Australian shepherd  External Web sites  Britannica Web sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high
school students.  Australian shepherd - Student Encyclopedia
(Ages 11 and up)  breed of dog known for its intelligence,
strong and enthusiastic herding instinct, and protectiveness;
coat is moderately long, slightly wavy, and has a dense
undercoat; coat color can be white or tan mixed with black,
liver, or red or it can be blue merle or red (liver) merle; ears
are furry and droop sideways over skull; tail is naturally or
surgically bobbed; eyes may be brown, amber, blue, flecked or
two different colors, leading to their nickname of ghost-eye
dogs; adult stands 18-23 in. (46-58 cm) tall at shoulders and
weighs 35-70 lbs (16-32 kg); despite name, originated and
perfected in U.S. primarily from Basque ancestor brought to
America by settlers; used today in Australia to herd sheep; also
serve as narcotics detectors, trackers, search-and-rescue dogs,
and hearing dogs for the deaf.  Or click