Black and White Australian Shepherd (Ultimate Breed Guide)

The Black and White Australian Shepherd is a purebred dog, originally bred for sheep-herding. Out of all the Australian Shepherd coat colors, black and white is quite rare as most Australian Shepherds have a merle coat or are black, white and tan. Their coat pattern is very similar to that of a Border Collie so Black and White Australian Shepherds are often mistaken for them. That being said, they are still a very popular coat color pick as it is so pretty!

If you are interested in Black & White Australian Shepherds keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: @aussie_dog_lovers

Table of Contents

Black and White Australian Shepherd Appearance

Black and White Australian Shepherds feature a mainly black coat with a large white patch on their chest, muzzle and sometimes on their legs or paws. They may also feature black spotting on their muzzle, especially around their nose. They have jet black noses and light brown, amber or occasionally blue eyes.

Black and White Australian Shepherds have a standard AKC (American Kennel Club) coat color and marking. Black is a standard color and white markings are standard markings. Nevertheless, if you want to show your Black and White Australian Shepherd, you need to make sure the placement of the white markings is acceptable according to the American Kennel Club (AKC) or your local kennel club. The AKC considers white patches on the neck, chest, legs, underside of the muzzle and/or a small spot on the head to be acceptable. White markings on the back of the hindquarters, between the withers and tail and/or on the sides between the elbows are considered to be unacceptable

Black and White Australian Shepherds are also called Bi-color Australian Shepherds as they feature two colors in their coat.

Are Black and White Aussies Rare?

Black and White Aussies are relatively rare compared to other coat colors however you do see them around. The most common Australian Shepherd coat colors are Blue Merle and Red Merle followed by variations on a black coat and a red coat. You are much more likely to find a Black Tri-color Australian Shepherd than a Black Bi-Color Australian Shepherd. A lot of Black Tri-Color Australian Shepherds look like Black and White Australian Shepherds from the distance as they are mainly black and white with only small tan points.

Black and White Australian Shepherd Characteristics

Black & White Australian Shepherd Characteristics
Size	Teacup, Toy, Mini or Standard.
Temperament	Loyal, affectionate, eager to please.
Activity Levels	Moderate to high.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	10 to 12 years.
Coat	Black & white double coat.
Eyes	Amber or brown, occasionally blue.
Shedding	Moderate to heavy.
Apartment Adaptability	Small Australian Shepherds may be able to live in an apartment.
Good with Children	Yes.

Black and White Australian Shepherd vs Border Collie

Black and White Australian Shepherds often get mistaken for Border Collies as they look extremely similar to each other. This is mainly because they have a similar body shape and their white markings are in the same locations: on their chest, belly, muzzle and paws. Nevertheless, there are some ways to distinguish the two.

In terms of appearance, Border Collies are generally smaller and more compact than Australian Shepherds that are more muscular. They are usually a similar height however Australian Shepherds can be up to 15 pounds (6.8kg) heavier. Both Border Collies and Australian Shepherds have angular ears however Border Collie ears are angular and raised while Australian Shepherd ears are angular and floppy.

Australian Shepherds and Border Collies have similar temperaments as they are both herding dogs. They are both are very loving and get along really well with their family members. Generally Australian Shepherds are a bit friendlier as Border Collies can be wary of strangers. With all these similarities you can see why so many people have difficulty telling them apart if they both have a black and white coat!

Black & White Australian Shepherd via @aussiwren

Black and White Australian Shepherd Price

Black and White Australian Shepherds usually cost between $2500USD and $3500USD. There are many factors besides coat color that go into the cost of an Aussie including size, lineage, breeder’s reputation, location as well as the age of the dog. For these reasons, Australian Shepherds can sell for prices within this range or even higher prices if they come from champion bloodlines. If you want to keep up to date with the most current Australian Shepherd prices, it’s a good idea to check out dog advertising websites like PuppySpot.

Black and White Australian Shepherd Breeders

If you are looking for an Australian Shepherd breeder, consider PuppySpot where you can use our discount code PUPPY300 for $300 dollars off any dog! Check out the adorable Aussie puppies that are currently available here!

PuppySpot is a dog adoption website that connects breeders with prospective pet owners. They have a zero tolerance policy for puppy mills which is why they screen every breeder annually! They have placed over 200,000 puppies in homes and offer various trusted, USDA-certified transportation options to deliver your puppy to your home safely! You won’t regret having a look at their Australian Shepherd puppies here as they are so cute!

Black and White Australian Shepherd Names

Dominos
Boots
Tuxedo
Coco
Spade

Mittens
Oreo
Chess
Pepper
Pongo

Black & White Australian Shepherd via @aussiepandainvenice

Black and White Australian Shepherd Sizes

Black and White Australian Shepherds comes in four main sizes: teacup, toy, miniature and standard. If you want to know about all of their Aussie sizes in depth, you should read our full Australian Shepherd size guide here!

