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Are you looking for a medium-sized, energetic, smart, and cute dog? If so, we bet the Australian Shepherd has caught your attention. These dogs are colorful, fun to play with, and can make a great addition to your home in Maryland, as long as you’re not in a small apartment in downtown Baltimore. Otherwise, these dogs are some of the best you can adopt, even if you get one that’s a little older. This is because they’re not hard to train, and despite the age-old adage, you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Still, there’s a lot you need to know before you adopt an Australian Shepherd in Maryland, especially if adoption isn’t something you’ve done before. You’ll find that the process is vastly different from buying one from Rockville’s top Aussie breeder, because you have to wait for one to become available and go through a verification process.
Luckily, if you live in Maryland and want to learn how to adopt an Australian Shepherd, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the process.
How Do You Adopt an Australian Shepherd in Maryland?
When it’s time to adopt an Australian Shepherd, the process is simple in Maryland. You need to provide the organization with information about you, your family, and your home. Most adoption organizations are thorough, so someone may even pay a visit to your home to determine if the property is large enough to accommodate an Aussie, and to meet other pets or family members.
What’s more, many shelters, rescues, and animal foster programs will contact any vets you’ve worked with and any references you’ve provided. For these reasons, expect the process to take around three to five days. Plus, you won’t know if you can bring them home until the review is done, so it’s a good idea to meet them a few times and bring your family. This helps you learn their true personality and get them used to everyone in your home.
If you are approved, you can fill out the necessary paperwork, pay the adoption fee, and bring them home.
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How Much Does It Cost to Adopt an Australian Shepherd in Maryland?Adopting an Australian Shepherd in Maryland will run you about $200 to $450 (on average). The benefit of a shelter, animal foster, or rescue is that the price doesn’t vary based on the dog breed. Instead, it’s based on age, so puppies are more expensive and senior dogs are more affordable. However, every organization sets their own price in Maryland, so keep that in mind. Overall, you’re always paying less to adopt an Australian Shepherd compared to buying one from a breeder. |
How Should I Train an Australian Shepherd?Training an Aussie is simple, but only if you have the time and patience to train them. Plus, it helps to use an online dog training course if this is your first rodeo. We recommend doing so, especially for an Aussie, because they need a decent amount of mental stimulation or they can get restless. For this reason, you should at least establish a baseline of training with them, even if you don’t want to dig into advanced training routines. Now, for the training itself, you want to establish a routine at the same time every day. This gets them into the flow of training and prevents them from being stubborn. Furthermore, your training methods should always revolve around positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is always the best choice because it prevents them from hating your training sessions, which can lead to stubbornness or bad behaviors. The best part is that all you have to do is reward good behaviors without being mean about failures or bad behaviors – correct them gently instead. Once you have these key principles down, you’ll have no problem training an Australian shepherd for any occasion. |
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Find the Right Australian Shepherd in Maryland for You
Australian shepherds are excellent dogs to invite into your family. Not only do they get along with other animals, once socialized, but they’re protective, loyal, and safe to have around children. While some of the cities in Maryland may not be suitable for them if you don’t have enough space, the climate and vast amount of public parks and hiking trails are perfect for the Australian Shepherd.
That said, before you adopt, make sure you understand how to adopt an Aussie in Maryland. Otherwise, you may only end up delaying the process or being rejected.
