How To Deal With A Six-Month-Old Australian Shepherd - Jubilant Pups (2024)

Six-Month-Old Australian Shepherds are cute and cuddly as well as intelligent and obedient too! They become very playful at this age also because they have all their adult teeth now. This makes them curious about everything around them – from toys to food on your plate at the dinner table.

In this article, we will discuss the personality and behavioral patterns of six-month-old Australian Shepherds. Additionally, we will discuss some behaviors that can be corrected and how to correct them. Finally, we will talk about how to feed your six-month-old Australian Shepherd and when to switch them to adult food.

What Common Behavior Can You Expect In A Six-Month-Old Australian Shepherd & How Can You Prevent It?

Australian shepherds have unique behavior patterns and habits. Australian shepherds are intelligent dogs that need to be challenged with new tasks, games, and tricks to avoid getting bored or restless. They love performing agility and obedience training because they know it makes their owners proud of them!

They will often hide an old toy in a corner somewhere as if they are protecting something from you. Australian Shepherds may even growl at you when playing fetch, but it only means that he wants more excitement because six-month-olds tend to become rambunctious during this period.

Six-month-old Aussie Shepherds love sniffing around – whether on walks with you or exploring your house while no one’s home, so make sure there.

Excessive Energy And Destructive Behavior

Australian Shepherds can have a lot of energy when six months old and need somewhere to run out of this energy.

They can become destructive in your home if they are not allowed to get rid of their excessive amounts of energy, especially since six-month-olds tend to be less obedient than usual! They may also start chewing on things like shoes or furniture if you don’t give them appropriate toys for chewing on instead.

This is something that all six-month-old puppies do but Australian Shepherds more so because they have a higher level of intelligence than other breeds even at such young ages. As mentioned, owners should take advantage of their puppy’s inquisitive nature by teaching him new commands he would otherwise learn himself through & error, which could be more time-consuming.

How to Prevent Excess Energy and Destructive Behavior

Owners need to be more vigilant than usual with six-month-old Australian Shepherds because they are so intelligent and want to explore the limits of their newfound independence, which could get them into trouble if not monitored closely.

If you have done your research on training six-month-old puppies, this should not prove too difficult, but it is still essential to keep an eye out for any problems that may arise during these months, such as chewing or getting into things that he shouldn’t!

Teething And Excessive Chewing

During teething (approx. between four-six months), six-month-old Australian Shepherds go through several different toys until they find the one that they like, ; then they usually stick with it.

During these months, Aussies also love chewing on anything in sight, from shoes to dirty socks, even your pant leg!

Teething can begin around four months and last two to three months. Teething Australian Shepherds tend to chew on whatever they can get their mouth around, including your favorite pair of shoes or dirty socks!

Six-month-old Aussies are also very busy learning about the world & establishing trust with you by exploring new environments while staying close to their family for reassurance. Once they find a toy that interests them, six-month-olds usually stick with it even if it’s not what other dogs might choose based on things like quality and durability.

How to Prevent Excessive Chewing

To prevent excessive chewing on shoes or pant legs, try putting items out of your Aussie’s reach, provide them with plenty of chew toys – even ones they have already tired of! They also love to play fetch, so consider buying a flying disc or Frisbee for some fun exercise.

You must teach a six-month-old Australian Shepherd not to chew on non-dog-friendly items by using positive reinforcement techniques such as praise and treats when he chews the right object in the right place at the right time. If a six-month-old Australian Shepherd isn’t given enough attention during these months, it can lead to more destructive behavior later down the

(Check out the 9 ways you can stop your Australian Shepherd from teething or mouthing.)

Digging & Chewing on Their Leash

A six-month-old Australian Shepherd will also start digging up the dirt and grass when outside and chewing on their leash (if they are still allowed off-leash). It is important not to let them chew anything you wouldn’t want to be destroyed – like furniture, clothes, books, etc.

Digging or excessive chewing can be a result of separation anxiety, boredom, or lack of exercise. This behavior is usually worse when left alone.

To help stop six-month-old Australian Shepherds from digging and chewing on their leash, it is essential to provide plenty of exercises and mental stimulation while preventing boredom.

An excellent method for providing the necessary exercise every day would be a long walk or jog and playing games inside such as fetch or tug. It may also help if they get an interactive toy like a treat ball that will give them something fun and challenging to do by themselves so you can have some time without your pup underfoot!

