Firstly, as I'm sure you know, plan to take her on a decent walk first. It's not always possible, but it helps with the process. Then there's a little wind-down time when we get back to the house.

Anyway, as for toys, your real question, I suggest one of these two:

http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/

http://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/

We get some tiny little treats to pop in there and it has good success. Noodle still tries to play with it at my feet, but at least it keeps him occupied. But, as Aussies are velcro pups, he only plays with it in the same room that we're in.

The other thing that could help (if what you want to get done is in the same general area) is to keep treats in your pocket and continuing to reward for staying on her bed. So as you're working, toss a treat back. Maybe every 30 seconds at first and then lengthen the time. Our "Go to your bed" command is pretty rock solid at this point...but the staying part is certainly something that can be continuously worked on.

Good luck! And seriously, that Weazeball will die a horrible death in minutes. Don't waste your money.

If you cannot move a lot (and that's why you can't exercise him a lot), I have a few possible suggestions.

https://smile.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484324235&sr=8-1&keywords=flirt+pole

A flirt pole is almost like a cat tease toy. It's a pole with a felt toy at the end, and you can get your dog to chase after it. Most people use it in their back yards, and the individual can stand in one place while make the flirt pole go in a circle and the dog runs after it. Depending on the dog, it can really tire them out. My particular puppy likes it, but only for a very limited amount of time (he would rather play keep away). I could see how you might possible be able to do the flirt pole indoors from a seated position.

Dog-feeding puzzles might help your dog calm by taxing his brain:

https://smile.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-Feeder-Bloat-Orange/dp/B00FPKNRCS/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324554&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+feeding+puzzles

https://smile.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324953&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+feeding+ball

Also, you could try hiding treats or a toy, and teaching him how to play "hide and seek" with you.

When we want to watch tv, and don't want to get up, we play fetch, and that keeps him happy for a while [but the dang ball always ends up under the couch or other furniture!].

Hope this helps a little.

Grooming: I've tried every brush out there, and the most effective on our aussie is a grooming rake and a slicker brush. We use the grooming rake for de-shedding on his back and belly, and the slicker brush on his ears, mane, pants, feathers, and tail to get out knots because he won't tolerate the rake on that thicker fur. Also, get a good grooming spray, and I suggest investing in a good professional groomer (that knows not to shave a double coat) every 4-5 months depending on if your dog gets matted.

Walking: I like the wonder walker, easy walk is also good.

Toys: Puzzle toys! Ditch the food bowl entirely, aussies need a job to do. My dog loves any ball he can push with his nose that dispenses treats.

There is already a lot of good advice in this thread. Don't give in, feed her meals in her crate, etc. But here is something else you can try as well.

Before I got my puppy, I was browsing this sub and someone recommended this behavioral aid toy.

I ordered it and I think it worked great. At the very least, it made me feel better about tearing her away from her mom and litter mates! I used the heart ticker for a long time afterwards too just to calm her down for sleep time.

I have a similar problem that I am just starting to work on. It's called "leash reactivity" because - just as you said - when the dog is off leash, he is fine with other dogs. I just read a very short book called Feisty Fido that gives a training plan for reducing this. Basically you teach your dog to "watch" you when he sees a dog/cyclist/whatever passing by, instead of reacting to it. My trainer recommended it highly but I'm just starting out so I can't say whether it works.

In the book, they do talk about different types of walking equipment. They suggest an easy-walk harness that clips in the front (at the chest), because a normal harness makes it very easy for your dog to pull you. I haven't tried that yet but something to think about. Good luck!

One last thing, I would try speaking to the trainer about obedience classes. My dog didn't used to be this way, but we had a different dog in our classes that was leash reactive and the trainer did a good job of managing it. I don't think it means you can't go to class.

Unless the coat is matted beyond repair I wouldn't shave an aussie. If your dog has an unusually dense undercoat you may need to bring in more than a normal slicker brush to complete your grooming routine. A high velocity dryer does wonders to force out dead undercoat. A mars type stripper like this one: www.amazon.ca/Mars-Stainless-10-Blade-Stripper-Wooden/dp/B00061MPL0 will also help you.

