If they’re breeding lines that have the propensity for psych SD work, they’re not breeding in standard Aussies. 95% of Aussies lack the personality and honestly- chill, to be service dogs, as with all shepherds. If anyone is promising a line of Aussies that is good for SD work they’re not a reputable breeder.
I would look for other breeds.
I have an Aussie cattle dog/Aussie shepherd mix for my psych dog, had her for 10 years, training her replacement who’s a standard poodle, eight months old. What I’ve learned over the last ten years: the breed characteristics are real! She’s super smart and initially easy to train. She becomes stubborn and acts like a recalcitrant teenager; she gets bored, checks out and then doesn’t want to task, she absorbs to my emotions during a panic attack or high anxiety, when I need her the most. I love her dearly but I wouldn’t get an Aussie for psych work again (hence the standard poodle). What I thought was my poor training has actually been the breed because Ginger is absolutely flawless when she wants to. I would’ve saved sooo much time, tears, energy and money with a different breed — and had better tasking. Great dogs but not for psych work. The wealth of knowledge and experience in this sub is impressive; really listen to their feedback.
Going with an off breed is not advised and you probably won't find a dog with a proven service dog line. If you are looking for a dog that size I would recommend a small standard poodle. That way you can actually get a dog from a proven service dog line and don't have to deal with the fact the dog has qualities you don't want for a service dog consistent with an Australian shepherd
There are good breeders in the PNW who have put titles on their dogs. Start there. You want to work with a breeder who prominently posts OFA results, titles, whelping dates, dates and causes of death for any of their dogs old enough to have walked on, and so on. Working with people who have been in the agility/OB/rally space for a couple of decades is always a good bet.
If any breeder is promising puppies from "service dog lines," they are trying to sell ocean views in Needles, CA. With the exception of the prominent professional programs that breed their own service dogs, every few breeders can promise lines suitable for service work. The individual temperament of the dog is critical.
There was a good discussion about Aussies four months ago:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/service\_dogs/comments/1b1580m/aussie\_shepherd\_as\_service\_dog/](https://www.reddit.com/r/service_dogs/comments/1b1580m/aussie_shepherd_as_service_dog/)
I work a Belgian Groenendael (Malinois in a long black coat). Training her to an SD standard has taken twice as long and twice as much money as a retriever or poodle, and she will never be as good at service work as those breeds. Her exercise requirements are immense. That's why she's a dual-purpose service-and-sport dog.
Shepherds are meant to be always in motion. Unlike retrievers, they're not genetically suited to doing nothing for long periods of time. Many shepherds have a tendency to reflect handler emotions, which makes them a poor fit for psychiatric service. GSDs and Mals are prone to reactivity and protectiveness, too.
Unless you can work from home for the first year of the puppy's life and have professional service dog trainers at hand, turning a herding dog into a PSD is going to be a hard road. Aussies' drives are best satisfied through agility or rally (or herding, if you can find a flock). And unless you are going into sport and service, you are bound to wind up with a dog who finds life stultifying.
If you are dead set on an Aussie, get an environmentally focused puppy who will not fixate on your every emotion. Make neutrality to the world and the ability to settle your top priorities, and recognize that walks and hikes are not going to cut it for Aussie energy.
Agreed, my PSD is a one-year-old Dutch Shepherd who requires a tremendous amount of play, mental exercise, physical exercise, and patience. Dutch Shepherds are highly intelligent and energetic, making them a handful but also incredibly rewarding companions.
I made a conscious choice in selecting a high-energy, highly engagement dog due to my own illness. Inactivity exacerbates my symptoms, so I needed a service dog who would keep me moving and help prevent me from dwelling on negativity. A high-energy dog like a Dutch Shepherd requires constant physical activity and mental engagement, which aligns perfectly with my need to stay active. Her enthusiasm and need for exercise motivates me to get out of the house, take regular walks, and engage in interactive play, all of which significantly improves my mood and overall well-being. This dynamic relationship ensures that we both remain active and engaged, providing mutual benefits for my health and her development.
Finding a trusted breeder was a long process and extremely expensive, involving extensive research and vetting to ensure I found someone reputable. This cost didn't include her formal training, which was an additional significant investment. Her training included boarding with a professional trainer to ensure she received the best foundation for her role.
