Australian Shepherd Santa Hat Shirt: Blue Merle Aussie Stealing the Lights

A blue merle Aussie trots across the front of this Australian Shepherd Santa hat shirt, with the plug of a Christmas light string clamped in its mouth and the bulbs tangled around its legs. It is a ready-made design on a short-sleeve T-shirt: pick the color and size, add a sleeve name if you like, and we embroider it to order. The dog, the hat and every bulb are stitched in real thread.

What is on the Australian Shepherd Santa hat shirt?

The Aussie moves left to right across the chest in a brisk herding trot, head level and eyes forward. Look closer and you will find:

• The coat: gray blue merle marbled with black patches, copper legs and cheeks, a white chest and paws, and a fluffy black tail.
• The hat: a red Santa hat with a white brim and a pompom at the back.
• The lights: a black cord running from the plug in its mouth, looping around its legs and trailing far behind, dotted with red, yellow, green and teal bulbs.

Why is the Aussie running off with the lights?

Australian Shepherds are herding dogs with energy to spare, and every Aussie owner knows what happens when one does not have a job: it finds one. In this design, the job is the Christmas lights. The dog has the plug firmly in its mouth and is trotting off with purpose, completely unbothered by the bulbs wrapped around its legs, as if herding the string out of the living room. The blue merle coat, the copper points and the white chest make it read as an Aussie at a glance, which is why it works as a blue merle Aussie Christmas shirt for owners of red merles and tris too.

Which color should you choose?

Each time you change the color option, the photos change with it. Light, bright and mid-tone colors give the gray coat and black cord a clean edge. On the darkest colors the black tail and cord melt into the fabric, leaving the merle coat, copper legs, red hat and bulbs to carry the design. Grays close to the coat and warm tones close to the copper legs make those parts look softer.

Who is this blue merle Australian Shepherd shirt for?

This blue merle Australian Shepherd shirt suits an Aussie mom or dad, a herding or dog sports family, or anyone who has lost a string of lights to a busy dog. The short sleeves work for a Christmas in a warm climate, a crowded holiday party or layering under an open flannel. For colder days, the same blue merle Aussie comes on our Australian Shepherd Christmas sweatshirt, a crewneck sweatshirt, so you can pick the tee for warm weather and the fleece for cozy nights.

Can you add a name to the sleeve?

Yes, on one short sleeve. Type your Aussie’s name or your initials, then pick a font, a thread color and an optional icon from the charts in the photos. White thread is preselected for dark shirts; pick black or another dark thread for light colors.

Ordering, sizing and care

We stitch every T-shirt to order and ship it from the USA; the estimated delivery date is listed on this page. A free design proof arrives by email first, and edits are unlimited. To receive it by Christmas Day, order by December 8 in the U.S. or by November 23 outside the U.S. Size exchanges are not offered on made-to-order pieces, so compare the size guide on this page with a tee you own. Wash it inside out in cold water and never iron on the embroidery.

Frequently asked questions

Is this Australian Shepherd Christmas shirt embroidered?

Yes. Every part of this Australian Shepherd Christmas shirt, from the merle coat to the bulbs and the sleeve name, is stitched in thread, so it has a raised texture and will not crack or peel like a print.

Can the Aussie look like my own dog?

This Aussie is a ready-made blue merle design and is stitched as shown. To embroider your own dog’s face from a photo, in any coat, choose the custom dog Christmas sweatshirt, which also comes as a T-shirt.

Are there other dog T-shirts?

Yes. A chocolate lab puppy in a Santa hat is on our chocolate lab Santa hat shirt. More breeds are in our dog lover gifts, and more short-sleeve designs are in our embroidered T-shirts.