I groom my aussies totally at least once a month when it's not show season, but I am a groomer. Ideally your dog should be bathed/dried/trimmed at least every 8 weeks and brushed in between. If you haven't taken your dog to a groomer before, I would strongly consider it. An aussie in good shape shouldn't cost more than $45-60 bucks to have done and sometimes you just need professional help!

Look into some throwing/fetch toys like the Chuck It Launcher. My little guy will literally fetch all day long if I let him.

Something that bounces randomly when it hits the ground is also great, he goes crazy trying to catch toys like that. We have the Chuck It Evader and the Kong Ring Zinger. I spent some time training him to bring the toy closer to me, having him lay down or do a trick before I'll throw it again. He prefers a game of fetch to treats any day and is highly motivated to learn new tricks/behaviours if he knows the reward is a round of ball chasing.

When we rescued our pup, I was curious enough to do the DNA test. It was easy and took only a couple weeks. http://www.wisdompanel.com/ for more info. http://www.amazon.com/Mars-Veterinary-Wisdom-Panel-2-5/dp/B00U9AJB24 <= what I bought. It's fun to find out more info, plus it include a dna test for a gene that affects how your dog processes medication. We had to have that test done at the vet for a previous dog and it was around $40 for that alone. So, I figure for an extra $30, I don't have to wonder as much.

Btw, very cute pup and I could see potential Aussie there.

Overstimulating sounds right to me. It’s almost like a human, if you run 3 miles every day, you’re going to be a bit stir crazy if you don’t get your 3 mile run in for a day. Your Aussie is dependent on that stimulation everyday because he’s been so active.

Try rotating between focus training and problem solving some nights and exercise other night. Aussie will literally never tire if she’s playing with a dog or chasing a frisbee. She does get drained from activities like hide and seek because its mentally draining. We’ve started to hide a toy and while she’s looking hide another toy, then give her commands like “warm, hot, cold” based on proximity to the toy and when she find Squishy we tell her “Good job, now find Bear” and she goes searching for her bear.

Instead of toys that will just get destroyed, look into toys that promote problem solving.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0798K86LR/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457543&sr=8-3&keywords=Pupper+Pamper&dpPl=1&dpID=51HL1EmZOoL&ref=plSrch <— You can make these with 2 liter bottles but this is a good way to switch up dinner time. Don’t let your pup chew through these, he has to solve the puzzle. No brute forcing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0711Y9XTF/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457614&sr=8-5&keywords=dog%2Bpuzzle%2Btoys&dpPl=1&dpID=41uG8OG2guL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1 <— Same sort of thing, just changes it up so it’s a different puzzle.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0038WP1YC/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457667&sr=8-15&keywords=dog+puzzle+toys <— I have a friend that ditched the food bowl and went with this for feeding. Just don’t let them brute force his way through it, keep your dog focused on the puzzle.

https://www.amazon.com/ZippyPaws-Woodland-Friends-Interactive-Chipmunks/dp/B008PFB3HG <— Toys like this are great for “Find the toy, then go put it in a bucket” then when the bucket is full, give a sign and you set the toy back up for him.

This might be easier to find. I think the long snake had more. Our mini likes the small squeakers not the ones that look like orange juice cans inside and are loud. The small ones sound more like mice I think.
https://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Pets-Skinneeez-Squeakers-Alligator/dp/B00HSJFF3I?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffab-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00HSJFF3I

Also if it’s an issue of her bouncing back way too fast after napping post dogpark, we love the flirt pole. 10-15 minutes in a green space with the flirt pole uses a lot of energy. Even better if you’re on a hill!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sqhXCb69Y3193

My wiggle loves this and this
Also, frozen Kong’s are great.

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent, Clay/Rust https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MGKYCb58N5DJQ

First solo tent I’ve ever purchased has done me wonders in three seasons and got me through a 3 day hike in the Colorado Mountains in October.

https://www.rei.com/product/110837/rei-co-op-passage-2-tent

The second is what we bought before we got the dogs, also great for 3 seasons. Definitely heavier than I’d like but for short excursions it does the job.

Both are on the cheap side but have done well for what I need.

We have this for ours https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GxLsDbFHADN2S

She loves it and gets pouty when her food is in a normal bowl instead