I work remotely, which fortunately allows me to give her the time and attention she needs to become acclimated to her role as a PSD. This setup is ideal, as it lets me engage with her consistently throughout the day, providing the mental and physical stimulation she requires. I wouldn't be comfortable bringing her to a workplace until she is at least two years old, as working and herding dogs need a lot of attention and patience and are not suited to long periods of inactivity. It's crucial for her development that she remains active and engaged to harness her full potential as a PSD.
I live in a country where Aussies are a pretty popular breed for psychiatric assistance dog work. I also own a herding dog (not an Australian Shepherd),but this is what I generally see and also experience myself. Training has a lot more bumps in the road than with the average Golden Retriever, reactivity is often a thing (that often can be worked through, but it eats time and energy and it’s anxiety inducing because you‘re constantly wondering if your dog will make it as an assistance dog), it takes longer. Their intelligence can be a blessing and a curse.
My dog is an amazing assistance dog, but she would not be suitable for everyone, some people wouldn’t like the way she works because she moves and thinks fast. She is calm, but will never reach the levels of chill she could have reached without herding breed genetics. I love her to pieces and she saves my ass every day, but my next dog will likely be a Lab or a Golden. I also generally don’t really recommend them. I see it work out often, but why make your life harder for two to three years first? Just be prepared for an emotional roller coaster.
is there a reason you want an aussie? I remember years ago when i was first looking into an aussie for psych and cardiac alert it was bc of the size and looks (they were my fav dog) but they simply arent meant for the work. only some are okay with it. None of the pups i saw had the temperament for it, and everyone i knew with experience said dont.
They are not. They do extensive health testing, many of their progeny are titled, they do extensive temperament testing, and will take back any puppy that does not work out for a family. They go years without breeding a litter as well. None of those are the hallmarks of a backyard breeder.
Dude I just looked them up on their website and the dogs are pretty out of standard. Not a single breeding dog is titled (we’re talking breeding dogs- it doesn’t matter if someone who got a puppy from them was able to get a CGC or whatever) and they’re missing major health testing on all dogs. Some dogs are claimed to be bred on their website and cross checking those dogs on k9 data shows absolutely no health testing what so ever. There’s no stacked photos on the site to judge conformation that aren’t ancient or of dead dogs. Taking back puppies and dog owners getting puppies from them and titling those dogs doesn’t make a breeder reputable or ethical
AKC standard is not the be all/end all of a breeder, especially if you are not focused on the confirmation ring but rather producing working dogs. Their main stud is an AKC champion, however. Maine’s dogs are physically sound, have proven WORKING ability, have sound temperaments, are genetically tested before breeding to screen for genetic issues, are cleared for hips, elbows, heart, hearing, and eyes before breeding. Me personally? I’m more concerned with working ability, temperament, and sound physical structure than whether my dog has a particular ear set or the correct depth of stop.
Something to think about: my very first dog was a Sheltie , sired by Ch Halstor’s Peter Pumpkin. Peter is still considered one of the top sires in the breed, with a laundry list of titles. My dog’s dam was nothing special. In fact? She was “out of standard”. However, she produced exceptional pups, including my boy, who went on to title quite early. A lot of people will rag on field bred Goldens, too, but there’s a reason you don’t see that many folks hunting over show line dogs, and a great many service dog Goldens are “out of standard”, because meeting the AKC standard was not the primary focus, but rather meeting the standard that the breeder decided was most beneficial to produce working dogs.
Not every good breeder will see the AKC standard as gospel, and there are a decent number of Aussie people who think AKC acceptance is one of the worst things that can happen to a breed. Ultimately, you choose what is important to you, and act accordingly.
Cross checking with k9 data showed most dogs missing eyes and heart. IF anything was posted. At the same time, for “working dogs” the dogs are extremely under-titled (again. No posted titles could be found in my quick search) which is EXTREMELY concerning if that’s their breeding goals as the dogs workability hasn’t been proven. And if that hasn’t been proven we roll right back the the lack of conformation.
Also dude. The ragging on goldens isn’t even needed. Ethical golden breeders have workable dogs. If they’re producing non workable show goldens their ethicality rating drops dramatically. Again, I know so so so many “show” golden breeders that have laundry lists of hunt titles AND conformation titles.
