Take Pride in an All-Australian Dog Posted on January 27, 2016 There’s nothing us Aussies love more than celebrating the joys of being Australian. And this Australia Day, why not celebrate with something… or rather someone… you can be proud of all year round? We’re talking your very own Australian dog! Australia Day means backyard parties, barbeques, fireworks and all sorts of other great outdoor activities. But while we’re enjoying the hot temperatures this time of year brings, RSPCA NSW shelters are fast filling up with dogs looking for forever homes. These pooches would much rather be out in the yard with their families, or curled up on the couch watching the cricket! So why not do something truly great this Australia Day and adopt a four-legged friend for life? Here are just three of the magnificent native Australian breeds you can find waiting for you in RSPCA NSW shelters. Australian Cattle Dog Australian Cattle Dogs are working dogs who historically do exactly what their name suggests… herd cattle! These fantastic pooches are famous for their endurance, energy and stamina. But that’s no surprise for dogs who drive livestock over long distances and tough terrain! Like many working dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs are active, extremely intelligent and respond well to training. You’ll definitely be able to show off some great tricks to your friends! They also absolutely love companionship and are very protective of their two-legged family! If you’re fur-mum or fur-dad to an Australian Cattle Dog, you’ll soon get used to having your own four-legged shadow follow you around. These beautiful dogs are all born white, but as they get older, their colours will come through: usually either blue or red. And this gorgeous coat doesn’t require much grooming: just the occasional brush. That’s great news for Australian Cattle Dogs, because it’ll mean more time for good long walks! Learn more about caring for your four-legged companion by clicking here. Australian Kelpie Australian Kelpies are seriously smart. But that’s probably because, like the Australian Cattle Dog, they’re traditionally used to herd livestock, especially cattle, goats and sheep! There are actually two types of Kelpie – the Show Kelpie and the Working Kelpie. As you can probably guess, the Show Kelpie is chosen for his appearance, and the Working Kelpie is bred to work! Because they are working dogs, Australian Kelpies are very hardy, and they love to keep active and busy. They can’t get enough of those long walks and they really benefit from lots of fun enrichments to keep them occupied. Because they’re so intelligent, they’re very easy to train… in fact, they love learning new things! They’re also super keen to please, and just love their owners. Kelpies come in all sorts of colours including black, blue, cream, fawn and tan, gold, red and tan, white and gold… and many more! Some Kelpies have a double coat, which they shed in spring. This helps them regulate their body temperature! And check out those ears! Need a hand teaching your pooch to sit? Get started with our dog training tips by clicking here. Australian Silky Terrier Prefer a smaller dog? How about an Australian Silky Terrier? These compact little dogs are active and alert. They just love to play and run, but they’re also great indoors and make for the perfect lap dogs! In fact, snuggling up their owners is one of their favourite things to do. They absolutely love their families and want to spend as much time with them as possible! These pooches definitely don’t like being bored though, so if you are going to keep your Silky Terrier inside, make sure she has lots of fun things to do to keep her engaged and occupied. They may be small, but they definitely need lots of mental stimulation. Silky Terriers famously have a long, glossy coat which comes in blue and tan, or grey and white. To keep their coats looking worthy of their name, they need daily grooming and a regular shampoo session! Ready to adopt your very own all-Australian dog? You can search through all the fantastic pooches in RSPCA NSW’s care, including Cattle Dogs, Kelpies and Silky Terriers on Adoptapet by clicking here. To find an RSPCA NSW shelter near you, click here.
