Australian Shepherd: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series) (Hardcover)

by Charlotte Schwartz (Author) "The scene is a cattle ranch in the heart of the American Southwest..." (more)
Key Phrases: herding trials, roundworm eggs, adult fleas, Australian Shepherd, American Kennel Club, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
As handsome as he is talented, the Australian Shepherd has fast become one of America’s most popular dogs, and that is no surprise to those who know him. Engaging and talented, the Australian Shepherd proves exceptionally intelligent and versatile. Admired for his natural beauty, eye-catching coloration, abundant coat and boundless herding skills (from geese to bison), the Australian Shepherd requires an equally active and involved owner if he is to blossom into the spectacular companion dog he is intended to be.

This colorful introductory guide provides reliable, up-to-date information to help new owners better understand, raise and train this energetic working dog. The book covers breed history, characteristics and standard, puppy selection and care, feeding, coat care and grooming, housebreaking and basic obedience training, preventative health care and showing. In addition to an authoritative, comprehensive text, this book presents over 135 photographs in full color, which prove to be as informative as they are attractive.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 158 pages
• Publisher: Kennel Club Books; Revised edition (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593782799
• ISBN-13: 978-1593782795
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #137,838 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Organized and Presented, but Thin on Content, January 5, 2005

By	CMOS (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

While many of the suggestions and explanations about this wonderful breed are consistent with other research documents I've read, I felt like there should've been more "meat" or text included on certain topics. In particular obedience training, feeding and the like.

Australian Shepherds are *extremely* intelligent dogs (far more so than most labs or retrievers for example - though I certainly love those breeds as well (and own one)). For this reason they have very specific training requirements if both owner and dog are ultimately to have a good relationship. However this book gave equally thin treatment to this topic as it does for others of less importance. I sort of get the impression the author said "well we can only dedicate x pages per topic on average" and then stuck to that, instead of allowing more pages for the really important stuff and skimming the more obvious or less critical topics.

This book *will* teach you something you didn't know most likely, but it will also leave you wanting more in-depth info. I'd give it 3.5 if I could....

Friendly Advice: while I was well aware of the breed's characteristics before buying, please DO NOT let your kids (or your own conscience) talk you into buying one of these dogs just because you've seen them catching frisbees on the beach or because they're so cute. If you do not have the time and space to dedicate to this dog every single day, you will wind up with a frustrated and destructive dog. Shepherds need to keep their minds going and their bodies going as often as possible; they are not couch potatoes like many other breeds of similar temperment and looks.

Also be sure to check your local Australian Shepherd rescue for available dogs before going to a breeder. You'd be amazed how many great dogs are out there already looking for homes. Don't contribute to the dog overbreeding problem in this country (more than 15 million dogs are euthanized every year in the US).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!, May 3, 2008

By	Lisa A. Hoffmann "laphoffmann" (Eastlake, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A great deal of information for all stages of your Aussie and lovely pictures. Includes information about diseases, insurance, poisons, collars, grooming, breed standards, puppy proofing and body charts.