Just wanted to say I've received photo's of a friends soon to be new Aussie puppy and she's gorgeous. I've never really taken a lot of notice of this breed before simply because I couldn't cope with one but I never knew they came in different colours and Merles and that they came as show or working lines (see total Aussie dunce lol). I think I need some education to appreciate the finer points of this breed - don't want to look too stupid when I get to see her eh lol?

I'm biased because we have a beautiful, 15 month old Black-Tri, Aussie bitch :D There are 4 main colours - Black (usually with combinations of black, white and tan), Red (combinations as the black, but with red) and red and blue merle. They are gorgeous dogs. I love the blue merles, but don't like some of the heavily coloured ones. Loki's Mum (Margot) has a beautiful pair of blue merle puppies with lovely colours. You need to look at a lot to see which type you prefer.

You will need to ask someone more experienced on here for the differences between working/show lines. I think that it is a bit similar to the differences between Border/Working Collies with regard to temperament.

Daisy

Schip - just to say that Aussies are totally AWESOME!!

As Daisy said, we have 4 Aussies - black tri Thor, Loki & Beau, and blue Merle Vinnie. Beau and Vinnie are Loki's pups - she's just had the 1 litter so far. We bred her to a Blue merle boy, and from that mating we had all 4 colours - red tri, black tri, red merle and blue merle!

It caused us quite a lot of problems trying to decide which to keep for ourselves, I can tell you :D

Aussies are traditionally an American pastoral dog - the usual story is that they came over to California from Australia with the Basque shepherds at the end of the 19th century when the ranchers started bringing in sheep from Australia. They were used to herd cattle and buffalo as well as sheep, and would be used as childminders by farmers who needed both parents to work the land at times. Or so the story goes!

Anyway, they are wonderful, hardworking, thinking dogs who really do want to please you all the time"! They can be quite vocal - actually as Im typing this, the "Aussie Posse choir" is tuning up because they have heard my son's car coming down the road :D

Some are quite laid back to the point of being horizontal - Thor - our first Aussie - still thinks that Saturday afternoons are for watching rugby sitting on my husband's lap - and he's 5 now!

I'm sure that Applethorn will be on at some time - what she doesn't know about Aussies you could put on a pin - she will be able to go into the technicalities far better than I.

Regards

Margot