Aussiepom (Australian Shepherd & Pomeranian Mix): Info, Pictures, Care & More

The Aussiepom is an intelligent and active designer dog that is a result of crossing a purebred Australian Shepherd with a purebred Pomeranian. The breed is believed to have been first developed in the early 2000s and has significantly grown in popularity over the past 10 years.

Breed Overview

These dogs are super-active and have endless energy. They are also highly intelligent, affectionate, and relatively easy to train. Aussiepoms make great family pets. They will play well with the kids and are also the kind of dog that will develop a close attachment to its primary owner. Due to their high activity levels, they may not be the best dog for an apartment.

Aussiepoms, like all designer dogs, will inherit traits closer to one of its parent breeds. Thanks mainly to their Australian Shepherd lineage, the Aussiepom is a dog that needs a considerable amount of mental stimulation. They do not like to be left alone with nothing to do for long periods, and without sufficient mental stimulation will likely develop some quite destructive habits.

Aussiepom Characteristics

Aussiepom Puppies

The Aussiepom is a highly active and intelligent dog that requires a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. They also have long, fluffy, and easily tangled coats that need daily brushing and regular bathing to keep them looking at their best. As such, the Aussiepom is considered to be a moderately high-maintenance dog and will not be for everyone.

Before purchasing an Aussiepom, you should also consider the color of the two parent dogs. This is quite important as you need to ensure that the parents of your puppy are not both merle-colored dogs. Breeding from two merle-colored dogs results in a one in four chance that each puppy in the litter will inherit double merle genes – a genetic combination that is known to commonly result in deafness and ocular defects.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Aussiepom 🧠

Aussiepoms are sociable and friendly dogs that love spending time with their families. At the end of a hard day of play, they like nothing more than curling up on the lounge with their owner for a snooze.

While they will get on with all family members, you may find that your Aussiepom forms a particularly strong bond with one or two family members. Usually, this will be the person that they spend the most time with.

Aussiepoms are a social breed, that doesn’t like been left alone for long periods. This is something to consider if you need to leave your dog alone inside all day, as when they get bored and are left to their own devices, Aussiepoms can be quite destructive.

As guard dogs, Aussiepoms make great house alarms. They will bark at anything they don’t feel is right, and in this regard can be an excellent deterrent to anybody trying to break into your property. However, when it comes down to it, your Aussiepom is far more likely to try and lick an intruder to death than bail them up until help arrives.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

Yes, Aussiepoms are great dogs for active families. They are highly tolerant of children and love to spend time running around the yard with kids, and will also enjoy going on long walks with them every day.

Due to their high energy levels and need for constant mental stimulation, the Aussiepom many not be the best dog for the elderly or somebody with limited mobility.  However, other than that, provided you have the time to spend exercising and grooming them, the Aussiepom could be a good dog for almost anyone.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽

Yes, provided your Aussiepom has been socialized as a pup, they will get on well with other pets. Any new pet coming into the house needs to be introduced slowly, as it is not likely that an Aussiepom will make instant friends with them.  However, once your Aussiepom accepts the new pet as being part of the family, they’ll likely become quite close.

In fact, having another pet to play with can be a great way to help keep your Aussiepom mentally stimulated when all their human friends need to leave the house for work and school.

Things to Know When Owning an Aussiepom

Food & Diet Requirements

When choosing food for your Aussiepom, it's best to select a high-quality dry food that has been formulated for active small dogs. There are several suitable brands available, and ideally, you want a product that is made with a variety of high-quality ingredients, including a mix of meat, grains, fruits, and vegetables.

As we mentioned earlier in this article, some Aussiepoms can be quite fussy eaters. Therefore, it may be best to avoid feeding your dog meals of ‘human food’ unless you are happy to continue to prepare and cook their food every day. Once a fussy eater becomes accustomed to the rich flavors of your home-cooked meals, you will have a hard time convincing them to go back to eating dry dog food.

Should you have any specific concerns or questions about your dog’s dietary requirements, the best person to consult will be your dog’s vet.

Exercise 🐕

The Aussiepom is a highly active dog that needs quite a lot of exercise. Dogs that live indoors will need to be walked twice a day and will also benefit from some dedicated daily outdoor play. Even those that have a yard to run about in will need to get out daily for a walk. As being out in the community provides your dog with some mental stimulation as well as physical exercise.

