I feel quite an authority on this subject, that of being a novice Australian Shepherd owner, breeder, handler! I was once one myself. As a matter of fact all of us were or are. There seems to be a standard set of pitfalls associated with one’s introduction into the breed. Some of them are harmless, some incredibly painful. Often times in our enthusiasm, we don’t learn from the paths of others before us, but the following observations might help you make informed decisions for yourself and impact your future with the breed.
As a pet Aussie owner the most common novice mistake is not socializing or training your Aussie properly and enough. Also there appears to be a misconception amongst a great number of pet owners that Aussies nip and consequently because they are herding dogs this is okay. Young pups can be “mouthy” and an Aussie can “pinch” with their scissors bite, but acceptable? Never. These are behaviors that when full grown will earn your pet a ride to the closest shelter.

As novice show-dog owners there are a myriad of pitfalls to be aware of. Most importantly is probably patience. How many of you can remember hauling your first show puppy around to every show and match imaginable from six months old onward? And wondering why your perfect show puppy wasn’t winning enough? This can lead to you as a handler quitting and more importantly, your puppy quitting in the ring.
It is important as an owner/handler to carefully evaluate the growth cycle of your pup. If they are quick to mature it is probably a wise idea to get them out and finished quickly. Dogs that mature quickly tend to become overdone as older dogs and it can difficult or impossible to finish or show them as fully mature adults. If your pup is slow to mature, you might consider other venues of performance to participate in until they are ready to take points in the show ring. Puppy agility, obedience and just plain letting them be puppies are viable alternatives to a heavy ring schedule.

Sportsmanship: this can be a difficult lesson for us incredibly driven competitors to learn. Perhaps one that continues for the remainder of our canine competitive endeavors. Keep in mind that whether you win or lose, it is merely that judge’s opinion of your dog on that specific day and time. Your win or loss could be determined by a variety of factors including the level of your competition and their handling ability versus yours. Win or lose, always congratulate others in your class. Keep notes on judges and make wise decisions on what dogs to show to what judges. Attend handling classes and get better at presenting your dog. Many novices think that just because they have a show-quality pup that the judge should be able to see it and reward it, even thought the pup never put more than one foot on the ground on the down and back, and was a whirling dervish on the end of the lead on the go around. These are skills that will develop over time and with each ring experience.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you want to learn you will need to ask. In order to ask you will have to be willing to introduce yourself. Many of us hear from novices that they attended a show an no one talked to them! In order to receive assistance from others in the breed you will need to drum up your courage and be willing to introduce yourself either at a show or via the telephone. The opportunities to learn and perhaps create new friendships are limitless.

Novice Overenthusiasm: Most people associated with our breed become five-year wonders. They come into the fancy on a whirlwind and go out with a whimper, generally with five or more litters on the ground. It is quite easy to become enthusiastic about our breed. They are terrific dogs. Not everyone should own one however and to feel differently spells disaster. Again, patience and being willing to wait for results rather than accept instant gratification will keep you enthused over a longer period of time and able to contribute to the health and well being of the breed for years to come.

The Novice Breeder: I may be a little radical in my thinking, but I am beginning to form the opinion that no one should breed their first Aussie litter until they have been in the breed for at least five years and have been working closely with a mentor breeder. Many heartaches could be avoided if a modicum of restraint was exercised when it came to breeding. Breeding is separate from showing. I am not a believer in the idea that we have to breed our own show dogs. You can, but it is not mandatory. Breeding top-quality show dogs in any breed takes an incredible amount of skill, knowledge and experience as well as luck and a great eye for a dog. These skills develop over time. In the meantime there are a great number of quality breeders out there who can assist a novice is getting a solid start in the breed and finding quality dogs to start a breeding program.