An Australian shepherd is a medium-sized dog that is very intelligent and energetic.These dogs are also commonly known as Aussies. Australian shepherds are very active and sporty animals; they are amazing at catching and herding.Australian shepherds actually originated from America, they are not from Australia. An Australian shepherd has a naturally bobbed tail. Australian shepherds generally have very different colored eyes. Their eye color is related to the merle, which is a genetic pattern found in their coat. There are generally two main types, red merle, and blue merle, which form their colored patches on their coat. If they have excess white-colored fur on their body, it can lead to sunburn and even skin cancer.In this article, you will also get to know about the health problems from which Australian shepherds suffer. After reading about the lifespan of these puppies, also read about Australian shepherd grooming and do Australian Shepherds shed?What do Australian shepherds usually die from?Australian shepherds are one of the most adorable pets and people want their dogs to live the longest life.In the case of Australian shepherds, they usually die from certain diseases, which isn’t much different from most animals. Australian shepherds are prone to a lot of health diseases, which can lead to their early death. Many factors can cause these health diseases to your dog, such as weight issues, history of the dog’s genetic components, malnutrition, and more.An Australian shepherd is most likely to die from cancer. Lymphosarcoma or Lymphoma is a type of cancer that afflicts the Australian shepherd more than any other dog breed. In this type of cancer, the body of an Australian shepherd starts to make abnormal white blood cells known as lymphocytes.Australian Shepherd Life ExpectancyJust like any other animal, the lifespan of an Aussie depends on a lot of different factors. Many things contribute their part to affect the life expectancy of an Australian shepherd. As per the breed standard, generally, the average life expectancy of an Australian shepherd is nine years, but the environment and living conditions it lives in can also lead them to live anywhere from 11-13 years. A 13-year-old Australian shepherd is considered an old one. The longest-lived Australian shepherd, however, live to be 29 years old, which is quite an anomaly.The size of your dog is also a factor in its life expectancy. Mini Australian shepherds tend to live two years less than medium-sized ones. Mini Australian shepherds usually suffer from many eye diseases, but the full-sized ones suffer from some more serious diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, and some allergies.Your dog’s weight also plays a crucial part in their life expectancy, like that of humans. Healthy Australian shepherds tend to live longer than overweight ones. If you give your dog excess food or unnecessary treats, this will lead to weight gain, and your dog’s life will be affected negatively. You should focus on your Aussie friend’s exercise and habits to keep it healthy.Does my dog have traits linked to longevity?Dogs have the highest diversity of breeds and species among all the land mammals in the world. They have been bred so many times over thousands of years, for selecting many different types of traits.Sometimes the scientist selects the trait of long fur, sometimes short fur, sometimes big size, sometimes small size, sometimes sharp teeth, sometimes sharp claws. The point is that scientists can select any trait which they want to have in the new breed they make. Scientists have never selected longevity as a trait while cross-breeding though. All the traits which come up for the lifespan are only random and not selected by the breeder.Do neutering and spaying affect Aussie lifespan?Neutering or spaying refers to the removal of the animal’s reproductive organs. It is done by a veterinarian with great precautions, which have no harm to your dog’s health. It is very useful and can improve its health conditions and quality of life.So, the answer to the question of whether neutering or spaying affects your Aussie buddy’s lifespan is yes, neutering or spaying can increase the lifespan of an Australian shepherd or any other dog. The dogs which have been through this medical treatment, tend to live a happier and healthier life. This also helps in managing their behavioral issues, which they can develop at the time of puberty and can last the lifetime of your dog if the dog is not neutered or spayed early enough.For this process, you have to wait until the age of puberty for your Australian shepherd. You should also consult the vet before this treatment, as every dog can have different health problems. The vet can run blood work and make sure your dog is in good health before going through with any surgical procedures.This process may sound weird but it is a very useful technique to help the animals in controlling their abnormal behavior after puberty. Several pet owners have adopted this technique to save their pet’s life from unwanted incidents.Are Australian shepherds predisposed to any health problems?Australian shepherds are prone to a number of health problems. The most severe one is cancer. Other than that, they also can suffer from diseases such as cataracts, hypothyroidism, idiopathic epilepsy, MDR1 drug sensitivity, and hip dysplasia.Cataracts: This is the clouding of the eye lens, which can lead to visual impairment or even blindness. This is the number one inherited disease among Australian shepherds. This can start from an early age of even two years. The symptoms include the graying of the eye. Generally, herding dogs can easily modify themselves in the case of visual impairment by using their hearing and smelling abilities.Hypothyroidism: This is a health issue related to the thyroid. The thyroid is the gland that is responsible for regulating the metabolic rate. When this gland becomes less active, it leads to hypothyroidism. This is a very common health problem with Australian shepherds and can be genetically inherited. This means that this disease can pass from one generation of an Australian shepherd to another. The symptoms include increased weight, lethargy, excessive shedding, thin to bald coat, etc.Idiopathic epilepsy: This is also one of the most common inherited diseases among Australian