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Australian Shepherds are a beautiful breed with merle coats, high energy, and and an obsession with being close to their families. These dogs are wonderful family companions, but be prepared to keep them active and occupied to avoid having a sad, destructive Aussie. Full-grown, they typically weigh 40-65 pounds and stand 18-23 inches tall.

Australian Shepherds are generally excellent with children of all ages. Australian Shepherds are great companion for kids and other pets, especially if they’re socialized as puppies. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Aussies need a lot of high-energy activities and mental stimulation to keep them happy. They’re the perfect exercise buddies, especially for families that like being outdoors. Take your Australian Shepherd for a run, hike, or a long play session in a big backyard to keep their hearts soaring and their minds sharp. Overall, their exercise needs are very high.

The Australian Shepherd has a dense undercoat and outer coat with medium to long hair that’s straight or slightly wavy. Aussies’ fur is short and soft on their head and legs, with a thick mane around the neck. These dogs can be black, red, red merle (dark patches on a light background), or blue merle, and some may have white markings or tan points too. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Australian Shepherds are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. These dogs can be happy in warm or cool climates, but they need plenty of space to run and play and should have their primary living space indoors. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.

Cocker Spaniels are equally at home chasing birds in the field or playing fetch in your living room. They take joy in almost everything they do and are always sniffing around for the next thing to get into. It’s important to work with a reputable breeder, but once you find the right one, this breed will capture your heart! Full-grown, they typically weigh 20-30 pounds and stand 13-15 inches tall.

Cocker Spaniels are generally excellent with children of all ages. It’s important that Cocker Spaniels are kept as inside dogs. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

Cocker Spaniels don’t need quite as much exercise as many other sporting dogs, but they still require daily playtime. They have a high prey drive, so if given the opportunity to hunt, they will do so. Cocker Spaniels enjoy activities like playing fetch, swimming, sniffing for trouble, and of course, cuddling. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

Cocker Spaniels have a soft, wavy coat that you can keep styled in one of two ways. The puppy cut is a shorter coat length that you’ll need to brush and trim about every two weeks. The famous, flowing show-coats take even more effort, including weekly bathing, brushing, and trimming. Grooming-wise, this breed is fairly high-maintenance.

Cocker Spaniels are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. It’s important that Cocker Spaniels are kept as inside dogs. The size of your house or yard is less important, and they can live just fine in almost any situation provided they get their exercise. They are fairly easy to train.