FAQ – Mini American Shepherds

What is a Miniature American Shepherd?

The Miniature American Shepherd is a small to medium-sized herding dog. For such a small dog, this breed is known by a long list of names: Miniature American Shepherd, Miniature Australian Shepherd, Mini American and Mini Aussie. Whatever you call it, this breed is loving and charming family companion.

Characteristics of the Miniature American Shepherd

Great, trainable dogs that are easy to maintain and stay relatively small.

Miniature American Shepherd

When can I take my puppy home?

Your puppy can go to your home at 8 weeks of age, depending on their vet exam. First round of shots have been administered, negative fecal, full exam, and along with the health certificate from the vet.

What training has my puppy had by 8 weeks?

Your puppy is trained to use a crate, litter box, and a doggy door. From the first week, we utilize a professional trainer for each litter to temperament test, socialize and evaluate each litter. We use a modified version of puppy culture, sensory exposure and exercises to ensure you pup will be a confident and solid adult dog.

What does my puppy come home with?

Your puppy will come with;

• Health Guarantee
• Florida or Out of state Health Certificate
• Training booklet written by our trainer
• Puppy package- Blanket/food/toys/info
• Microchip
• Registration
• First shots, Negative Fecal, Full Veterinary Exam
• Discounted online/ in-person lesson with our trainer
• Lifetime Breeder Support

What to expect from the day you bring your puppy home?

Please visit “What to Expect and Words of Wisdom”  page

Why is my registration “Limited”?

Limited means you do not have the ability to register litters from this puppy, or show your dog in conformation. Full registration (breeding/show rights) are available only to approved homes,. Breeding a dog is not for the novice owner, and should not be done “just to have a puppy from the dog you love so much”.

What can I expect from my puppy when full grown?

MAS are of medium size (13-18 inches) and weight can vary depending on bone density. Some MAS are finer boned than others and weigh less. MAS are medium energy level and are very easy to train due to their desire to please. If left without training or regular exercise, MAS dogs may develop bad habits. It is up to us as owners to make sure puppy and adult MAS have a balanced lifestyle of exercise, play, love, nutrition and health care that includes routine vaccinations.

Will my puppy shed? 

Yes, MAS puppies will shed their puppy coat by the time they are a year old. You may not notice the puppy coat shedding as much as the seasonal shedding that occurs with adult MAS. With routine grooming (using a rake to remove the undercoat) you will see less shedding. Routine grooming should be done on a monthly basis and include toenails and teeth cleaning.

Link to grooming tools:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/27ZX88W8U749A?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=IwAR2LTfRKfwx4RHSVd5lF4TyrAzIJhJmj5v8bPuA6lsIjcKCCAPTBiNLW_CU

Will my puppy get along with cats or other dogs?

Your puppy will have been exposed to older dogs and varying ages of children and should get along fine with cats and children so long as they are exposed to cats and children at a young age and in a safe, nurturing environment. You should always supervise the puppy when around children or other pets.

What health testing is done on my puppy?

The Sire and Dam of your puppy will have been thoroughly tested for Aussie related diseases including PRA/PRCD, MDR1, HC, CEA, DM, OFA Hips and Eye certs.

Why dock tails? 

According to the breed standard, there are numerous minor reasons to dock a Mini Aussie’s tail, but following are the the main reasons our program does dock tails on ALL of our puppies, exceptions can be made, if able to inquire early prior to litter being born.

• To Avoid Tail Damage ~ This is the most important reason for docking a tail. Australian Shepherds and Mini Aussies were raised in the rough Western areas of the United States, which, if you have never visited, have tough weeds, tall grasses, and plenty of other hazards. Working in this condition will easily lead to torn and bleeding tails, which, of course are very painful and hard to treat. If the tail is docked, the risk of injury is eliminated.
• For Hygiene ~ Dogs with thick hair have a good chance of getting feces on themselves and caught in the tail. Docking can greatly reduce the hygiene problems for the Mini American Shepherd. It also lessens chances of matting.
• To Maintain Breed Standard ~ Should the docking of tails be eliminated, hundreds of otherwise good breeding animals would be removed from gene pools and this could be a huge downfall for the breeds. We believe the latter two reasons are the most common reason for modern day docking as many Aussies are sold as pets.

Blue Eyes?

• We do NOT place puppies based on eye color because we cannot control Mother Nature. Be aware that eye color can change in the Aussie breed at any time during the dog’s life so just because a puppy goes home with you at age 8 weeks with blue eyes does not mean they will not turn green or brown, or one of each, the following week or at some point during the dog’s life. I want my buyers to choose MY puppies because they feel my puppy is a good fit for their family and that I am a responsible breeder breeding only to improve the breed NOT because the puppy has blue eyes.

I look at it like this; If you were going to choose a child to join your family, I feel certain eye color would have zero influence on your decision. The color of the parent’s eyes has NO bearing on the color of the puppy’s eyes. In fact, we get more blue eyed puppies from brown eyed parents. I prefer that you take an interest in the care & training I provide my puppies, their clean genetic makeup, and the fact that they are an excellent representation of the breed over what color their eyes may, or may not,  because that is out of my control.

• In your search you will notice that dog owners who breed only for blue eyes overlook other necessary qualities of the breed and many of the Australian Shepherds being bred solely for blue eyes have little or no genetic testing. There are many breeders who will guarantee eye color but they are simply telling you what you want to hear just to make the sale. I will agree blue eyes are beautiful but it really makes no sense to have a beautiful blue eyed dog that is plagued by Hereditary Cataracts, Collie Eye Anomaly, or Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration which causes Progressive Retinal Atrophy.

If eye color is your #1 priority, then we are not the breeder to make your selection from and should probably take your search elsewhere.​ We prioritize health and temperament over looks.