The Breed
The Australian Cobberdog
About the Breed
What is an Australian Cobberdog?
The Australian Cobberdog is a registered pure breed in development. For many generations the Australian Cobberdog has had its own genetic blueprint that identifies it as a unique breed. The Australian Cobberdog was accepted as a new breed in development in January 2012 by the Master Dog Breeders and Associates (MDBA) — a worldwide breed registry.
The Australian Cobberdog, as a recognised breed, is best understood as a breed that now has its own unique recognisable characteristics. It has an intuitive gentle nature, an aptitude for training, a desire to be with its humans, strong eye contact and low shedding and low odour coats.
The breed has been developed, and is still being developed, by a core group of foundation breeders who have as their primary focus the health and temperament of the dogs whilst striving toward the long term vision for the breed.
As a Pet
The perfect family companion
The Australian Cobberdog is affectionate, full of personality and gentle with children. They are great family dogs and they get on well with other dogs and pets. They are intelligent, easy to train and we recommend basic obedience for all puppies. We suggest positive reinforcement as this is the most successful training method for this breed.
Australian Cobberdogs seek eye contact with humans — they look deeply into your eyes, rather than "at" you. This makes you feel they are in tune with your emotions. They bring a feeling of empathy for grief; they want to cheer you up when you are sad or ill by being attentive, gentle and close. They bring a smile to your face every day.
The Australian Cobberdog does not bark excessively and they are suited to both indoor and outdoor homes. They usually love water!
Therapy & Service
Exceptional intuition
Australian Cobberdogs make exceptional therapy and service dogs with their high level of intuition and ability to read their humans.
Therapy dogs are loving companions that are non-judgmental. They can assist with cognitive functions; increase self-confidence and social interaction; and make a huge impact on an individual's lifestyle.
Service and assistance dogs offer a person with a disability the opportunity of increased independence and support by carrying out certain tasks that assist their owner to cope with everyday life. Medic alert dogs can alert their owners when they sense an adverse event may happen — for example, warning a diabetic owner of their high sugar level or alerting a person with epilepsy before a seizure.
Size Guide
Australian Cobberdog sizes
It is normal to have some variation in size within litters. At Sharchum we are breeding miniature, medium and standard size Australian Cobberdogs.
Miniature
35 – 41 cm to top of shoulder
Small Medium
41 – 57 cm to top of shoulder
Medium
47 – 56 cm to top of shoulder
Standard
52 – 61 cm to top of shoulder
Colours
Australian Cobberdog colours
Red
Raven
Cream / Blonde
Golden Blonde / Light Red
Chocolate
Coat Types
Cobberdog coat types
As the breed is still in the development stage, coat types vary.
Straight
C/C or N/NA sleek, flat coat that lies close to the body. Low-shedding and easy to maintain.
Wavy
N/CA soft, flowing coat with gentle waves. The most common coat type in the breed.
Curly
C/CA dense, spiral coat. Most similar to the Poodle coat and often preferred by allergy sufferers.
Grooming
Coat care
Adult dogs tend to be clipped a few times a year. We recommend keeping the hair around the eyes and in the ears clipped short, which can be done at home every few weeks. The coat rarely has a doggy odour and the dirt falls off quite miraculously — so they don't need to be bathed very often.
With a low shedding coat, your puppy needs to be brushed often with appropriate grooming tools including a slicker brush and comb from root to tip of the hair. From about 10 months to 16 months of age your puppy will begin to transition to their adult coat. With the puppy coat falling out, matting can be an issue. Many owners opt for a short cut at this time to let the adult coat come through.
Please note: if the coat of your Cobberdog isn't brushed, the coat will become matted and painful. If this occurs a groomer will have no option but to shave your dog. The good news is — it grows back!