ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 A family member overseas has contact me and said that they are looking at buying a 'Miniature Australian Shepherd' so were asking me for advice... because I'm Australian so of course would know all there is to know . Right. I've never heard of mini, and there aren't any DOL listings for them. I have a sneaking suspicion it's a bit like 'Teacup Chihuahuas'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 yup minis are just like 'teacups'. Aus shep people or the AKC dont recognise them. They have the personality of a typical australian shep just smaller. If your relatives are not for a high energy working breed, small or not this dog will drive them bananas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thanks Nekhbet, that's what I thought. I think they're fairly used to higher energy dogs, they currently have Jack Russel cross, two White Shepherds and two Pitties. In the past they've also had working Labs for hunting. Not sure what they have to herd though, maybe the kids! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 If they look hard enough, they'll find a proper Australian Shepherd in a smaller size. They are out there, the new girl I got last week is tiny, she's 5 years old and I doubt she hits the 13 kg mark. She is MUCH smaller than my others who are all average/above average for the breed, but because this is a breed that's been developed from stock dogs, originally for their working ability over and above everything else, there's a wide variety in sizes (and the standard caters for that too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 She is MUCH smaller than my others who are all average/above average for the breed, but because this is a breed that's been developed from stock dogs, originally for their working ability over and above everything else, there's a wide variety in sizes (and the standard caters for that too). Sorry a Little OT, The standard says The preferred height for males is 51-58.5 cm (20-23 ins) and females 45.5-53.5 cm (18-21 ins). Quality is not to be sacrificed in favour of size. Do they vary more then that in height? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayly Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 If they are asking you because you are Australian, have they have actually researched the breed or their history? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) She is MUCH smaller than my others who are all average/above average for the breed, but because this is a breed that's been developed from stock dogs, originally for their working ability over and above everything else, there's a wide variety in sizes (and the standard caters for that too). Sorry a Little OT, The standard says The preferred height for males is 51-58.5 cm (20-23 ins) and females 45.5-53.5 cm (18-21 ins). Quality is not to be sacrificed in favour of size. Do they vary more then that in height? Yes they do. My new one is unlikely to be 18 ins, she's more like 16.5-17 ins (but she's not a show dog, so it doesn't matter). Benson is at the top end for a male and I have met a couple who were taller than him. The vast majority would fall in those size parameters but outside them is not all that unusual. The operative words in the standard are "preferred"....and that last bit "quality is not to be sacrificed in favour of size". It leaves it pretty open as to how tall an Aussie can be. Edited February 7, 2011 by GayleK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 If they look hard enough, they'll find a proper Australian Shepherd in a smaller size. They are out there, the new girl I got last week is tiny, she's 5 years old and I doubt she hits the 13 kg mark. She is MUCH smaller than my others who are all average/above average for the breed, but because this is a breed that's been developed from stock dogs, originally for their working ability over and above everything else, there's a wide variety in sizes (and the standard caters for that too). Thanks GayleK, I am trying to nudge them in that direction. If they are asking you because you are Australian, have they have actually researched the breed or their history? I would be shocked, stunned and amazed if they had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 ravenau1, Australian Shepherds aren't Australian. They're American, so you might like to point that out to your relatives too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kate4939 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 There is website that i came across the other day thats breeding "Miniature/Toy Aussies" here in Aus. ..but if your friends are in the US they would have hundreds of breeders to choose one from. oh GayleK i'd love to find a Male around that size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyla Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Suggest a sheltie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 One of the very early Australian Shepherd breeders who had dogs a lot of us see featured in the pedigrees of our own Aussies, has taken up breeding "Miniature" Aussies. No idea what she hopes to achieve as they aren't recognised in the US or here. I have seen some smallish males....not mine though, must be the diet or something but both my boys are monsters. There's a little guy at our obedience club who's not very big...he's slightly smaller than Dusty so he'd probably be around 19 inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 ravenau1, Australian Shepherds aren't Australian. They're American, so you might like to point that out to your relatives too. I know, that's why I thought it was funny that they thought I would know all about them Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 One of the very early Australian Shepherd breeders who had dogs a lot of us see featured in the pedigrees of our own Aussies, has taken up breeding "Miniature" Aussies. No idea what she hopes to achieve as they aren't recognised in the US or here.I have seen some smallish males....not mine though, must be the diet or something but both my boys are monsters. There's a little guy at our obedience club who's not very big...he's slightly smaller than Dusty so he'd probably be around 19 inches. The breeder here actually has Toy Aussies. They have three sizes in the US - Toy, Miniature and the normal larger size. Only the largest size is a recognised breed but there are dozens of breeders in the US with the two smaller sizes, registered with one of the alternate registries they have over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozjen Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 The words Miniture Australian Shepherd, are frowned upon by Australian Shepherd people, as others have pointed out you do get some smaller than average Aussies(not miniture) but to intentionally breed Aussies to be smaller than the prefered size in the standard does a disservice to the breed and they become no more than another designer dog sometimes with toy or small breeds thrown into the mix to enable them to produce smaller dogs quicker and more consistantly. There are two schools of thought with the normal Australian Shepherd and how it originaited the most popular one seems to be that the orginal little blue herding dogs owned by the basque shepherds went with Merino sheep from Australia to America and the Americans were so impressed with the dogs herding ability that they continued to develop the breed. Giving it the name Australian Shepherd in honour of where their first dogs had come from. The second believe is that the dogs originaited from smooth Preanean Shepherds. Perhaps it is a combination of both. Aussies are indeed a wonderful breed and the majority are a medium sized dog which therefore really does not need to be made smaller. They are highlly intelligent and need mental stimulation as much as and sometimes more than physical exercise. We call them velcro dogs as they are extremly loyal and like to shadow their owners so need to be included as part of the family. I have often heard them described as being abit of a clown, I know my girl is and will turn it on especially if she thinks I'm feeling down, can't help but smile with an Aussie around. As GayleK and Lydsey can attest too they are like potato chips you can't always stop at one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Many of the miniatures and toys I've seen on overseas websites don't even LOOK like Aussies and have distinct features from other smaller breeds My Aussie girl is an average sized female (just under 20 inches) and I wouldn't say she is big at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcastle Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 One of the very early Australian Shepherd breeders who had dogs a lot of us see featured in the pedigrees of our own Aussies, has taken up breeding "Miniature" Aussies. No idea what she hopes to achieve as they aren't recognised in the US or here.I have seen some smallish males....not mine though, must be the diet or something but both my boys are monsters. There's a little guy at our obedience club who's not very big...he's slightly smaller than Dusty so he'd probably be around 19 inches. It is only a question of time before they are recognized in USA by AKC http://www.namascusa.com/forms/AKC2010/Pro...%20bulletin.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 One would hope it's a very long time. The Australian Shepherd Club of America don't recognise the miniature. toy or "North American" as being part of, or related to the breed. And the ASCA is the one I'd be putting my money on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starcastle Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 If you read the link I gave in my last post you see that it is already a done deal as far as AKC is concerned. From what I've heard they are talking about July 2011... One would hope it's a very long time.The Australian Shepherd Club of America don't recognise the miniature. toy or "North American" as being part of, or related to the breed. And the ASCA is the one I'd be putting my money on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 It appears to be a "proposal" and there is nothing about it on the ASCA website, which is unusual as the proposal talks about removing certain dogs from the AS stud books and relocating them. Now I think that would be a VERY big deal to the ASCA and worthy of discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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