It’s often recommended to avoid field goldens for SD work as they tend to be to easily over aroused for first time handlers. They can work and be great. MUCH BETTER than an Aussie lol. But they’re more likely to be bred by a byb claiming field to hide the conformation issues like the Aussie breeder you recommended. In fact, this is a GREAT example of this. In most cases “working” or “field type” translates better to the traditional work type of the dogs breeding (hunting, herding, protection, etc.) these things are NOT service work. Especially a true “working Aussie” would have a much harder time translating that over to SD work than a true “show line”. In fact, proof of a good working Aussie, would be that it would physically combust if it was doing SD work. As that drive and mental set required to make a good herder is the virtual opposite of SD work. If these were good working dogs, where are all of their working stock dog records?
When I say working dogs, I mean LITERALLY working livestock. Not titles. Titles can mean jack squat, lol; my Aussie worked livestock because he was needed as a helper. I couldnt have cared less about getting a herding title on him - I work with him in the pasture every day, or did till I retired him (he’s 14).
Ultimately it’s this: if you want to diss a breeder you’ve never talked to or met their dogs or worked over their dogs or talked to anyone who owns their dogs? Cool. That’s you. I know when I was enquiring about a pup (no, my boy is not from them), I was provided with more references than I knew what to do with, copies of all the medical testing done on sire and dam, etc. I did talk to people. I did meet some of the dogs they bred. If I need another working Aussie (I no longer have stock, but who knows what the future holds), then I will definitely be considering them.
FWIW, I absolutely agree that an Aussie is a REALLY risky choice for a SD, and you’d be looking at unicorn status to find one that ticked enough boxes to make that work, regardless of breeder. I know Maine has turned down a number of buyers for that exact reason. I’d go with a poodle, myself. I love my Aussies, I’ll have one until I can’t physically provide what they need, but I won’t be trying to turn one into my SD.
I have a Border Collie for that (that’s sarcasm, btw).
If they’re breeding lines that have the propensity for psych SD work, they’re not breeding in standard Aussies. 95% of Aussies lack the personality and honestly- chill, to be service dogs, as with all shepherds. If anyone is promising a line of Aussies that is good for SD work they’re not a reputable breeder. I would look for other breeds.
I have an Aussie cattle dog/Aussie shepherd mix for my psych dog, had her for 10 years, training her replacement who’s a standard poodle, eight months old. What I’ve learned over the last ten years: the breed characteristics are real! She’s super smart and initially easy to train. She becomes stubborn and acts like a recalcitrant teenager; she gets bored, checks out and then doesn’t want to task, she absorbs to my emotions during a panic attack or high anxiety, when I need her the most. I love her dearly but I wouldn’t get an Aussie for psych work again (hence the standard poodle). What I thought was my poor training has actually been the breed because Ginger is absolutely flawless when she wants to. I would’ve saved sooo much time, tears, energy and money with a different breed — and had better tasking. Great dogs but not for psych work. The wealth of knowledge and experience in this sub is impressive; really listen to their feedback.
Golden retrievers are great psych dogs. I had a Pomeranian and he was so focused on me it was amazing. He passed in January and I miss him every day!
Going with an off breed is not advised and you probably won't find a dog with a proven service dog line. If you are looking for a dog that size I would recommend a small standard poodle. That way you can actually get a dog from a proven service dog line and don't have to deal with the fact the dog has qualities you don't want for a service dog consistent with an Australian shepherd
There are good breeders in the PNW who have put titles on their dogs. Start there. You want to work with a breeder who prominently posts OFA results, titles, whelping dates, dates and causes of death for any of their dogs old enough to have walked on, and so on. Working with people who have been in the agility/OB/rally space for a couple of decades is always a good bet. If any breeder is promising puppies from "service dog lines," they are trying to sell ocean views in Needles, CA. With the exception of the prominent professional programs that breed their own service dogs, every few breeders can promise lines suitable for service work. The individual temperament of the dog is critical. There was a good discussion about Aussies four months ago: [https://www.reddit.com/r/service\_dogs/comments/1b1580m/aussie\_shepherd\_as\_service\_dog/](https://www.reddit.com/r/service_dogs/comments/1b1580m/aussie_shepherd_as_service_dog/) I work a Belgian Groenendael (Malinois in a long black coat). Training her to an SD standard has taken twice as long and twice as much money as a retriever or poodle, and she will never be as good at service work as those breeds. Her exercise requirements are immense. That's why she's a dual-purpose service-and-sport dog. Shepherds are meant to be always in motion. Unlike retrievers, they're not genetically suited to doing nothing for long periods of time. Many shepherds have a tendency to reflect handler emotions, which makes them a poor fit for psychiatric service. GSDs and Mals are prone to reactivity and protectiveness, too. Unless you can work from home for the first year of the puppy's life and have professional service dog trainers at hand, turning a herding dog into a PSD is going to be a hard road. Aussies' drives are best satisfied through agility or rally (or herding, if you can find a flock). And unless you are going into sport and service, you are bound to wind up with a dog who finds life stultifying. If you are dead set on an Aussie, get an environmentally focused puppy who will not fixate on your every emotion. Make neutrality to the world and the ability to settle your top priorities, and recognize that walks and hikes are not going to cut it for Aussie energy.
