Australian Shepherd
An energetic ranch-bred herding dog, a fixture of American rodeos and active households — the register's line on the Australian Shepherd, and the ratings underneath do not soften the description.
The temperament sheet
Energy is rated very-high — the top of our scale. This is a working herder that expects a job, real daily exercise and things to think about, and its tolerance for being left alone is rated poor. The combination matters: a bored Aussie in an empty house is exactly the arrangement the sheet warns against.
With children the rating is good. For first-time owners the answer on the sheet is no — not a slight on beginners, simply the table’s judgement that this much drive is better met with prior experience. Space is marked needs-garden.
The practical side
A medium-sized dog. Grooming is rated moderate — the coat wants regular, unheroic attention — and shedding is moderate alongside it. Barking sits at moderate as well: the voice is not the loud part of this breed; the legs are.
Before you decide
And the standing rule holds. Individual dogs outrank their breed sheet, and meeting the dog outranks everything.