Australian Shepherd dog training is a necessary part of making life with an Aussie manageable. Luckily, Aussies respond well to training and as they are highly intelligent, they learn quickly and are a joy to train. As it is with all dogs, consistency is the key to effective Australian Shepherd training. Aussies like structure and respond especially well to knowing their place in the family hierarchy. They are playful dogs and will want to run and romp with you often. Aussies are particularly good at playing Frisbee, and at obstacle courses. Your Aussie will embrace challenges and learn fast so you will need to be on your toes.

Start your Australian Shepherd dog training with the basic commands - Sit, Down and Come. Praise your dog each time they successfully execute a command with petting, praise or dog treats. When they have mastered these commands you can move to more complicated obedience requests. Be careful to always reinforce the basics as you move to new commands.

Because Aussies learn so fast it can be easy to gloss over things - but it is through repetition that a learned command becomes automatic response. Consistency of expectation is critical when working with Australian Shepherds. Always remember to build on past lessons - 'you know to do this, now I want you to do this as well' is the best approach.

Once your Australian Shepherd dog training sessions have helped your dog master the basics you can move on to fun training. With an Aussie, Fetch can easily translate into Frisbee, the chasing instinct can easily be transferred into obstacle running. The key with an Aussie is to clearly communicate what you expect and then to reward the dog for performing as expected. The key to making training manageable and fast is to keep sessions short and focused, and to draw upon the breed's natural desire to please. Letting an Aussie know you are pleased with them is critical to training success.

Australian Shepherd dog training is necessary for a well-adjusted well behaved dog. Some of the training you do will be to curb and focus the natural herding and chasing instincts as well as to establish unmitigated authority. Some of the training of your Aussie will be for fun. No matter what, an Australian Shepherd will need that training to know their place in family hierarchy and to feel they offer a vital contribution to family life. Puppy parents it is up to you to discover the amazing ways you can train your Aussie.