Australian Shepherd vs. Border Collie

Maybe help them out with a little bio on the personality differences? lol

BORDER COLLIE:
"The Border Collie is energetic, intelligent, keen, alert, and responsive. An intense worker of great tractability, it is affectionate towards friends but may be sensibly reserved towards strangers. When approached, the Border Collie should stand its ground. It should be alert and interested, never showing fear, dullness or resentment. Any tendencies toward viciousness, nervousness or shyness are very serious faults.

The dog's temperament must be sensitive enough to bend its will when asked, tough enough to stand up to the pressures of training, eager to learn, with enough confidence and determination to carry on with its work without constant guidance. Some Border Collies are reserved rather than outgoing, but they must love to work with and for the master."

AUSSIE: The Australian Shepherd is primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an intelligent, exceptional companion. He is versatile and easily trained: performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved with strangers but does not exhibit shyness.
This unusually versatile stockdog works upright and close, with the power and quickness to control difficult cattle as well as the ability to move sheep without unnecessary roughness. Although an aggressive, authoritative worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable"

I've heard.

AUSSIES: BOUCY

BORDERS: STALKY



TO A LOT of people, aussies are all blue merle and border collies are all black and white. which I guess is where the confusion might have stemmed from

Ahhh! Where do you get an aussie with a tail!? That's freakin' adorable!

This pretty much sums up the difference to me, LOL.

Aussies with tails are becomming more popular, I think, I've seen a handful of them.

And a beautiful tail it is, too!

A lot of Aussie sport breeders are leaving the tail now from what I've seen. There are a lot of people who believe it plays a big part in balance (no idea myself if it is true, just what I am told).

The answer I've been told to the questions is "An Aussie takes nothing seriously; a Border takes everything seriously." Obviously a simplistic generalization...but I find it tends towards the truth!

Correction: Aussies take few things seriously, but when they do--watch out!

There are differences in builds; Aussies tend to have more of an upright stance to go along with their upright, loose-eyed herding style. They will "crouch and stalk" but it's not the cat-like slink associated with Border Collies. Aussies typically tend to be a bit more solid-boned than BC's, probably because they needed to have the solidity needed to take cows head-on.

Aussies are heavier built (usually), maybe not compared to show type border collies but I'll just talk about working type dogs.

Head shape is usually quite different. Border collies a bit more pointy, Aussies a bit more solid and blocky.

Border collies stare and slink, Aussies don't really do it.

Aussies are barkier and goofier than BCs.

Edit: and the tail, a lot of Aussies are born with natural bobtails or half tails while it's not common at all in BCs.

Contrast the head shape and stance of this dog compared to the first Aussie you posted.

DSC_0192-1

Working line Aussies can be really small. I've known some of each breed that you really cannot tell just by looking at them standing still. The movement usually gives you a better idea.

I have to say that I absolutely love the tailed look in Aussies.

I agree with who said most people think of Aussies are blue merles and BCs as black and white. Though they both come in a variety of colors.

I prefer Aussies over BCs, since I've been around Aussies my whole life, and BCs just part of my life, I personally know the physical/temperament differences. I prefer Aussies WAY over BCs.

O'Reilly took lots of things seriously, especially taking care of anything within his territory -- and was one of the best true watch dogs I've ever known, even though he was blind!

He also had more pure joie de vivre than any creature I have ever encountered. Nothing got that dog down.

One of the more impressive things I ever saw him do, though, was herd my sister's Jack Russell, lol. It pissed Braec off mightily and considering O'Reilly's blindness was a real trick.

This sums up my thoughts well. Herding styles are definitely different. The manner in which they walk, normally, is different. More of a bounce, IRRC. While Border Collies don't bouncy that much, unless excited. While some of the Aussie's I've seen are pretty small, they still do seem to have heavier bones.

The differences, really IMO, are ones that need to be seen. It's hard to write out the differences, it's better, if possible, to view them for yourself.

Another large difference is the noise levels. I find Aussies to be much more vocal.

I wish I had a pic of Sadie and Desoto together on this computer. The difference (even in play) is pretty striking. They both love to play fetch but if I bust out a tennis ball Sadie (BC) would crouch down, stare and even curl her lip if she was into it and stalk up to me and the ball. Super intense and serious. Desoto will be standing right beside her, upright or very slightly hunched, ready to turn and run but much more relaxed.

Aussies tend to be stockier, although there are a lot of slighter ones my preference is certainly for a dog that looks 'sturdier' than a bc. While a bc is lighter, leggier and more catlike in movement. Sadie and Desoto are the same height and both in shape but he has several pounds on her. As mentioned Aussies also love to 'talk'.

This pretty well sums the difference up between the breeds expression and personality wise

I just came to the conclusion that Darla is an Aussie mix, as guessed by Chaz. My sister said Border Collie mix after seeing the mom, but I think she was wrong.