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what is an 
aussiedoodle

THE AUSSIE

I have always been drawn to working farm dogs, they represent what a good old American West Dog should be, they watch over you, they gather things together, they love to work and are pleased to perform any task you give them.  The more you train a herding dog the happier the dog will be. The working/sporting class group of dogs has always intrigued me; really all DOGS WITH JOBS!

australian shepherd puppy in the snow

Ranchers and working farms have been drawn to the Austrailian Shepherd of all sizes,it was small enough to live at home, easy to travel with, and intelligent enough to be an asset on the ranch. However the Miniature Australian Shepherd established itself as a versatile, loving, and nearly perfect breed for ranchers and farmers It has the ability to work in the same capacity as the full size Aussie does. The name Australian Shepherd will now be used synonymously with American Shepherd, since AKC has recently decided to finally recognize the Mini Aussie, but wanted to change the name since it is believed that they had become what they are today while in America. There is a divided group on this name change since people have come to know and love the Aussie as it has been called since the early 1900’s. Just know when you now hear American Shepherd people are also talking about the AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD. These two are mutually exclusive, and remain to be the same dog.

​The AKC recognized the mini breed in 2015. This has become a hot topic in the groups that had established the breed before it was recognized by the AKC. Too much drama for me.

​Origin-Surprisingly, the Australian Shepherd dog breed is actually American! Shepherds from the Basque region of the Pyrenees took small 'blue' dogs to work in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s to work with sheep. The Australian part of the name comes from the sheep that they worked with as they were imported from Australia. Another hypothesis suggests that the dogs​

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immigrated first to Australia and then to the U.S. When they first arrived in the South-Western United States in the late 1800s, the dogs were initially allowed to interbreed with other shepherd dogs to enhance working ability. 

The Australian Shepherd breed of dog was

developed in the United States, not Australia. The breed  was developed on American soil. The breed was developed in the 19th century for herding purposes. Many immigrants brought sheep and other livestock with them.  To help manage the flocks they also brought their favorite herding dogs. Although many dogs that arrived at this time were from Australia, it is believed that the primary ancestors of today’s Australian Shepherd were from Germany or Spain’s Basque region.  

There is also compelling genetic evidence indicating that the Australian Shepherd has ancestors that came overto the Americas on the Bering Land Bridge; so in some sense, at least part of the breed might be considered “native”. 

aussie in the sand

THE GEOGRAPHY OF  THE ROOTS OF THE AUSSIE

The Aussie world tour began in Europe near the pyrenees mountains. Near the borders of France and spain, people know as the Basques with their faithful shepherd dogs. They sailed to try working the wide open ranges of australia  and get employment with sheepherders there. During this time the basque shepherds with a mix with a variety of crossed with british imported dogs , such as collies and border collies. The Basques left Australia to try their hand in california and to perform herding in the USA.

The breed particularly became well known and started to be sought after for their herding ability in the Colorado Rockies, as these dogs are able to maintain their high energy levels, even in extremely high altitudes and frigid weather.  It also is extremely protective of its flock- whether animals or, more typically today, humans- and has a natural tendency to want to herd, as you’ll quickly find out if you send a group of kids randomly running in every direction with one of these dogs around.  This is also one dog that is not intimidated by the elements.

brown and white aussie puppies

THE POODLE

From bird dogs to Belgian Shepherds who watch your farm and cattle and chase off natural predators, protecting the herd. That they accomplish with pure instinct is truly amazing!

fluffy poodles in grass

One day I was going to meet a friend at the park with her two dogs that I had not yet met.

My friend showed up with two Standard Poodles. At this time I had two Springer Spaniel littermates. When I saw her unloading her Poodles from the car my first thought was,“are you kidding, we are here at the park for some good dog fetching and retrieving and she comes out with those prancy poodles?”  Well I am here to tell you, this is the day I learned otherwise. Poodles get a bad rap. They are known in the AKC Standard as a (non-working dog). That is totally a misclassification if I ever saw one. My grandmother was no help to the bad rep I had grown to know either. She had poodles while I was growing up and insisted on naming them things like “Mitzy” and “Pompom” didn’t help matters much. Years later, at the park with my friends two poodles I could not help being impressed by them; running, retrieving, listening to commands, they made my well trained dogs looks like they were in need of a refresher course!

