ASCA Hall of Fame Excellent Kennel
Working Aussie Stockdogs
located in Bryan, Texas
Information on Working Dogs
Courtesy Slash V Working Aussies
A working dog can be a useful tool on almost any operation. We chose Australian Shepherds over other breeds because of they were the best cattle dogs. For over three decades we have bred and used Aussies with several different types of livestock.
If you are looking for a dog, or want to know if you need and could use one, take a look at the articles and stories listed here. The information included should give you a good start on making an educated decision. Also included are some articles and stories about Aussies that we feel help to illustrate important temperament/companion information.
What color is a good stockdog?
Whatever Color he is!
"The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black and solid red (liver) all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference. The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose, lips and eye-rims; the red (liver) merle and red (liver) have liver pigmentation on nose, lips and eye-rims."
~Australian Shepherd Club of America Breed Standard
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Red
Red Merle
Black Tri
Black Tri
Blue Merle
Black Tri
Below are photos of three popular working breeds that are often confused either because of similar names, or when their coloration is similar. Keep in mind we call the following breeds "working" dogs, NOT "herding" dogs. The American Kennel Club has designated a group of "herding" dogs that have a background of herding at some point. This does not necessarily mean that the dogs classified as "herding" can still "work."
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In any case, no matter what you are looking for, don't expect to get a working dog from a background that has not worked for several generations. You might get lucky, but the odds are not good.
Australian Shepherd
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"Aussie"
Border Collie
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"Collie"
"Sheepdog"
Australian Cattle Dog
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"Cattle Dog"
"Heeler"
"ACD"
Don't forget to visit the LINKS page for many more resources
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or
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The DVD page for info on DVDs on how to train a stockdog