Hi and welcome to Pet Talk!! Pete sounds like a great dog! Do you have any pics of him?

Some questions to ask yourself........Do you have the time it takes for another dog? Do you have the money for food/vet bills/etc.? Do you have room for two medium/large dogs?

I think it's great that you want to do the research before you take the big leap into getting a new family member! I bet if Pete likes other dogs, he would like a companion, and I don't think he'd get bored...just make sure you take some time introducing them, and spend some quality one-on-one time with Pete so he doesn't become jealous.

As far as Aussie's...I've met a few, and most have been very sweet! They do shed quite a bit, and will require more brushing than your short-haired dog does. They also have that "herding" instinct built in! Are you anywhere close to Utah? I know the lady who runs Australian Shepard Rescue here, and she has lots of *great* dogs!