The Australian Shepherd is intelligent and very loyal to his owner. He's a working dog, though, so he does best when his owner gives him a job to do ' such as herding livestock. This breed has a gene for merle coloration that may also carry a blind or deaf factor. The major concerns are cataracts, collie eye anomaly, and many other minor problems. The Australian Shepherd needs to stay busy and needs a lot of exercise. He's especially suited for people who are into outdoor activities. If it doesn't get a chance to exercise and challenge its strongly developed mental and physical activities, it is apt to become frustrated and difficult to live with.