Explainer
Why We Match Puppies on Temperament, Not Color
By Jordan · Reviewed by Jordan
Published October 5, 2026 · 3 min read
Quick answer
Coat color tells you nothing about how a puppy will fit your household. Temperament — confidence, sensitivity, energy, recovery and how much a puppy wants to work with people — is what you live with every day for the next decade or more. We place puppies by temperament and family fit, which is why we ask families to wait for evaluations rather than reserving a colour.
Almost every family who contacts us has a picture in their head: a blue merle with two blue eyes, or a black tri with copper points. That is a perfectly normal place to start — Australian Shepherds are beautiful dogs. But the colour you picked will stop mattering about a week after your puppy comes home, and the temperament you got will matter every day for the next twelve to fifteen years.
The short version. Everything on it is explained below.
What temperament actually affects
Temperament is not a personality label. It is the set of tendencies that decide how a dog handles ordinary life:
- •Daily life and household harmony
- •Trainability and willingness to learn
- •Confidence in new situations
- •Sensitivity to people and environments
- •Energy level and activity needs
- •How a puppy handles the world
A soft, sensitive puppy in a loud, busy household spends their life slightly overwhelmed. A high-drive puppy in a quiet home spends their life under-employed — and an under-employed Aussie will find their own job, usually one you did not want done.
Why color isn't the whole picture
Coat color can be a preference, but it does not tell you how a puppy will fit a household's lifestyle or goals.
Note
Two puppies can look completely different and have very different needs, strengths and responses. Colour and temperament are inherited independently, so the merle pattern you love says nothing about whether that puppy is the one who will settle on your feet or the one who will still be asking for a job at 9pm.
How we match
We use careful observation and handling to understand each puppy across six dimensions:
What we watch
Why it matters to you
Daily-life behaviour
How the puppy acts when nothing special is happening — the other 23 hours
Handling responses
How they take restraint, grooming, nail work and vet handling
Recovery and resilience
How fast they bounce back after a startle, which predicts a lot
Social engagement
Whether they seek people out or prefer to observe first
Activity level and drive
How much work and exercise they will actually need
Each family's needs and goals
Your household, your schedule, your plans for the dog
The first five come from us. The sixth comes from you, which is why our questionnaire asks about your routine and not just your preferences.
Best fit over first pick
The right puppy is the one whose temperament aligns with your home. Some examples of great fits:
- •Companion — calm, loving, people-focused best friend
- •Active family — playful, resilient, loves adventure and activity
- •Performance — focused, biddable, driven to learn and work
- •Service or therapy potential — empathetic, steady, calm under pressure, people-oriented
Those are all excellent puppies. They are not interchangeable.
How we do it at BFF Aussies
This is why we do not take colour reservations or first-come picks. Each puppy is temperament tested and evaluated at around 6–7 weeks, and we place based on that evaluation together with what you have told us about your household. We always take your preferences into account — the responsibility for the match is still ours.
Our promise
We always want beautiful puppies and thoughtful placements, but temperament-informed matching stays at the centre of our program because lifelong bonds start with the right fit.
Colour may catch your eye — temperament is what shapes life together.
Key takeaways
Color is a preference; temperament decides how daily life actually goes.
Two puppies in the same litter can have completely different needs and strengths.
We match on observed behaviour, handling responses, recovery, drive and your household's goals.
The right puppy is the one whose temperament fits your home — not the first one you picked.
Why Temperament Over Color (printable)
The one-page version, if you would rather print it or send it to family.
Download
Common questions
Can I request a specific color?
You can tell us your preference and we will keep it in mind, but we never place a puppy on color alone. If the puppy whose temperament fits your household is a different color than you imagined, we will tell you so honestly.
Does coat color affect temperament in Australian Shepherds?
Color and temperament are inherited separately, so a coat pattern does not tell you how confident, sensitive or driven a puppy will be. What a puppy shows you in handling, novelty and recovery does.
When do you decide which puppy goes to which family?
After temperament evaluation at around six to seven weeks, when personalities are clear enough to match thoughtfully.
Not sure what temperament suits your household? Start with the match quiz.
Find your Aussie match
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