Mini Aussies

[Lunamoth]

What are your thoughts on mini aussies? Do you think it's ethical to breed dogs away from their breed standard?

Personally the idea of a drivey bouncy confident herding dog in a small package intrigues me but I haven't found any breeders that seem ethical. Does anyone know of good mini Aussie breeders?

Does anyone own one? Do they differ at all from regular size Aussies?

 

[Laurelin]

A good place to start would be with the breed club- Mini American Shepherd club of america.

http://www.mascusa.org

Yes, I think they're fine to breed. I don't see why they wouldn't be. And yeah there's good breeders but like any popular breed you'll find a lot of bad as well.

I don't have one but I train with a few and they're fun dogs. There are some that are not very drivey and are overly small and fluffy but the two in Hank's class are both amazing sports dogs. I actually find around here that mini aussies seem drivier than 'regular' aussies but it may be that most the aussies here are very show bred and huge and fluffy.

 

[pinkspore]

All of the really fantastic minis that come into my work are from Timeless Aussies in Buelton, CA. They are all gorgeous, drivey, and perfectly proportioned. Their dogs are so distinctive that I recognize them immediately when they walk in the door. We get a few minis and toys that clearly have something else in the mix, but the Timeless dogs are very obviously all Aussie all the time. I have not researched their breeder at all, I only know her dogs from seeing and interacting with them at doggy daycare. I don't know what kind of health testing or anything they do, but I can say that I am VERY impressed with their dogs. If I were interested in a MAS that would be the first place I'd check out.