Another good idea would be to provide six-month-old Australian Shepherd puppies with chewable toys (such as antlers) when home alone and would be more likely to chew on objects around the house.

How to Prevent Digging

If he wants something of yours, try giving him his toy to play with instead. You can make an easy DIY dog toy by filling a sock with rice grains (add enough, so it’s heavy), then tie the end together tightly before throwing it into the wash. When dry, this becomes the perfect tug/fetch toy for your six-month-old Australian Shepherd.

How to Prevent Chewing on Leash

You can always try spraying the leash with lemon juice or placing it in a container of water and vinegar overnight so that it smells more bitter to him – but this may not work depending on how strong his desire is.

Another option you have is tying up two leashes together if he likes chewing on one, then putting them through an open door handle at home (or somewhere where he cannot reach).

Separation Anxiety

Another behavior you can expect six-month-old Australian Shepherds to exhibit is separation anxiety. You’ll know he has it if when you are leaving the house, rather than being happy at your departure, he becomes extremely distressed and whines loudly or cries after you’ve left – sometimes even barking in an attempt to get you back inside again.

Separation anxiety is not something you want to ignore, as it may (and often does) get progressively worse. Suppose your six-month-old Australian Shepherd has separation anxiety now. In that case, he will continue to exhibit this behavior for the rest of his life unless treated correctly and with love and affection.

How to Prevent Separation Anxiety

If this sounds like your dog’s usual reaction when alone, then there are a few things that may help calm him down so long as they have been started before six months of age:

• Crate training (if done correctly), his bed goes into a large wire cage with food, toys, water bowl, etc.
• Teaching him how to relax on command by doing some basic training using positive reinforcement.
• Learning how to manage him by taking everything away that could cause him anxiety.

How Will A 6-Month-Old Australian Shepherds Personality Change?

If six-month-old Australian shepherds are anything like other six-month-olds, they will be filled with energy and not want to slow down! They may also have started their teething process so expect some destruction along the way.

At this stage of his life, he needs a lot of mental stimulation and physical exercise. He’ll probably enjoy games that keep him guessing, such as hide-and-seek or fetch – but make sure you’re prepared to deal with any frustration when these don’t go exactly right for his liking because six-month-olds can get pretty moody if things aren’t going their way!

The dog has very little training, no understanding of behaving in various situations, is full of energy, might start chewing on things, might not have started training to go potty outside in the six-month-old Australian Shepherd.

They Can Develop Problems Focusing

Six-month-old Australian Shepherd pups will have a hard time focusing on anything for too long, so it might be helpful if you work with them as much as possible when teaching tricks.

That way, your six-month-old Aussie has something fun that he can do, which helps him develop those skills that could help later in life. It is important not to get frustrated if your six-month-old isn’t getting things right away because this breed learns by trial and error, which means that you might have to help them out a little bit more than some other breeds.

They May Become Uncomfortable Sitting Still for too Long

Six months six-year-old Australian Shepherd pups cannot sit still for too long and will not be able to focus on a single thing without getting distracted by something else going on around them. Hence, it is essential that you keep distractions as minimal as possible when teaching tricks or spending time with your six-month six-year-old Aussie pup.

Enrolling in dog training classes can also be an option if you find this issue often happening. The trainer there may give more pointers about how best to handle this specific behavior from your six months six-year-old Australian Shepherd pup.

(Find out how hard Australian Shepherds are to train.)

Australian Shepherds Will Begin to Establish Routines

Your six-month-old Australian Shepherd pup will most likely begin to establish his routines around this age and may even ask for certain things like treats, walks, or petting before you can fully wake up in the morning.

Suppose your six-month six Australian Shepherd is already showing signs of separation anxiety. In that case, you must make time every day where they can be with either one of their parents, so they do not become too stressed when left alone at home while both you and your spouse are out getting errands done.

Six-Month Old Shepherds May Begin to Exhibit More Confidence

With time, your Australian Shepherd’s personality may start changing into a more confident individual that can calm down from excitement after receiving praise or attention for their behavior.

They may become more confident in their abilities to handle being left alone in the home when owners are away, or even more confident in their ability to stay calm while around other dogs.

By following these tips about six months old Aussie’s personality changing, it should be simple for owners to have a well-rounded and fantastic companion that can adapt easily to new situations like staying calm after an owner leaves the house.