Teacup Black & White Australian Shepherd

Teacup Black & White Australian Shepherds are the smallest Australian Shepherd size. The “teacup” size is not an officially recognised size by kennel clubs however breeders do create them. Teacup Black & White Australian Shepherds were originally created by breeding two Mini Black & White Australian Shepherds on the smaller size together until they consistently produced an even smaller dog size.

Teacup Black & White Australian Shepherds reach a height of 10 to 14 inches (25.4cm to 35.6cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 12 and 17 pounds (5.4kg to 7.7kg) when fully grown. They are the same size as Toy Australian Shepherds.

Toy Black Australian Shepherd

A Toy Black & White Australian Shepherd is the smallest Australian Shepherd size. Most Toy Black & White Australian Shepherds are created by breeding two Mini Black & White Australian Shepherds together that are on the smaller side until they consistently get the “toy” size. Nevertheless, breeders sometimes introduce smaller breeds into their lineage so they get a smaller dog much faster.

Toy Black & White Australian Shepherds gets to a height of 10 to 14 inches (25.4cm to 35.6cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 12 and 17 pounds (5.4kg to 7.7kg) when fully grown. They are the same size as Teacup Australian Shepherds. You read our full in-depth Toy Australian Shepherd guide here!

Mini Black & White Australian Shepherd

Mini Black & White Australian Shepherds are the middle Australian Shepherd size – somewhere in between the Teacup/Toy Australian Shepherd and the Standard Australian Shepherd. They are a medium sized dog breed with a solid build.

Mini Black & White Australian Shepherds gets to a height of 13 to 18 inches (33cm to 45.7cm) tall at the shoulder and weigh between 30 and 40 pounds (13.6kg to 18.1kg) when fully grown. You can read our full in-depth Mini Australian Shepherd guide here!

Schnoodle Generations Guide (F1 vs F1b vs F2)

Standard Black & White Australian Shepherd

Standard Black & White Australian Shepherds are the largest size of the breed. A Standard Black & White Australian Shepherd gets to a height of 18 to 23 inches (45.7cm to 58.4cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs between 40 and 65 pounds (18.1kg to 29.5kg) when fully grown.

Out of all the Australian Shepherd sizes, you are most likely to find an all Black & White Australian Shepherd in this size.

Black and White Australian Shepherd Shedding

Do Black & White Australian Shepherds Shed?

Australian Shepherds, regardless of their coat color, are moderate to heavy shedders. They shed all year round and it is particularly heavy during moulting season. As Australian Shepherds have a double coat, the thickness of their undercoat will change depending on the season. It’s thicker during winter to keep them warm and thinner in summer to keep them cool. The transitional periods towards winter or summer are the two periods where shedding will be much heavier than normal.

If you are looking for a dog breed that doesn’t shed that much, a single coated breed is probably more suitable than a double coated one. Nearly all Poodle Mix breeds are classified as light to non-shedders so something like a Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, Sheepadoodle, Bernedoodle or Aussiedoodle would be suitable if you are still looking for a larger dog breed. If you love the temperament or look of an Australian Shepherd, an Aussiedoodle would be your best option as they are a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Poodle.

Are Black & White Australian Shepherds Hypoallergenic?

Black & White Australian Shepherds are not hypoallergenic as they release a considerable amount of allergy inducing dander into their immediate environment. Dog allergy symptoms are usually caused by dander which is composed of tiny particles of skin shed by dogs along with a bit of their fur. It can be really problematic as dander is so small and can linger in air for long periods of time.

Allergy symptoms can also flare up from the proteins founds in dog saliva, urine and feces. Like dander, dried saliva can flake off a dog’s skin or fur and become airborne.

You can make your dog even more hypoallergenic by keeping up a good grooming routine as it will stop them from releasing allergens into your home.

Your dog’s grooming routine should include both brushing and bathing. A brush down with a slicker brush every other day is ideal to remove any loose hairs. As for washing, a bath with a gentle dog shampoo every 3 months will remove dead skin cells, dirt and debris.

This may not seem that often but you don’t want to over wash your dog otherwise their coat will dry out which will only cause flaky skin which is an allergy irritant.

Black and White Australian Shepherd Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Black Australian Shepherd coats stay looking cleaner for longer as dirt can be hidden in it as they are mainly black.	Black & White Australian Shepherds are a high energy breed that requires lots of exercise each day otherwise they can become destructive.
Black & White Australian Shepherds are very intelligent and hardworking.	Black & White Australian Shepherds are heavy shedders and are not hypoallergenic.
Black & White Australian Shepherds are very loyal and develop very strong bonds with their owners.	Black & White Australian Shepherds can be territorial and over-protective of their family.