Blue Merle Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppy
iStock.com/JodiJacobson

Miniature Australian Shepherd Dog Breed

Other names:
Mini Aussie Shepherd
Miniature Aussie
Miniature Toy Australian Shepherd
Tea Cup Australian Shepherd
Teacup Aussie
Teacup Australian Shepherd
Toy Australian Shepherd

As the name implies, the Miniature Australian Shepherd, is a smaller but visually similar version of the Standard Australian Shepherd. The capability to work and willingness to please the owner has been retained in this smaller breed. Mini Aussies have a striking coat and eyes that can be marbled or even of different colors entirely.

This breed is apprehensive and reserved around strangers but makes a very close and loyal bond with their owner or family. This pet is not recommended for people that do not have time to truly make a pet part of their family, as they may suffer from separation anxiety. Miniature Australian Shepherds get along great with any other pets and make a wonderful playmate and watchful eye for children, as long as they are trained at an early age.

Twice yearly this breed sheds, but brushing a couple times per week should lessen this as well as prevent mats and tangles. Members of this breed have no serious health issues; various eye problems are to be monitored for. When searching for a pet of this breed it is always a good idea to check authoritative registries such as the Canine Eye Registry Foundation for breeders that have been cleared for correct adherence to standards.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Breed Details

Below are the details and facts for the Miniature Australian Shepherd dog breed.

Type
Purebred
Lifespan
13 - 15 yrs.
Height
13 - 18 in.
Weight
30 - 40 lbs
Friendliness
OverallFamily FriendlyChild FriendlyPet FriendlyStranger Friendly
Maintenance
Easy to GroomEnergy LevelExercise NeedsHealthShedding Amount
Behavior
Barks / HowlsEasy to TrainGuard DogPlayfulnessWatch Dog
Ownership
Apartment DogCan be AloneGood for Busy OwnersGood for New OwnersIntelligence

Miniature Australian Shepherd Breed Description

Miniature Australian Shepherds are small sized dogs. They will stand about 14-18 inches at the shoulders and can weigh up to 30-40 pounds. As with most breeds, females are typically slightly smaller than males, standing 13-17 inches at the shoulders.

This is a great choice for households with multiple pets of any type. Miniature Australian Shepherds make good family dogs. Their energy and playfulness will make them fun for kids but small children do need to be monitored in case the dog's abundant energy causes an accident. Strangers are met with reservation and apprehensiveness. Families without time to exercise and bond with their pet should not consider this breed as they are prone to separation anxiety.

Twice weekly brushing to prevent mats and tangles should do fine. Brushing may need to be performed slightly more frequently during shedding season and an owner of this breed should be prepared to vacuum during this time. Mini Aussies have moderate exercise requirements and, if not a working dog, should be given adequate outdoor playtime each day to avoid developing destructive traits due to boredom. Training should come easily due to the intelligence and obedience this dog offers. Members of this breed make very close and loyal bonds with their owners so positive reinforcement will work best for them.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Breed History

The Miniature Australian Shepherd has origins in the United States during the 1960's, although the name sounds otherwise. Around 1978, Doris Cordova, a rancher from California began selectively reducing the size. Breeder's sought to decrease the size of the Australian Shepherd by mating smaller specimens together. Several other kennels followed suit and during the 1980's-1990's Miniature Australian Shepherd Clubs began forming in America. One of which, the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA founded in 1990, is considered the parent club of the breed by the AKC. The miniature size still retains the intelligence, working agility, and obedience of the standard size. They originally were key in herding sheep and goats and now they have extended their skills to horses. In 2011 the AKC Foundation Stock Service recognized this breed as the Miniature American Shepherd and in July of 2015 this breed was officially allowed to compete in herding dog competitions within the AKC.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Appearance

This breed is proportionate in size over all parts of the body. Mini Aussies have a double coat of which the outer is medium length, straight to wavy and weather proof. The outer coat can be black, red, blue merle and red merle while the undercoat of this breed is typically lighter in coloration. Tan markings, from beige to rust, can be present on most parts of the body but this is not a requirement of breed standard; white markings may also be present but, once again, are not required. The head and neck of this breed is surrounded by a thicker mane of fur. The coat color corresponds with the color that can be found around the rims of the eyes and coloration of the eyes varies greatly; they are sometimes blue, amber, hazel, brown, combination of these, marbled and even one eye a different color than the other. The backs of the legs are typically feathered and the tail is naturally short, bobbed or docked. This breed moves with an agile and smooth gait.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Colors

The images below represent the coat colors and patterns associated with Miniature Australian Shepherds.