I’m glad you mentioned the protectiveness aspect.
Agreed, my PSD is a one-year-old Dutch Shepherd who requires a tremendous amount of play, mental exercise, physical exercise, and patience. Dutch Shepherds are highly intelligent and energetic, making them a handful but also incredibly rewarding companions. I made a conscious choice in selecting a high-energy, highly engagement dog due to my own illness. Inactivity exacerbates my symptoms, so I needed a service dog who would keep me moving and help prevent me from dwelling on negativity. A high-energy dog like a Dutch Shepherd requires constant physical activity and mental engagement, which aligns perfectly with my need to stay active. Her enthusiasm and need for exercise motivates me to get out of the house, take regular walks, and engage in interactive play, all of which significantly improves my mood and overall well-being. This dynamic relationship ensures that we both remain active and engaged, providing mutual benefits for my health and her development. Finding a trusted breeder was a long process and extremely expensive, involving extensive research and vetting to ensure I found someone reputable. This cost didn't include her formal training, which was an additional significant investment. Her training included boarding with a professional trainer to ensure she received the best foundation for her role. I work remotely, which fortunately allows me to give her the time and attention she needs to become acclimated to her role as a PSD. This setup is ideal, as it lets me engage with her consistently throughout the day, providing the mental and physical stimulation she requires. I wouldn't be comfortable bringing her to a workplace until she is at least two years old, as working and herding dogs need a lot of attention and patience and are not suited to long periods of inactivity. It's crucial for her development that she remains active and engaged to harness her full potential as a PSD.
I live in a country where Aussies are a pretty popular breed for psychiatric assistance dog work. I also own a herding dog (not an Australian Shepherd),but this is what I generally see and also experience myself. Training has a lot more bumps in the road than with the average Golden Retriever, reactivity is often a thing (that often can be worked through, but it eats time and energy and it’s anxiety inducing because you‘re constantly wondering if your dog will make it as an assistance dog), it takes longer. Their intelligence can be a blessing and a curse. My dog is an amazing assistance dog, but she would not be suitable for everyone, some people wouldn’t like the way she works because she moves and thinks fast. She is calm, but will never reach the levels of chill she could have reached without herding breed genetics. I love her to pieces and she saves my ass every day, but my next dog will likely be a Lab or a Golden. I also generally don’t really recommend them. I see it work out often, but why make your life harder for two to three years first? Just be prepared for an emotional roller coaster.
is there a reason you want an aussie? I remember years ago when i was first looking into an aussie for psych and cardiac alert it was bc of the size and looks (they were my fav dog) but they simply arent meant for the work. only some are okay with it. None of the pups i saw had the temperament for it, and everyone i knew with experience said dont.
obviously now im a lot smarter about it tho and wouldnt choose a SD for looks
Foothill Aussies near Sacramento CA
Maine Aussies (they have relocated to WA). Look them up on Instagram.
That is a backyard breeder.
They are not. They do extensive health testing, many of their progeny are titled, they do extensive temperament testing, and will take back any puppy that does not work out for a family. They go years without breeding a litter as well. None of those are the hallmarks of a backyard breeder.