shepherds. This is a disease with no known cause and no treatment. It is an incurable and lifelong affliction. Its symptoms include whining, shaking, sleepiness, stiffness in legs and neck, stumbling, fixed stare, etc.MDR1-related drug sensitivity: Australian shepherds are particularly prone to multidrug resistance mutation 1 or MDR-1. This has effects on the blood-brain barrier. The symptoms of this problem include weakness, lethargy, disorientation, stumbling and bumping into objects, etc.Hip dysplasia: This is also a very common condition among Australian shepherds. In hip dysplasia, the hip bone and its socket joint grow at different rates, which leads to the loosening of the joints. It is mainly an inherited disease, but can also be caused because of diet, environment, exercising, hormones, etc. Its symptoms include wobbly gait, difficulty to raise from lying, weakness in the hind legs, the sound of the popping of joints, etc.Exercising Aussies With Heart DiseaseAustralian shepherds are very active herding dogs and need to exercise for their overall well-being. The exercise requirement of an Australian shepherd depends on its age. When it is a puppy, it needs only a little bit of exercising or running to keep itself healthy. When you see that your puppy is getting tired, you should let it rest and sleep.An average, fully grown Aussie, requires one or maybe two hours of cardio exercise a day. But if it is suffering from any heart problems, you must consult the vet and they can clarify the exercise requirements and capacities of your dog. The vet will know the best for your pet. If your pet is suffering from any heart disease this does not mean that you reduce its exercising time. If it can exercise for one or two hours, you can do it, but consult with your vet. This is because exercising helps in good blood circulation and a rhythmic heartbeat.If you do not know that your Aussie is suffering from any heart issue, you can learn this by its behavior. If it is suffering from some heart problem, it will be shown in its exercise routine or its running capacities. If you feel that your dog is not running like the other ones or like it used to run, you should consult the vet as soon as possible.Also, you should take your Australian shepherd to regular checkups more frequently than other breeds because they suffer from various diseases, some of which are unseen. Sometimes you don’t even know that your Aussie buddy is in pain or bad health unless you visit the vet. So, if you want your Australian shepherd to live longer, take it to the vet regularly.Do mixed Australian shepherds live longer than purebred ones?The breed of an Australian shepherd can be a big factor in deciding its life expectancy. Purebred Australian shepherds are more prone to hereditary diseases than mixed-breed ones. Since purebreds are more close to the genetic family tree, these herding dog breeds are more likely to suffer from health issues or a genetically related disease.The mixed-breed Australian shepherds can be mixed with a number of breeds so their life expectancy can’t be determined in the same way. Nothing can be said surely in the case of their lifespan. But, there is another compilation in the case of mixed-breed Australian shepherds. When an Australian shepherd is bred with a dog of the same line in a family tree, the chances for hereditary disease become even more, which is the same for all animals.So it can not be said with certainty whether the mixed-breed Australian shepherds have a longer life or the purebred ones. So, when you are purchasing an Australian shepherd you can check its family line in the case of mixed-breed, and the genetic history in the case of pure breed ones. No matter which one you decide on, the lifespan of an Australian shepherd is not that long because of the health complications they suffer from.How can I help my Australian shepherd live longer?A healthy being tends to live longer than an unhealthy one. If you want your pet to live longer, then make sure that it has a healthy lifestyle. A good diet is always the best way to stay healthy. You should keep a check on what your Australian shepherd eats. An Australian shepherd’s diet should contain 5-9 % crude fat, 18-22 % crude protein, and a sufficient amount of phosphorus, calcium, vitamin A and D in its dog food. It also needs a good quantity of water.When your dog is eating healthy, the next thing is to digest those nutrients. An Australian shepherd is made to work. It needs to run and exercise for at least one or two hours a day. If you have an Aussie puppy, then it might need only a little running a day. Exercising and mental stimulation are necessary for an Australian shepherd’s health since they are high energy dogs.You should also take your Australian shepherd to the vet on a regular basis. Your Aussie buddy is prone to many health issues, and learning the sufferings of your pet can only be achieved by visiting a vet. With regular vet checkups, your pet will be updated with parasite prevention, vaccinations, and other preventive measures. The vet can also help you in keeping your dog’s teeth, fur, paws, and other things clean and hygienic.One of the most important things, which most people ignore, is good training of the Aussie since they are trainable, high energy, need a lot of mental stimulation, and aim to please. Australian shepherds mostly suffer from eye problems. There are a lot of chances that your Australian shepherd is suffering from visual impairment. If your dog is well trained, you can make it walk closely to you when you go out on a walk. This will help in reducing the risk of accidents. This training does not necessarily mean hectic training, but a simple training of stay, sit, run, and come will be very helpful. Also, an Australian shepherd is intelligent so it learns whatever you teach it extremely quickly.By following these things you can help increase the lifespan of your medium-sized Aussie. You can also provide your Australian shepherd with a very healthy and peaceful life by feeding it right, exercising it, and giving it a good life.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Australian shepherd lifespan, then why not take a look at Bernese mountain dog life span, or Australian shepherd facts?
An Australian shepherd is a medium-sized dog that is very intelligent and energetic.
