Miniature Aussie Breed Information
For those of you that might be considering the miniature Aussie, here are some simple facts about the dog that might help you to come to understand if this is the right dog for you.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that this dog is almost exactly like the regular sized Aussie shepherd, only smaller.
That being said, here is a bit of a breakdown on the breed.
The Australian miniature shepherd is a distinctive and beautiful looking dog.
It has a medium length coat that is slightly wavy, and it comes in colors that are red, blue or black, with white or tan markings.
The hair around the eyes and ears should not be white, as the only white should be a strip that runs from the back of the head to somewhere along the snout.
The hair on the head and the front of the forelegs, as well as on the outside of the ears, is typically shorter than the rest of the coat, and the hindquarters and forequarters will be of the same length.
The top of the miniature Aussie's skull is clean cut and relatively flat, and his lips do not hang over the lower jaw.
If you examine the feet, they are mostly oval and compact.
The height of the dog, at least what is typical for the breed and the standard to which you should hold to, is usually thirteen to eighteen inches (or thirty-three to forty-six centimeters).
As for their weight, you should be looking for the twenty to forty pound range, which in kilograms is nine to eighteen.
As for their temperament, these dogs are honestly one of the best breeds for being easy going and loving.
They are courageous, loyal, and very affectionate, and love nothing more than playing and spending time with you.
In regards to children, they are well behaved and protective of them, making them an ideal dog for families or those that are around children.
This is a very intelligent breed of dog, and they are easy to train, being agile and attentive to your commands.
That being said, one must bear in mind that the intelligence and overabundance of energy comes at a price.
They need a considerable amount of attention and care if they are to remain happy and healthy.
If left alone for lengths of time they can become nervous and destructive.
Remember, these are high energy, intelligent dogs that need mental and physical exercise.
As a herding dog, they are genetically coded to doing work, and so while the Australian miniature shepherd may have been bred for the city and it may no longer have the capacity to function to the standards of its larger cousins, it still needs a job to do.
It is looking for work or activities to keep it occupied.
Another consideration is these dogs need to be socialized as a puppy to avoid them becoming suspicious of strangers, but this is something that needs to be addressed during the initial training stages.
Another important component of the training stages, which should be addressed as soon as the puppy is brought home, is to drive out the remaining herding instincts that the dog is still predisposed towards.
They need to be taught that herding people is not acceptable, and that they are not the dominant force in your household.
You need to assert yourself as the pack leader to avoid small dog syndrome and other human induced behavioral problems.
With proper training and attention these will not be issues, but you should always bear in mind that while your dog is a member of your family, they are not humans, and so you need to meet and address their natural instincts as animals.
Lastly, I am going to address some of the health problems inherent to this breed.
Now, the beautiful merle coloration can also carry a blind and or deaf deficiency.
Usually this is only seen in merle/merle crosses.
Those dogs that are considered heterozygous merles, meaning that they have one parent that is merle and the other is solid, do not have these risk considerations due to their color.
So be sure to check the hearing on merle puppies.
What you are looking for from your breeder is proper and documented testing along genetic lines, looking for problems in the eyes, patella, thyroid and hips.
These are truly unique and wonderful dogs to own, but always remember, educate yourself first and foremost.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that this dog is almost exactly like the regular sized Aussie shepherd, only smaller.
That being said, here is a bit of a breakdown on the breed.
The Australian miniature shepherd is a distinctive and beautiful looking dog.
It has a medium length coat that is slightly wavy, and it comes in colors that are red, blue or black, with white or tan markings.
The hair around the eyes and ears should not be white, as the only white should be a strip that runs from the back of the head to somewhere along the snout.
The hair on the head and the front of the forelegs, as well as on the outside of the ears, is typically shorter than the rest of the coat, and the hindquarters and forequarters will be of the same length.
The top of the miniature Aussie's skull is clean cut and relatively flat, and his lips do not hang over the lower jaw.
If you examine the feet, they are mostly oval and compact.
The height of the dog, at least what is typical for the breed and the standard to which you should hold to, is usually thirteen to eighteen inches (or thirty-three to forty-six centimeters).
As for their weight, you should be looking for the twenty to forty pound range, which in kilograms is nine to eighteen.
As for their temperament, these dogs are honestly one of the best breeds for being easy going and loving.
They are courageous, loyal, and very affectionate, and love nothing more than playing and spending time with you.
In regards to children, they are well behaved and protective of them, making them an ideal dog for families or those that are around children.
This is a very intelligent breed of dog, and they are easy to train, being agile and attentive to your commands.
That being said, one must bear in mind that the intelligence and overabundance of energy comes at a price.
They need a considerable amount of attention and care if they are to remain happy and healthy.
If left alone for lengths of time they can become nervous and destructive.
Remember, these are high energy, intelligent dogs that need mental and physical exercise.
As a herding dog, they are genetically coded to doing work, and so while the Australian miniature shepherd may have been bred for the city and it may no longer have the capacity to function to the standards of its larger cousins, it still needs a job to do.
It is looking for work or activities to keep it occupied.
Another consideration is these dogs need to be socialized as a puppy to avoid them becoming suspicious of strangers, but this is something that needs to be addressed during the initial training stages.
Another important component of the training stages, which should be addressed as soon as the puppy is brought home, is to drive out the remaining herding instincts that the dog is still predisposed towards.
They need to be taught that herding people is not acceptable, and that they are not the dominant force in your household.
You need to assert yourself as the pack leader to avoid small dog syndrome and other human induced behavioral problems.
With proper training and attention these will not be issues, but you should always bear in mind that while your dog is a member of your family, they are not humans, and so you need to meet and address their natural instincts as animals.
Lastly, I am going to address some of the health problems inherent to this breed.
Now, the beautiful merle coloration can also carry a blind and or deaf deficiency.
Usually this is only seen in merle/merle crosses.
Those dogs that are considered heterozygous merles, meaning that they have one parent that is merle and the other is solid, do not have these risk considerations due to their color.
So be sure to check the hearing on merle puppies.
What you are looking for from your breeder is proper and documented testing along genetic lines, looking for problems in the eyes, patella, thyroid and hips.
These are truly unique and wonderful dogs to own, but always remember, educate yourself first and foremost.