The amount of exercise that Aussiepoms require should not be underestimated. As, as we have mentioned before, they will become quite destructive if they don’t get the physical and mental stimulation that they require. For this reason, the Aussiepom may not be the ideal dog for the elderly or anybody else that has mobility issues.

Training 🦮

The Aussiepom is an intelligent dog that will respond well to training. They can be highly emotional and sensitive and don’t take well to being berated. As such, it's best to encourage and reward their successes and avoid making a fuss when they get things wrong.

As a dog that loves to please, provided you make the sessions fun and enjoyable, your Aussiepom will happily play and learn new tricks for as long as you want to keep going.

Being sensitive dogs, you must include socialization sessions in your training. You will need to get your Aussiepom used to being with other dogs and people early in life. It's also a good idea to introduce them to household noises, such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines and alarm clocks while they are quite young.

• Check out our top picks for puppy training treats here

Grooming ✂️

Aussiepoms need a considerable amount of grooming. Their medium-length fluffy coat will shed a lot of hair, and being such active dogs, they also have a habit of getting all sorts of sticks, leaves and seeds caught up in their coat. Consequently, they need daily brushing and regular bathing with dog shampoo and conditioner.  It can also be a good idea to clip their coat around the eyes, ears, and paws.

These dogs also have a tendency to build up plaque on their teeth and need to have their teeth to be brushed regularly. Their claws grow quite quickly, and unless they spend a lot of time walking on the hard sidewalk, you will likely need to clip them every couple of weeks.

Health Conditions ❤️

While the Aussiepom is typically a healthy dog, they are predisposed to some of the same health issues that their parent breeds, and there are several conditions that you should look out for.

The most serious of these is a genetic condition that affects all dog breeds that have merle coats. As a consequence, you must ensure that the parents of your Aussiepom are not both merle dogs. Breeding two merles will result in a 1:4 chance that each puppy will inherit double merle genes. This genetic combination can cause significant issues in dogs, including deafness and ocular defects.

Other conditions to look out for include:

Male vs. Female

When it comes to choosing your Aussiepom puppy, there is not really much of a difference between male and female dogs. Male Aussiepoms are usually a little bigger than females and do tend to be surer of themselves than female Aussiepoms, but these are quite minor differences.

Unless you have a real preference for one over the other, we recommend that the sex of your puppy should be less of a consideration than their personality. Ideally, when choosing an Aussiepom puppy, you should avoid both the most boisterous and the shyest puppies of the litter, and instead pick one that is both active and curious.

However, regardless of whether you ultimately choose a male or a female dog, unless you plan on breeding them, we strongly recommend that you have your dog neutered.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Aussiepom

1. Most Aussiepom puppies are first-generation crosses.

Despite having first been crossed in the early 2000s, there has not yet been much of an effort made to develop the Aussiepom breed, and breeding from two Aussiepom parent dogs is not very common. This is likely because the breed has not been recognized by any of the major international kennel clubs. As a result, most Aussiepom puppies available for sale from breeders are still first-generation, or F1 Hybrids, with their parents being from two distinct breeds.

2. Aussiepoms are sensitive souls.

Aussiepom’s are an emotional and sensitive dog. They always aim to please, but they don’t take well to being yelled at when they do something wrong.

This is particularly important to remember when training an Aussiepom puppy, as while they are young, they are particularly sensitive, and you could inadvertently turn an outgoing and confident puppy into a withdrawn and shy dog.

Conversely, the breed responds exceptionally well to praise and small treats. Hence you will have an easier time training Aussiepom if you ignore bad behavior and reward good.

3. Aussiepoms can be fussy eaters.

It's always important to feed your dog a healthy and nutritious meal, and most people will occasionally feed their dog human food. But with Aussiepoms, you should avoid getting them used to it.

These active little dogs will quickly become accustomed to the more abundant flavors of human food and will not want a bowl of dry kibble if they think there’s a chance they can hold out for something that tastes a little better.

Final Thoughts

The Aussiepom is an excellent dog for an active and outgoing family that has a lifestyle that means they have to spend with their pet.  Aussiepoms love spending their days with their family. They have endless amounts of energy and will be up for almost any adventure that your family cares to dream up.

Owning an Aussiepom does come with a bit of work, and really won’t be for everyone. But, if you put in the time and treat your dog well, the rewards you receive in return will outweigh your effort, as these fluffy designer dogs will more than pay you back with years of love, affection, and fun.

Featured Image Credit: IRINA ORLOVA, Shutterstock