The Ausseidor is a modern designer dog. This means that it is the result of a fascinating breed mix. What’s particularly exciting is that the Ausseidor exhibits traits of both the Australian Shepherd and the Labrador. This gives the Ausseidor an endearing appearance and remarkable nature.

History of the Ausseidor

The Ausseidor is what’s known as a designer dog, resulting from the breeding of different purebred dogs (the Labrador and the Australian Shepherd).
It’s assumed that the hybrid breed first emerged in the early 2000s. Due to its novelty, the Ausseidor doesn’t have a long history to look back on. However, the same can’t be said for its parents:

Nature and Character

On one hand, the Ausseidor is a family-friendly dog, demonstrating loyalty, gentleness, and kindness in daily life. Interaction with its owner is friendly and affectionate. On the other hand, it has an alert and playful nature that it enjoys expressing through physical activities. Its high intelligence also means it requires mental stimulation.

Aside from that, it possesses many qualities useful in various work settings. For example, it is brave, attentive, and protective. Ausseidor enthusiasts also swear by its reliability. Speaking of protectiveness, this vigilant four-legged companion announces dangers through barking. However, compared to other breeds, it tends to behave quite calmly overall.

Affection Level	Medium
Friendliness	High
Kid-Friendly	High
Pet-Friendly	High
Exercise Needs	High
Playfulness	High
Energy Level	High
Trainability	High
Intelligence	High
Tendency to Bark	Medium
Amount of Shedding	Low

Acquiring an Ausseidor

Acquiring an Ausseidor can be challenging since there are currently no standardized breeding criteria or American Ausseidor clubs. If you’re interested in a puppy, you’ll have to rely on the offerings of private breeders.

Depending on the origin and coloration, the purchase price of an Ausseidor puppy ranges between $750 and $2000.
However, you might also fall in love with another breed (such as another Aussie mix) if the costs deter you or if you can’t find a suitable breeder nearby.

But: What Aussie mixes are there? Aussie mixes can arise from any possible combination of an Australian Shepherd with another breed. Well-known Aussie mixes include the Australian Shepherd-Husky mix, the Australian Shepherd-German Shepherd mix, and the Golden Retriever-Australian Shepherd mix.

What should I look for when buying?

Generally, it’s assumed that hybrid dogs are healthier than their purebred counterparts. This is because the risk of inbreeding and genetic diseases is lower due to the large gene pool.

To maintain this, breeding lines must be fresh (think genetic diversity) and free from overbred individuals.
It’s also important for the breeder to have the joints of the parent animals examined to prevent genetically related joint diseases from being passed on to their offspring.

If you opt for a dog with the merle gene, you should also ensure that it doesn’t have any sensory organ defects (i.e., that it can see and hear).
Finally, it should be noted that the Ausseidor cannot currently be uniformly bred. Therefore, the puppy is somewhat of a surprise package, reminiscent of either an Australian Shepherd or having inherited most traits from the Labrador.

Development and Training of the Puppy

The Ausseidor is an easily trainable beginner dog who puts effort into doing everything right because he desperately wants to please his owner (known as a Will-to-please).

Another plus point is the fact that with proper training, the hunting interest of this mixed breed can be quite well controlled. Despite the good qualities, the Ausseidor also requires consistent leadership. However, love and understanding of the dog’s needs should always be at the forefront.

Also, make sure your dog has early contact with other dogs. This way, you can train him to be a sociable companion and family dog.

How do I keep an Ausseidor?

How big will a Labrador Australian Shepherd Mix get? An Ausseidor can grow up to 63 cm. For this reason, it’s best if he doesn’t live in a multi-story apartment and to protect his joints, he should avoid climbing stairs as much as possible.

Additionally, the herding dog mix is an active companion who needs physical and mental challenges. Accordingly, his owner should be able to dedicate the necessary time and ideally be nature-loving and fond of exercise themselves.

Due to his size and passion for physical activities, it’s beneficial to have an adjoining garden, a nearby park, or fields and forests in the living environment.

Practical tip: The Ausseidor can also be trained by a beginner, making it suitable for novice dog owners as well.

Because the Ausseidor is very attached to his caregivers, he often doesn’t cope well with being left alone. This means you’ll need to integrate your dog into your work life, hire a dog sitter, or expect increased training efforts.

But what does the ideal owner look like, or: Is an Ausseidor a family dog? The Ausseidor is a versatile companion, suitable as a shepherd, working, companion, and child-friendly family dog.

Training tip: When keeping him as a family pet, make sure he doesn’t nip at his “herd” (such as the children). This behavior is something he’s accustomed to from his herding past.

Activities with the Ausseidor

The Ausseidor has inherited the passion for water from its ancestor, the Labrador. Accordingly, you can tailor your daily walks to suit the Ausseidor by incorporating swimming into your walking route. Local rivers and lakes not only offer opportunities for swimming but also for retrieving from the water.

Retrieving is another task that the Ausseidor is drawn to. The advantage: Retrieving is an activity that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Furthermore, it’s a simple and child-friendly family activity.

If you want to provide holistic enrichment for your hybrid, consider various training opportunities, such as becoming a therapy dog. In general, you can offer your Ausseidor any activities that provide physical and mental stimulation and that you both enjoy as a duo.

Health and Care

How long do Ausseidors live? With good health, Ausseidors can live up to 14 years.

However, some individuals do not reach this age because the breed has a certain susceptibility to the following diseases:

Dogs from reputable breeders are generally considered healthy because some of these diseases can be ruled out through appropriate testing.

Caring for mixed-breed dogs is straightforward, as the Ausseidor has an undemanding coat. It only needs grooming once a week, such as brushing or combing. Since this breed sheds relatively little, no further care is required.

Interesting and Worth Knowing

The Australian Shepherd and the Labrador are known for their versatility, willingness to learn, and high attention span, among other qualities. Therefore, they can be used for various assistance and rescue tasks as well as therapy work. The Ausseidor has inherited these traits from its ancestors, making it suitable for professional purposes (such as in nursing homes).