Yes, Australian Shepherds are high-maintenance dogs. They’re very energetic, love to keep moving, and need to be mentally as well as physically challenged.
Expect them to want to run around and play for hours on end. They’re highly sociable, so want constant companionship and attention. If your busy lifestyle means that you can only devote limited time to your dog, an Australian shepherd is probably not the breed for you.
According to the AKC, Australian Shepherds have a powerful herding instinct, which they sometimes can’t resist. They’ll try to herd anything like your kids, the neighbor’s kids, a flock of chickens. While this can seem cute, other people (especially children) may interpret this as an attack.
As it’s easier to train a dog to do something than not to do it, you’ll need patience and ingenuity to keep this behavior under control.
