Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is an American ranch dog despite its name, developed in the western United States from herding dogs that arrived with Basque shepherds, some by way of…
About the Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is an American ranch dog despite its name, developed in the western United States from herding dogs that arrived with Basque shepherds, some by way of Australia. It is a versatile working and sport breed with a strong herding drive and a striking range of colours.
Dogs stand about 51 to 58 cm, with a medium-length coat in black, red, blue merle or red merle, each with or without white and tan. The breed's merle colouring calls for care: mating two merles together risks double-merle puppies with serious eye and hearing defects, and no responsible stud owner will agree to it. Aussies are wary of strangers by nature but should never be shy, and a stud with an open, steady temperament is the priority.
The breed has a substantial list of DNA tests and a good stud owner will have them: the MDR1 drug-sensitivity gene, collie eye anomaly, hereditary cataract, prcd-PRA and degenerative myelopathy among them. Add hip and elbow scores, a current eye certificate and a BAER hearing test. Ask about epilepsy in the line, which the breed carries and no test can detect.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Australian Shepherd
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Good Practice — the Royal Kennel Club’s minimum before breeding
The tests the Royal Kennel Club says breeders should, at a minimum, complete before breeding.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — CEA/CH (Collie Eye Anomaly / Choroidal Hypoplasia) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| DNA test — prcd-PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| DNA test — HC-HSF4 (Hereditary Cataract, Australian Shepherd form) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| DNA test — MDR1 (Multi-Drug Resistance) | DNA test | Laboratory | The result printed on the laboratory certificate. |
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Elbow grading (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Grade 0–3. The dog is graded on the worse of the two elbows. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Breed median 10 (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years, 165 dogs scored). Lower is better. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Australian Shepherd stud dogs
No Australian Shepherd studs are listed right now
When an Australian Shepherd on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Australian Shepherd litters
No Australian Shepherd litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