From that day I started to research the Poodle. I wanted to see what in the world happened to these perfect, amazing dogs with speed, retrieving instincts and natural water abilities who had seemingly been turned into a couch sitting accessory for someone’s home.

poodle hunting

​I am so impressed with their intelligence, their

background, heat tolerance and training ability;

I don't think you can find a better pairing of dogs.

The great thing about dogs is when you go back

and view the history of how a dog became what it

is today it is always a combination of cross breeding with other dogs. So welcome the AussieDoodle as another great combination of two amazing dogs with a wonderful history and background 

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THE POODLE’S UNIQUE ORIGIN:

A DOG THAT DOES HAVE IT ALL, ONLY IF CLASS DISTINCTIONS WOULD LET THE DOG DO WHAT IS INNATE IN THEM.

 

  • The poodle was first called Pudelhund, a German word, which translates into English as “puddle dog.”

  • They were first bred in Northern Europe and were used to retrieve game from water. Most poodles today still love getting in water.

  • Other historians think that one of the Poodle's ancestors is the North African Barbet, which was imported to the Iberian Peninsula. After that, the breed arrived in Gaul where it was used for his hunting abilities

  • It's also commonly believed that Poodles descended from Asian herding dogs, and then traveled with the Germanic Goth and Ostrogoth tribes to eventually become a German water dog. Yet another hypothesis is that the Poodle descended from dogs that were brought out of the Asian steppes by the conquering North African Berbers and eventually found his way into Portugal in the 8th Century with the Moors.

  • The Poodle is one of the oldest breeds developed especially for hunting waterfowl. Most historians agree that the Poodle originated in Germany, but developed into his own distinct breed in France. Poodles are so intelligent that they can seem almost human in their actions.

  • Many believe that the breed is the result of crosses between several European water dogs, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hungarian, and Russian water dogs

  • Whatever its ancestry, this is a very old breed. Illustrations of Poodle-like dogs adorn Egyptian and Roman artifacts and tombs dating from the first centuries B.C. The drawings and statues show dogs that look very much like modern-day Poodles, bringing in game nets, herding animals, and retrieving game from marshes.

  • Poodles love people

  • Tolerate children

  • Get along well with other animals, including cats.

  • They make a great pet for almost anyone as they’re steady, loyal, active, and highly intelligent.

  • They are also happy, loving and even-tempered

  • The poodle’s coat doesn’t shed, and although no dog is said to be hypoallergenic, this dog won’t bother most allergy sufferers.

  • Poodles are heat tolerant

  • The Kennel Club in England registered their first Poodle in 1874,

  • Poodles were fairly rare in the U.S. until after World War II. By the mid-1950s, however, the Poodle had become the most popular breed in the country, a position he held for more than 20 years.

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A DISTINCTION OF CLASS &

A SENSIBLE HAIRSTYLE GONE WRONG

crazy poodle hair

Regardless of the origin of this dog, it is evident it was destined to be a sporting dog be it through herding, water, retrieving or hunting. I am all about a dog being what he was bred to do.

It is amazing to me what distinction of class can to do a society and animals as well, I mean look at the hairstyle gone wrong with these poodles.

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An Aussiedoodle is a work of art.

 

Carefully breeding an Australian Shepherd and a Poodle together creates an excellent, well-rounded companion who can indeed do it all—while looking great too! After all, Australian Shepherds and Poodles are two of the smartest dogs with two of the most amazing coats. 

 

Our Aussiedoodles are on the upper end of what is considered mini-sized. Adults weigh approximately 28 to 40 pounds and range in height from 18 to 19 inches tall. Our Aussiedoodle puppies are sold throughout the United States and are known for their unique coats, fantastic personalities, and willingness to work.

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