Are Australian Shepherds Loyal? Simply Explained + 9 Facts

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Australian shepherds grab the attention of many people because of how beautiful they are, but are they loyal dogs? There are many things that can impact how loyal aussies will be, but are australian shepherds naturally loyal dogs?

Are Australian Shepherds Loyal:

Because of an australian shepherds herding background they’re known for being considerably loyal dogs. They thoroughly enjoy pleasing their owner and completing jobs or tasks for them. Their loyalty only increases when their basic needs are taken care of and when they receive consistent training.

In this post you’ll discover:

Whether australian shepherds can be loyal to more than one person
If australian shepherds become more attached to one person
7 reasons why australian shepherds are so loyal (Not many people know about reason #3!)
And much more

Let’s jump right in.

Table of Contents

Can Australian Shepherds Be Loyal To More Than One Person?

Australian shepherds are able to be loyal to more than one person.

Dogs are pack animals which means they develop loyalty to all members of their family.

There’s always one ‘alpha’ in the pack that many of the members have a strong respect for and may even be more attached to, but they’ll be loyal to more than just their alpha.

If each person in your family spends time training your aussie you’ll notice they’re happy to listen to each person’s commands.

However, even though they can and will be loyal to more than one person, they’ll likely have one person in particular who they’re closest to.

Do Australian Shepherds Get Attached To One Person?

Australian shepherds generally get more attached to one person, yes.

This comes from their herding background and the strong bond they develop with the person giving them most of their commands.

This also comes from other factors because the person who trains them the most is likely also the person who feeds them, walks them, and pays the most attention to them in general.

Which means while they see the person giving them most of their commands as their alpha, they’re also the person who takes care of their basic needs and helps keep them stimulated.

Regardless of breed, the person who does most of these activities with the family dog tends to be the one the pup is more attached to.

They’re still happy to be around other members of the family and loyal to them, but they’ll hold one person a little closer in their heart.

Related Reading: Top 8 Best Beds For Australian Shepherds

Top 7 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Are So Loyal

1) Strong Desire To Please

From the moment they’re born, australian shepherds are bred to be loyal and want to please their alpha.

This comes from their herding background – as a herder, it’s essential that they develop a strong bond with the person giving them commands so they can effectively herd the animals.

This is why training your aussie can be relatively easy compared to other dog breeds – they have a strong desire to please their owner and will follow commands quickly.

This also carries over into their loyalty – they want to make sure their alpha is happy and will go above and beyond to do so.

The more tasks and jobs they’re given the happier australian shepherds tend to be.

Their love language is definitely acts of service and they’re happy to show their loyalty with their desire to please their owner.

2) You’ve Trained Them

For australian shepherds, training is an important part when it comes to who they’re more loyal to.

When you’ve taken the time to teach them various commands and reward them for following them, their affinity to you only grows stronger.

Training an aussie is essential – not only do they need to learn commands but also how to behave around other people and animals.

The better you train them, the more attached they’ll become to you and the more loyal they’ll be.

Obedience training is key, but so is making sure they have plenty of activities to keep them stimulated – australian shepherds can get bored easily if not given enough things to do.

If you take the time to train your aussie and give them plenty of activities, you’ll likely find they’re one of the most loyal dogs you can have.

3) Oxytocin Release

Oxytocin is a hormone that’s released when we physically interact with someone (hugging, kissing, etc.), but it can also be released simply through eye contact.

Studies have shown that when oxytocin is released, it creates a stronger bond between the person and dog.

So not only will your australian shepherd be more attached to you because you physically interact with them often, but they’ll also have an even stronger emotional connection due to the oxytocin release.

This hormone plays a big role in their loyalty and why they’re so attached to their owner – it’s one of the main reasons why aussies form such a strong bond.

It’s also one of the reasons researchers believe humans and dogs have grown so close to one another over the years.

No other animals have been recorded to release oxytocin when interacting with people. Whether that’s physically or through simple eye contact.

4) You Take Care Of Their Basic Needs

Considering every morning and every evening you’re the one who fills their food and water bowl, this is a large reason why your aussie is so loyal to you.

Without you taking care of their basic needs they simply wouldn’t last.

And your pup likely knows this.

Which makes them considerably loyal to you.

Not only because they love you for doing it, but also because they want to make sure you don’t stop.

If your australian shepherd had a loyalty program, every time you feed them and give them treats, you’d be adding points to that loyalty program.

When you’re their main source of food and water it’s totally understandable that they’d be super loyal toward you.

5) You Stimulate Them

As mentioned earlier, australian shepherds need lots of stimulation or they’ll get bored or even destructive.

Which is why they appreciate it so much when you help stimulate them.

Whether that’s physically through walks and play time or mentally through training, experiencing new environments and scents, or giving them puzzle toys.

The more you stimulate them, the happier they are – and the more loyal they become as well because you’re giving them all these experiences they love.

Without you they wouldn’t enjoy the many things they do in this world.

Which is why their bum wiggles so fast whenever you bring out their leash or say the word ‘walk’.

Your australian shepherds best, most stimulating experiences in life have likely been with you, which makes them considerably loyal toward you.

Related Reading: 12 Best Harnesses for Australian Shepherds

6) Pack Animal

A trait that all dogs have is that they’re instinctually pack animals.

They thrive when in a group and have difficulty surviving if they’re alone.

Not only because they’re physically less able to get food, but the mental stimulation of being able to communicate with others is super important for dogs.

In addition to dogs in general being pack animals, aussies were bred to work.

Since australian shepherds were bred to be working dogs, they have an innate desire to please their pack (aka their family).

And as their owner, you are the head of their pack.

This is another reason why they’re so loyal to you – because it’s in their nature to want to please those they love and respect.

Pack animals do whatever they can to stay a member of their pack.

Which means your australian shepherd is considerably loyal to you because they love being a member of your pack and want to stay a part of it.

7) You Helped When They Needed It

When your aussie was a puppy they needed you for everything.

You were the one who helped them learn to potty outside, not to bite too hard, what was acceptable to chew on and what wasn’t.

And whenever they got sick or hurt, it was you they turned to for comfort.

You were their protector and their caretaker.

Just like a parent is to a child.

So it’s no wonder they become so loyal to you – you helped them when they needed it the most and they know they can always count on you.

Puppies need their parents (or in this case, owner) for everything.

And as they grow up they learn that you’re the one they can always count on – no matter what.

This is a large part of why australian shepherds are so loyal to their owners.

Because their owner was always there for them, just like a parent would be.

Less Common Reason: Previous Traumatic Experience(s)

While it’s not common, some australian shepherds may be more loyal to their owner because of previous traumatic experiences.

If they were abused or abandoned by a previous owner, they may be hesitant to trust anyone else.

But if you’ve been patient with them and shown them that you’re a kind and loving owner, they will eventually learn to trust you and will be incredibly loyal as a result.

Sometimes when an aussies strong loyalty is created after a previous traumatic experience it can become too strong.

In the sense they become overly protective of you and can possibly develop separation anxiety because their love for you has grown so strong.

Other posts you might find interesting:

7 Reasons Australian Shepherds Make Great Service Dogs

8 Real Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Are Hard To Train

12 Weird Things Australian Shepherds Do (Fully Explained!)