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Miniature Australian Shepherd
Breed origin: USA
Original purpose: Herding cattle, sheep, and other livestock.
AKC recognized: No
Size:
Weight: 20 to 40 lbs
Size: Height: 14 to 18 inches
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© Eponaleah (Leah Mcdaniel) | Dreamstime.com
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Color: Blue merle, black, red merle, red - all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points. A special note about the merle gene: Two merle dogs should generally not be bred together. Such a mating will often result in one or more puppies that end up with two copies of the dominant merle gene. Those puppies are called homozygous merles and are often mostly white and can be deaf and/or blind. Sometimes an educated breeder may knowingly breed two merle dogs because of other desirable traits in those dogs, and euthanize any mostly white puppies. Beware of any breeder who tries to sell you a "rare" white Aussie without disclosing the potential health defects.
General characteristics/temperament: The Miniature Australian Shepherd is intelligent, active, loyal, attentive, animated, agile, and good natured. They have strong herding and guarding instincts, and have the stamina to work all day. They make wonderful family dogs when they are made an integral part of the family and involed in family activities. They may be somewhat reserved with strangers, but are extremely loyal to their families. They need a lot of mental and physical exercise and do best when given a job to do. They are highly trainable and eager to please, and tend to excel in many canine sports or activities. If allowed to become bored, they will become destructive and may bark excessively.
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© Eponaleah (Leah Mcdaniel) | Dreamstime.com
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Good with children? Yes
Protective? Naturally
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Intelligent? Yes
Energy/Activity Level: High
Good jogging partner? Yes
Suitable canine sports/activities: obedience, agility, herding, flyball, disc
Grooming requirement: The thick coat sheds heavily twice a year and moderately the rest of the year. Regular brushing once or twice a week will help to minimize the shedding.
Known health problems: Cataracts, blindness, hereditary eye anomalies, hip dysplasia, sensitivity to anesthetics or other drugs
Additional photos of Miniature Australian Shepherd
Recommended books for further reading:
Other websites for additional information:
Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America
Wikipedia breed information page
Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America Rescue
DogBreedMatch
