Australian Shepherd care: teamwork, rest and dog sitting

A practical routine for your Australian Shepherd: shared activities, handling distractions, rest, grooming and a clear handover to the sitter.

Updated on 28 September 2026

Breed at a glance

Our editors rate each trait from 1 (low) to 5 (high). These are general breed characteristics, not reviews, and every pet is different.

Background: Herding dog
Coat: Medium-length, with a thick undercoat

Exercise needs

A driven working dog with stamina. Make time each day for suitable exercise and familiar tasks.

Grooming

The medium-length double coat needs regular checks and suitable brushing. Adapt this to the dog and the season.

Playfulness

Eager to learn and keen on shared activities; familiar exercises and searching games can accompany walks.

Feeding & daily routine

Choose complete food for the appropriate life stage and base portions on body condition and actual activity. Include training treats. A working-dog background alone is no reason to give extra food.

This breed on Petbnb

Petbnb bookings and sitters in the Netherlands.

Paid bookings: 2,310
Sitters with breed experience: 423

Last updated 18 October 2026

The booking total includes paid bookings, as well as completed and reviewed stays or visits. It doesn’t mean every stay or visit has already taken place. Sitter counts and city rankings are based on the breeds sitters list on their profiles, rather than their booking history. This experience is self-reported; check availability for your dates.

Find a sitter who knows the breed

See which cities have the most sitters who list this breed on their profile. Arrange a meet and greet to talk about their experience and your pet’s needs.

View all Australian Shepherd sitters in the Netherlands

An Australian Shepherd, also known as an Aussie, needs a thoughtfully planned day. It is not only about space to run. A suitable task, human contact and the chance to settle afterwards are important topics when organising care.

The Raad van Beheer describes an eager-to-learn working dog with stamina and herding instincts. This explains some of the background, but breed traits cannot tell you everything about your dog. Base daily arrangements on age, health, training and behaviour.

Did you know? The Aussie was developed in America

The name is misleading: according to the Raad van Beheer, the Australian Shepherd was developed in the United States for work on farms and ranches. Its history centres on versatile teamwork.

At the meet and greet, demonstrate one small, familiar task, such as finding a known toy. Show how you begin, reward and finish. Agree how your dog will settle afterwards too. This gives the sitter a useful example of how you work together, without having to invent a new training programme during care.

Choose a few familiar activities

Plan a manageable programme of walks, sniffing and familiar exercises with the sitter. Write down two games your dog knows rather than a long list of new challenges. Explain the aim, the word you use and how you signal that the activity has finished.

A stay with a sitter does not need to mean more exercise or harder training. A new environment already brings changes. Do not ask the sitter to suddenly catch up on training. Show which simple shared activities your dog enjoys and how you shift back to quiet time.

Discuss moving distractions

Given the breed’s herding background, discuss how your Aussie responds to runners, cyclists or other animals. Note specific situations: where are walks relaxed, when do they need more distance, and what helps then?

Do not leave a sitter to discover whether your dog chases movement. Choose a manageable route for the first walk. Give clear lead and greeting instructions, and discuss beforehand whether the animals present and household suit your dog.

Make quiet time part of the plan

Simply pointing out the bed may not tell a sitter enough. Describe where your dog likes to lie at home, the signals that mean they want rest and how you ensure visitors leave them alone then. Record what they are used to when you are briefly unavailable too.

A trial session can show how dog and sitter respond to each other. Afterwards, discuss what went well and which arrangements need clarifying. This gives more information than simply saying someone has experience with herding dogs.

Check the double coat

According to the breed description, the Aussie has a thick undercoat and medium-length hair. Adapt brushing to your dog’s coat and ask your groomer for guidance if needed. Show how you check for twigs or dirt after a walk.

Provide the usual equipment and keep grooming predictable. These tips for getting used to brushing calmly help build up a grooming session step by step.

Keep feeding instructions simple

Choose complete food for the appropriate life stage. Base portions on body condition and activity, not the expectation that every Aussie exercises constantly. Bring normal food and reserve part of the agreed daily amount for rewards if that fits your routine.

Three questions for the sitter

Which route will you choose if my Aussie reacts to cyclists or runners?
How will you alternate a familiar task with quiet time?
Which words and cues would you like to practise with me beforehand?

Use the sitter checklist to finish the handover. Browse dog sitters and discuss the daily programme for your Australian Shepherd.

Sources

Raad van Beheer: Australian Shepherd — development in America as a versatile working dog, herding instincts, eagerness to learn and double coat.
LICG: feeding your dog — general guidance — complete food, life stage and individual nutritional needs.
LICG: holidays when your pet stays at home — preparing care, introductions and care arrangements.