Dude I just looked them up on their website and the dogs are pretty out of standard. Not a single breeding dog is titled (we’re talking breeding dogs- it doesn’t matter if someone who got a puppy from them was able to get a CGC or whatever) and they’re missing major health testing on all dogs. Some dogs are claimed to be bred on their website and cross checking those dogs on k9 data shows absolutely no health testing what so ever. There’s no stacked photos on the site to judge conformation that aren’t ancient or of dead dogs. Taking back puppies and dog owners getting puppies from them and titling those dogs doesn’t make a breeder reputable or ethical
AKC standard is not the be all/end all of a breeder, especially if you are not focused on the confirmation ring but rather producing working dogs. Their main stud is an AKC champion, however. Maine’s dogs are physically sound, have proven WORKING ability, have sound temperaments, are genetically tested before breeding to screen for genetic issues, are cleared for hips, elbows, heart, hearing, and eyes before breeding. Me personally? I’m more concerned with working ability, temperament, and sound physical structure than whether my dog has a particular ear set or the correct depth of stop. Something to think about: my very first dog was a Sheltie , sired by Ch Halstor’s Peter Pumpkin. Peter is still considered one of the top sires in the breed, with a laundry list of titles. My dog’s dam was nothing special. In fact? She was “out of standard”. However, she produced exceptional pups, including my boy, who went on to title quite early. A lot of people will rag on field bred Goldens, too, but there’s a reason you don’t see that many folks hunting over show line dogs, and a great many service dog Goldens are “out of standard”, because meeting the AKC standard was not the primary focus, but rather meeting the standard that the breeder decided was most beneficial to produce working dogs. Not every good breeder will see the AKC standard as gospel, and there are a decent number of Aussie people who think AKC acceptance is one of the worst things that can happen to a breed. Ultimately, you choose what is important to you, and act accordingly.
Cross checking with k9 data showed most dogs missing eyes and heart. IF anything was posted. At the same time, for “working dogs” the dogs are extremely under-titled (again. No posted titles could be found in my quick search) which is EXTREMELY concerning if that’s their breeding goals as the dogs workability hasn’t been proven. And if that hasn’t been proven we roll right back the the lack of conformation. Also dude. The ragging on goldens isn’t even needed. Ethical golden breeders have workable dogs. If they’re producing non workable show goldens their ethicality rating drops dramatically. Again, I know so so so many “show” golden breeders that have laundry lists of hunt titles AND conformation titles. It’s often recommended to avoid field goldens for SD work as they tend to be to easily over aroused for first time handlers. They can work and be great. MUCH BETTER than an Aussie lol. But they’re more likely to be bred by a byb claiming field to hide the conformation issues like the Aussie breeder you recommended. In fact, this is a GREAT example of this. In most cases “working” or “field type” translates better to the traditional work type of the dogs breeding (hunting, herding, protection, etc.) these things are NOT service work. Especially a true “working Aussie” would have a much harder time translating that over to SD work than a true “show line”. In fact, proof of a good working Aussie, would be that it would physically combust if it was doing SD work. As that drive and mental set required to make a good herder is the virtual opposite of SD work. If these were good working dogs, where are all of their working stock dog records?
When I say working dogs, I mean LITERALLY working livestock. Not titles. Titles can mean jack squat, lol; my Aussie worked livestock because he was needed as a helper. I couldnt have cared less about getting a herding title on him - I work with him in the pasture every day, or did till I retired him (he’s 14). Ultimately it’s this: if you want to diss a breeder you’ve never talked to or met their dogs or worked over their dogs or talked to anyone who owns their dogs? Cool. That’s you. I know when I was enquiring about a pup (no, my boy is not from them), I was provided with more references than I knew what to do with, copies of all the medical testing done on sire and dam, etc. I did talk to people. I did meet some of the dogs they bred. If I need another working Aussie (I no longer have stock, but who knows what the future holds), then I will definitely be considering them. FWIW, I absolutely agree that an Aussie is a REALLY risky choice for a SD, and you’d be looking at unicorn status to find one that ticked enough boxes to make that work, regardless of breeder. I know Maine has turned down a number of buyers for that exact reason. I’d go with a poodle, myself. I love my Aussies, I’ll have one until I can’t physically provide what they need, but I won’t be trying to turn one into my SD. I have a Border Collie for that (that’s sarcasm, btw).
Yeah I found their acc for sure, they are not in standard and they are not well bred at all. Please do not spread misinformation here.
Not a bit of what I said was incorrect. If all you’re interested in is in standard, that’s you.
Maybe I found the wrong account, not sure, what I did find was a profile with out of standard dogs