Pet Stress and Pet Behavior Problems

Basil, the six month old Australian Shepherd, has some smart new toys and a new collar, purchased by his owner, Nicole Curcio, with the $50 gift card won from the November Picture Perfect Pet Photo Contest.

Australian Shepherds are herding dogs, so Nicole kept that in mind when making her toy choices.  She wrote us “So I got Basil a new collar and a soccer ball plus some other crazy ball for ‘herding breeds’. The big red ball actually has another ball inside that makes the thing roll on it’s own. It’s supposed to be good for herders because it makes them want to “herd” the thing in the direction of their choosing.

“Of course Basil just likes to pick it up and drag it around, or drop it on the floor to make the most noise possible! Last night I cleaned up all of his toys, putting them in his toy box, and he promptly grabbed the red ball out of the box and dragged it in his ‘room’ (crate) and curled up beside it.”

Sometimes a simple round ball is the most fun, as Nicole told us: “Truth be told, the soccer ball is the best toy I’ve gotten him. We go out to the field and I dribble it around and he steals it from me, or chases it down the field with his nose until he can get a good grip with his teeth. He loves to chase things on the ground- presumably that herding instinct.”

All of this talk about Australian Shepherds sparked my interest in the breed.  A little reading up revealed that despite its name, the breed is not originally from Australia.  It is, in fact, a North American Breed.  The name is believed to come from Basque sheepherders who came from Australia.  The article also stated, and Nicole would probably agree, that the Aussie “has considerable energy and drive, and usually needs a job to do.”

We hope that Basil and Nicole continue to enjoy these new purchases.  Remember to enter your dog, cat, or bird in the contest and get your friends to vote so that you, too, can win a $50 gift card!