(Find out whether Australian Shepherds are good with other dogs.)

Australian Shepherds May Become More Independent

The changes your six Australian Shepherd goes through will also include becoming much more independent at this age than they were before turning six.

They might start getting out of bed quickly if they hear you stirring during nap time without needing any help from you, which can make napping times easier for both yourself and your six Australian Shepherd.

While it can be fascinating to own a new puppy, owners must remember that puppies often require a lot of effort and patience during the first few weeks until they have fully made the transition from being just six months old to six months old and one day old.

What Should You Feed A 6-Month-Old Australian Shepherd?

There is a wide variety of dog food available for puppies, making it hard to choose the right one.

Your six-month-old Australian Shepherd may be able to eat some adult kibble at this age but still needs puppy-specific food that has been developed with your six Australian shepherd breed in mind.

If you’re unsure whether they have outgrown their need for puppy food just yet, look at the feeding guidelines on the back of their bag and compare those numbers against how much your six Australian Shepherd weighs now (in pounds).

If they are underweight or if their weight gain seems slow even though they’ve been eating enough according to these, then you should talk about switching to an adult six Australian shepherd food.

If your six-month-old Australian Shepherd is doing well with their current puppy food, then you can stick with that for now since it will still have the nutrients they need without overfeeding them or causing any nutrient deficiencies. Some six Australian Shepherds may even be able to stay on their same brand of puppy kibble until they are a year old if this works out for both of you!

By giving them good quality foods meant especially for six Australian Shepherd puppies, you’ll help ensure optimal health and development as they grow up.

How Do You Transition A 6-Month-Old Australian Shepherd To Adult Food?

Six months Australian Shepherd puppies can stay on their puppy food until they are one year old. The nutrients six months Australian Shepherd need without overfeeding them or causing any nutrient deficiencies. By giving six-month-old Aussie good quality foods meant especially for puppies, you’ll ensure optimal health and development as they grow up.

To transition these puppies to adult food, you’ll need to switch them over slowly. You don’t want a six-month-old Australian Shepherd eating the same food they were on before because this could upset their stomachs and cause intestinal problems down the road.

Start by mixing a small amount of new dog food with their old puppy diet so your six months won’t notice anything different at first. Make sure six months Aussie is eating all its regular meals while gradually making changes by adding more adult-sized kibble until six months are completely weaned onto adult food.

By doing this methodically, six Australian Shepherds can adjust without issues or discomfort in about one week.

You should always talk to your vet before switching foods for six Australian Shepherd puppies to be on the safe side.

By six months, Australian Shepherd being completely switched to adult food, six months will begin developing their adult teeth and jaw structure needed for chewing kibble.

Adult dog foods have a higher calorie content than most puppies need, so always make sure your six month’s portion sizes are correct before feeding six Australian Shepherd any leftovers from your own dinner plate!

Finally, avoid table scraps or snacks when you feed six Australian Shepherds because this type of behavior can lead to obesity problems down the road too.

Want To Train Your Australian Shepherd With Peace Of Mind?

If you haven’t trained your Australian Shepherd properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether it’s barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.

The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.

With Brain Training For Dogs you’ll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog won’t listen, you’ll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, that’s given proven results. Not to mention the fact, you’ll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.

So instead of worrying about whether they’re going to be well-behaved or not, you’ll only have to worry about how much fun you’ll have with them!

And in most cases it’s still going to be:

• Cheaper than hiring a professional.
• Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
• And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.

Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your Australian Shepherd completely and never worry whether they’ll be naughty or not. Instead, you’ll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT.

And the best part is it also has a 60-day money-back guarantee! So there’s no reason not to give Brain Training For Dogs a try!

So if you’re tired of your dog’s bad behavior, or how they react around other people and pooches, then give it a try! You’ll be amazed by the results!

(You can also check out a full review here, to learn exactly what the course has to offer!)

Conclusion

Six-month-old Australian shepherds are a joy to be around! They have all their adult teeth, and they become very playful as well. This makes them really curious about everything from toys, food on the plate at the dinner table, or anything else new in your home environment.

If you’re considering adopting an Australian shepherd pup of this age, we recommend giving it time for some supervised exploration first so that he can get familiar with his surroundings before being left alone too long without supervision.