Reply to Australian shepard rasied from a a puppy/young dog

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[quote=Anonymous]We are currently looking for our "first" dog.  We've done a ton of research and one of the breeds (or mutt/breed) that we're seriously considering is the Australian Shepard.   Others we're considering are Husky, German Shepard, or Border Collie.

DH & I have never personally owned a dog.  We've had cats (still have one), and thing a dog would be a good addition.  We have a few criteria that we'd like to meet, and I'd like some input on the "Aussie". :)

Some background:

1.)  DH grew up with Huskies.  I never owned a dog, but my next door neighbor trained and fostered K-9 German Shepherds.  From grade school until I left for college I was their "go to" for help with training, dog sitting, etc.  We definitely understand the concept of a high energy dog that will do best with real training, real exercise, and who will need constant interaction and "things to do"

2.)  We still have a cat - he's really laid back, but also has never interacted with a dog

3.)  We have a 4 y/o and a 2 y/o.  They understand "gentle" with the cat, but can get handsy.  We'd need a young dog to be able to train both the dog and the kids on how to interact properly with everyone.

4.) We have a decent sized fenced in back yard with a built in doggie door, so once the dog is trained he/she can go in and out as they like (within reason). I WAH so I can do the walks, potty training, etc.  We'd likely crate train, but mostly so that the dog knows that it's got a place that's his/hers alone.

5.) My one friend has a Border Collie who the kids LOVE.  He's patient and kind.  He also seems to require a LOT more grooming than even a Husky blowing it's coat would.  While I think it would be a good breed, at this point he's last on the list.  If this dog is just a one-off as far as shedding/matting, please let me know - they're such wonderful animals!!  :)

We're considering the Australian Shepard because it seems to have (in general) all the things we like about working dogs, but they're a bit smaller and maybe a bit mellower, with "regular" shedding & grooming (as opposed to a Husky or Collie).  We're about to start actively looking, so I thought I'd check to see if anyone with real life experience of these dogs can offer any definite pros or cons for an Aussie Shepard, with or without comparison to the other breeds I mentioned.

Any/All advice is more than welcome! :)

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