Do Australian Shepherds Like To Cuddle?
I love dogs, and I recently adopted an Australian Shepherd into my family of multiple dogs. She seems to be fitting in great, making friends with the other dogs, but I am interested in knowing if she will be a cuddle dog.
Knowing my furry family likes to spend time cuddling with me, I dug into the Australian Shepherd’s background to see if they would enjoy that too. Here is what I located.
Do Australian Shepherds Like To Cuddle?
Yes, Australian Shepherds do like to cuddle under the right circumstances. They like to cuddle with their loved ones and close family but may have difficulty warming up to and cuddling with strangers or people they are not that close to and familiar with.
Friendly and affectionate, they love to be close to their human pack, which is their family.
While they do enjoy cuddling and sharing affection, there may be moments where they are not interested due to some new adventure or activity that has attracted their interest.
There are ways to promote cuddliness if an individual Australian Shepherd always seems too busy to cuddle or snuggle, as some can be a bit more independent and reserved.
The breed as a whole is cuddle and affectionate, but there will always be variances from one dog to another in the Australian Shepherd breed.
How they are raised, the kind of love and affection they are given and the environment with which they grow up help to shape who they are as a dog and this can mean a hundred Australian Shepherds are friendly, cuddle and warmly affectionate with those they love, while three or four are not.
Socialization and positive, loving moments while they are puppies will shape their lives for the better and make them more cuddle as adults.
They make great family dogs in households with children and other dogs due to their friendly nature, which can usually translate into being cuddly and loving.
Australian Shepherds are a unique dog breed that is hardworking, active, and fun-loving. In between those moments where they are running hither and yonder, they love sharing a close connection with their family as well as affection and cuddle time.
When it comes to strangers, they usually tend to be reserved and cautious until they get to know the person.
Naturally adventurous, there may be times they are so absorbed in the activity of the moment that the Australian Shepherd seems less interested in cuddling and affectionate moments.
Thankfully there are ways to help promote a close and deeply connected bond between Australian Shepherd and their family.
Their environment and how they are raised play a huge part in who they are as a dog, then their temperament and personality come into play and shape them. This individuality is easily changed or shaped depending on the dog.
If the Australian Shepherd is a puppy, its behavior can easily be shaped positively through socialization. Increasing time spent together can provide extra cuddle moments due to the closeness, which shouldn’t be so difficult with a puppy.
If a pet parent or family has an Australian Shepherd that is independent and less than welcoming to those cuddle moments we all love so much, it is easily fixable.
How Do I Get My Australian Shepherd To Cuddle?
The best way to increase cuddliness if your Australian Shepherd is less than enthusiastic about it is to offer more of those moments without forcing the issue. Find extra moments in your day to share those cuddle moments with your Australian Shepherd while working, playing, or doing the day-to-day activities.
Sneak in a quick cuddle and good belly rub while working in the yard, on a trip to the grocery store, or while running an errand, grab a quick hug or offer a few affectionate scratches and pats.
Before dinner, take a few moments to get down on the floor if possible and play a short game, finishing off with someone on one cuddle time.
Life with a dog of any breed, like having children, can be busy at times, and let’s face it, adult lives are usually pretty busy, so these special moments of affection need to be snuck in the day wherever we can fit them to give our loveable dog and us a pick me up.
With time even the most independent and less than enthusiastic Australian Shepherd will get the idea and likely look forward to these shared moments.
Another great way to increase cuddliness in dogs that aren’t overly excited about it is to schedule it into your day.
Unlike the previous idea, where it is more spontaneous and driven by the day-to-day activities of life that can easily change, this method is different.
Like eating breakfast and brushing teeth, cuddle time can be mapped into a daily schedule. Now I know what your thinking, what fun is that?
In truth, when we schedule bonding time without loved ones, at first, it can seem as though it is forced or not as enjoyable, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Scheduling these moments into the day at specific times reminds us busy adults of what is truly important in our lives, family, which includes our furry best friend and companions.
By planning to spend some time every morning before getting out of bed, or after breakfast and anywhere else it fits in, pet parents and their Australian Shepherd will come to cherish these moments.
The activity need not be planned or etched in stone but setting aside the time for you and your Australian Shepherd is more than enough. Half an hour, fifteen minutes, even five minutes can work wonders for the less than cuddly dog and pet parent.
Being realistic is helpful, which requires taking a close look at the lifestyle and schedule of the adults in the family.
Finding places where these moments can be shared one on one or as a family can be difficult and sometimes even a bit stressful, but like date night for us adults, it is vital to our dogs’ health.
In the beginning, when these moments occur, whether spontaneous or scheduled, it may be possible that the Australian Shepherd needs time to adjust depending on who they are as a dog.
Providing these shared moments is the first step, and with time the dog will eventually get the idea and look forward to them. Patience is a must; some Australian Shepherds may be so work-driven, like us workaholic adults, that they don’t understand.
Others might be older, too young, or come from prior challenging life circumstances.
Whatever the issue is, learning to be more cuddly and enjoy cuddling moments with family should be based on the foundation of love between them.
Since this dog breed is so enthusiastic about life and has enough energy for everyone in their family, some cuddle time might look slightly different.
It might involve toys or some running around in the yard or across the house.
Whatever it includes, the foundation is based on love. Your energetic Australian Shepherd will likely love it even more if you make a game out of sharing cuddle time and affection.
Toss the ball, they bring it back and grab a quick hug, toss the ball again, and they bring it back for some rough house playtime, toss the ball a third time, and they come back for another hug and belly rub before being off yet again. A dog is who they are, and we as pet parents must respect and work with what we are blessed with as a dog.
What’s The Best Way To Cuddle With My Australian Shepherd?
The best way to cuddle with your Australian Shepherd is to offer affectionate how they want and need it. Depending on who they are as a dog, some might like to sit on laps. Others might like to lean on you when watching TV; whatever works for the dog and makes them happy is the best way to bond with them.
This doesn’t mean that the pet parent or family’s needs should not be taken into consideration. Quite the contrary actually, in the beginning, it should be about your fur baby, then gradually there should be a balance between the needs of everyone.
For instance, they like to cuddle up when you are sitting on the couch. You, however, want to share some quick hugs and attention while roughhousing with them because you don’t like to sit down too much.
The balance would be every day you make a point to sit down and share some time with them, and they also share some cuddles in between roughhousing. Everyone’s true nature is acknowledged, and everyone’s needs or wants are met!
Cuddling Australian Shepherds
Cuddle time is a special time for dogs and their family to share love and deepen a loving bond.
While each dog is unique and what they like or don’t like, every dog loves at least a little cuddle time.
Knowing your dog, who they are, and what they want and need is a natural part of the process.
Make them a part of your life, and cuddle time will naturally happen, even for the most distant, reserved, and busy dogs!