Black
Black
Blue Merle
Blue Merle
Liver
Liver
Red Merle
Red Merle
White and Black
White and Black

Miniature Australian Shepherd Variations

Three different size variations of the Mini Australian Shepherd exist. The standard Mini Aussie is 13-18 inches at the shoulders in height, and normally weighs 30-40 pounds; the Toy Australian Shepherd, meanwhile, stands 10-14 inches and weighs 7-20 pounds. And a "subset" of sorts for Toy Aussies is the rare Teacup Aussie, which is less than 10 inches in height and 10 pounds or less in weight. Though separate breed standards exist for Toy and Mini Aussies, they are technically the same dog breed. The main difference between the two is that Mini Aussies are often used as herding dogs, while Toy (and by extension, Teacup) Aussies are simply too small for any type of work activity, and are generally used as companion pets.

Although short haired Mini Australian Shepherds are not unheard of, appearance-wise, these three variants are identical; all have medium-length double coats, proportionate body size, and various coat colors.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Temperament

This breed is very good-natured and willing to please its owner, especially when completing tasks. Miniature Australian Shepherds form very close bonds with their owners and may suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for too long. They do best when in a family that truly wants their dog to be included in their daily activities. Their intelligence and devotion coupled with the previous traits make them easily trainable, however, these same traits make it imperative to go through obedience training at an early age. Miniature Australian Shepherds are hardly ever noisy and should only bark out of necessity of alerting its owners to something very important. Members of this breed thrive off completing tasks for their owner especially when they gain approval from them. Mini Aussies excel in anything that requires agility such as herding, flyball, and many other competitive events. In the working arena, this stamina and agility allows them to keep their livestock in order over long distances. Their small size and obedience allows them to be great travel companions and working dogs often accompany their owners to livestock shows.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Maintenance

Despite this breed's striking looks, they need little in the way of grooming. Twice weekly brushing to prevent mats and tangles should do fine. Brushing may need to be performed slightly more frequently during shedding season and an owner of this breed should be prepared to vacuum during this time. Mini Aussies have moderate exercise requirements and, if not a working dog, should be given adequate outdoor playtime each day to avoid developing destructive traits due to boredom. Training should come easily due to the intelligence and obedience this dog offers. Members of this breed make very close and loyal bonds with their owners so positive reinforcement will work best for them.

Grooming Requirements

The somewhat thick double coat of the Miniature Australian Shepherd will shed twice a year so be prepared to vacuum around these times. The coat is not very long so brushing a couple times per week will keep it free of mats and tangles and will also help with the shedding.

Exercise Requirements

Miniature Aussies are working dogs and they will have relatively high amounts of energy that need to be spent every day. Their intelligence coupled with these exercise requirements makes them prone to boredom and this, in turn, can turn destructive. This breed loves toys and excels in activities that allow their agility to shine such as playing fetch or frisbee. Miniature Australian Shepherds will also never say no to taking a run or hike with you.

Living Requirements

Members of this breed can do well inside the house and indoors owners say they are well-mannered and relaxed. In fact, they form such close bonds with their owner they may suffer from separation anxiety if left by themselves for too long. If kept indoors they will need plenty of playtime outdoors, however, due to their small size they will not need as much exercising as the standard size Australian Shepherd.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Health

The most common health issues for Miniature Australian Shepherds are related to the eyes and some of which may be related to coat color genes. The most notable of these problems are: Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Juvenile Cataracts, Iris Coloboma (cleft in the iris that may impair vision), glaucoma, retinal dysplasia, and a membrane condition in which the membrane that exists as a puppy does not go away. There are several more eye issues not mentioned here but the key is to monitor your Mini Aussie's eyes frequently. In addition, it is suggested that owners test their dog for the MDR-1 gene before any treatment with anti-diarrhea, chemotherapy and antiparasitic drugs due to possible sensitivity to the medications. This gene is common in related breeds such as German Shepherds, Old English Sheepdogs, etc. Hip dysplasia is also not uncommon in this breed.

Miniature Australian Shepherd Health Concerns

Below are potential health concerns associated with Miniature Australian Shepherds.

Progressive retinal atrophy
Glaucoma
Pediatric cataracts
Drug sensitivity
Retinal dysplasia
Iris coloboma

Related Pages

About this Article

Authored by:Dog-Learn
Updated:March 15, 2017
Menu