Tag: working dogs

The Australian Shepherd is a hardworking breed, yet a breed that doesn’t have to work hard to win an owner’s love or affection. Best Bully Sticks highlights this breed because they have a great history, temperament and not to forget, they’re beautiful. Read more about the Australian Shepherd below!

History & Background: The obvious guess as to where this breed originates would most likely be a wrong guess. It’s thought Australian Shepherds originated in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France; yet earn their name because of the Basque shepherds who lived in Australia before coming to America in the 1800s. In practice, this dog is an American breed.

When new cattle species were introduced to the American West, so was a new breed of dog that worked well with the herds. Even in the dangerous altitudes of the Rocky Mountains, this breed was mostly unaffected. Ranchers all over the West were buying up these dogs for their own herds and began further developing the breed. The end result of this breeding gives us the Australian Shepherd that we know and love today; a dog that is adaptable, intelligent, has strong herding instincts and has a beautiful all-around look.

Today, there are still plenty of Australian Shepherds used as working dogs. However, this dog also excels at agility trials, flyball and Frisbee tournaments.

The Australian Shepherd was once called many different names like Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, Blue Heeler, New Mexican Shepherd and California Shepherd.

Height: Males: 20 to 23 inches, Females: 18 to 21 inches

Weight: Males: 50 to 65 pounds, Females: 40 to 55 pounds

Coat: Aussies have a medium length coat, with a profuse amount of hair. The hair itself is soft, but not silky; coarse, but not hard. The AKC describes their coat as having a “medium texture.” An Australian Shepherd’s hair ranges from straight to wavy and is very abundant! This dog’s undercoat varies with climate. The hair on the head, ears and front of legs and below hock. Everywhere else on this dog is frill, mane and fur. Feathering appears on the back of the legs and the chest has a very thick layer of fur. Read more

Golden Retriever

Height: 22-24 inches (male); 20-22 inches (female)

Weight: 65-75 lbs (male); 60-70 lbs (female)

Coat: straight or wavy

Color: reddish; can range from nearly white to dark mahogany

Appearance

Golden Retrievers are shorter than Labradors, with deep chests and a dense coat of waterproof hair that can be either straight or wavy. Coloring ranges from nearly white to a dark red mahogany color, though the extremes of both ranges aren't typically acceptable in competitions.

Temperament

Often referred to as friendly, kindly, and confident, Golden Retrievers make excellent family dogs. Great around groups of people they know as well as strangers, their trusting nature makes them poor guard dogs. They are eager to please, are usually calm, and are very intelligent.

As they grow older, Golden Retrievers will become more active and fun-loving. They love to work, but will work to collapse, so they must be monitored to ensure they don't overwork themselves. Golden Retrievers make excellent service dogs, as well as Search & Rescue, hunting dogs, and illegal drug detection dogs.

Health

The average lifespan of a Golden Retriever is 10 to 12 years. They do well in small areas as they don't require as much exercise as one would expect for a dog their size. Due to careless breeding, they are prone to certain disorders. These include: hip dysplasia, cancer, cataracts, glaucoma, heart problems, allergies, general joint problems.

Famous Golden Retrievers

Buddy - Air Bud movie series

Comet - family dog in Full House

Duke - from the Bush's Baked Beans commercials

Liberty - dog of former President Gerald Ford

Luke, Layla, and Gracie - Oprah Winfrey's dogs

Speedy - from The Drew Carey Show

If you would like to recommend a dog breed for our next Best Bully Sticks spotlight on a breed please send us an email!