Australian Shepherd
from
Dolci's Minis
Short introduction to the Miniature American Shepherd
Are Mini Aussies / Miniature American Shepherds suitable as family dogs?
Absolutely! Miniature American Shepherds are highly devoted to their owners.
They love being active together with their people and, with proper upbringing, show great dedication. This can include activities such as obedience training, agility or flyball — but it does not necessarily have to be a sport. Their energy levels can just as easily be channelled through mental enrichment, puzzle games, a good game of fetch or a solid daily walk.
They are also extremely intelligent, which makes training enjoyable and effective. However, precisely because of this intelligence, they require a consistent, clear and confident upbringing.
The Miniature American Shepherd generally gets along very well with children and other animals and can be a wonderful addition to a family.
Because of their strong loyalty to their family, they are often more reserved with strangers and tend to approach new people with some caution.
For this reason, proper early socialisation combined with sufficient rest is essential for the healthy development of a Miniature American Shepherd.
What is the breed standard of the Mini Aussie / Miniature American Shepherd?
The Miniature American Shepherd has a medium-length coat, which can be slightly wavy or straight.
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The coat colours are the same as those of the Australian Shepherd: blue merle, red merle, black tri and red tri, all with or without copper points and white markings.
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The hair on the head, the front of the forelegs and the outside of the ears is shorter than the rest of the coat.
The hair on the hind legs and around the neck is fuller; the Miniature American Shepherd has distinct feathering (“pants”) and a neck ruff.
Within the breed, different tail lengths occur. Some Miniature American Shepherds are born with a full tail, others without a tail, and some with a naturally short or partial tail (or anything in between).
Eye colours may include combinations of brown, amber, hazel, blue and marbled patterns.
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The height of a Miniature American Shepherd ranges from 35.5 to 45.5 cm (14 to 18 inches) for males, and 33.5 to 43 cm (13 to 17 inches) for females.
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The weight generally ranges between 9 and 18 kg.
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The average life expectancy is around 13 years.
