Typical Health Issues That Can Slow Down Australian Shepherd Training
Known for being exceptionally intelligent, Australian Shepherds are supposedly less complicated to train. But despite that impressive attribute, there are some unavoidable factors that can compromise the outcome of Australian Shepherd training. Several health issues this breed is at risk of top the list of such factors. It’s not that they are an unhealthy breed but they typically inherit health issues affecting the back, hip and eyes.
While these health problems can indeed affect the training, knowing more about them will help you determine as to what training technique would work best for your dog without sacrificing their health condition. Here’s a list of health problems and their descriptions you might want to be aware of:
Hip dysplasia – Hip dysplasia is one of the most common health issues affecting dogs particularly larger breeds. This health problem occurs when the caput (end of the femur head) isn’t deeply or firmly held by the acetabulum (socket located in the pelvis). It has become a loose fit or partial fit rather than the normal snug fit. Hip dysplasia may also be an outcome when the caput or acetabulum aren’t smooth and round therefore causing abnormal wear and tear within the joint as it moves. This health concern can cause mild to severe crippling and eventually serious osteoarthritis without intervention.
While this disease is inherited, external factors such as overweight condition and injury at a young age can also trigger it.
Elbow dysplasia – While hip dysplasia affects the femur and the caput, elbow dysplasia on the contrary affects the cartilage and the structures surrounding it. This problem causes pain or stiffness and sometimes disable a sufferer. Inflammation and osteoarthritis could also develop thus making Australian Shepherd training more challenging.
Patella luxation – Aside from hip and elbow problem, an Aussie may also suffer from luxating patella, an illness that happens when a dog’s knees are misaligned or misshapen. A dog may not feel any ache after the onset however, this disease that is also called trick knee may cause the dog to skip when running and does not let one rear leg touch the ground particularly when walking or running.
Eye problems – Australian Shepherds are also susceptible to eye problems such as red eye, epiphora, conjunctivitis and cataracts. Collie eye anomaly is uncommon but iris coloboma ought to be noted.
If your pet is suffering from any of these issues, it’s very important that you take necessary measures to prevent the problem from progressing if not totally eliminate it. Of course, you can still go on providing your pet with Australian Shepherd training. Just ensure that the activities included won’t help worsen whatever disease your pet has.
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Tags: australian shepherd, Australian Shepherd training, Dog Training, pet training