Miniature & Toy Australian Shepherds

We strive to produce all the traits found in standard Australian Shepherds, in a smaller package!  It takes many generations to “shrink” down standard sized dogs.  All our toy & mini aussies are sired by champions, and have champion bloodlines.  This ensures our tiny doggies have that amazing aussie look that we all love!!

Miniature Australian Shepherds range in size from 14″-17″  (25-40lbs)

Toy Australian Shepherds range in size from 10-14″ (8-25 lbs)

Aussies require little grooming, besides brushing when shedding.  Bathe only when necessary.  Mini & toy aussies live 12-14 years.

Many aussies thrive on farms and ranches.  However, many do well in town with or without a yard, so long as they are sufficiently exercised and given plenty of time with their families.

Regardless of size, aussies do require a lot of exercise.  If you like to come home from work and sit and watch tv all evening, this is not the breed for you.  Aussies thrive with mental stimulation.  They need a job.  They need human interaction and affection to be happy.

Does this mean you need to come home and jog for an hour with your aussie?  No.  It might mean taking a daily walk, playing frisbee for an hour, running around with the kids playing soccer in the yard.  An aussie will be happy to be doing anything with its family.  They will learn that it is their job to be doing what you are doing, and that is fulfilling for your aussie.  They are happiest by your side.

LOYAL

Aussies develop very strong bonds to their families.  They usually tend to bond to one person in particular.  This means aussies will need A LOT of early socialization.  They will need lots of practice learning to accept a crate and learn to be ok with time away from their human families.  We help this process by starting off raising our puppies using “Puppy Culture”  to help pups already seeing their crate as a good happy place.  This gives new owners a great first step into raising a confident happy Aussie!

If you have not experienced an aussies total and complete devotion, it is something to behold.  It is very unique to the breed, and in my opinion, one of their most admirable qualities.  If you love having a dog that LOVES to be with you, an Aussie is the right fit!

INTELLIGENT

Aussies have an innate instinct to “read” people.  They seem to know exactly how you are thinking and feeling.  Many make excellent service dogs.

The Australian Shepherd is a herding dog.  Unlike many other herding breeds, the aussie has been bred to herd a variety of different animals.  They excel in working trials for cattle, sheep, goats and even ducks.  It takes a highly intelligent and BIDDIBLE dog to herd many different animals.  It takes a lot of control and simple INTELLIGENCE for a dog to know it needs to nip the pawing bull on the nose, but to never even think of biting a lamb or duck.  This is the aussie.

It is bred into aussies to herd things that move.  Kids, birds, cats, pretty much anything.  HOWEVER, we feel strongly that our toy aussies do not have much herding drive.  Our toy aussies do not naturally try to nip peoples heels, herd our kids, or round us up.  Do they run and play with our kids when running in the yard?  Of course!  But this is not the same as you will see in a working aussie bloodline.  Our working standard aussies are distinctly different here.  They are ALWAYS looking to herd.  They took time and consistent attention to teach them not to herd the kids.  But once they understood the difference, and that they were not to herd kids, they no longer tried, even as pups.

This is a significant difference between the standard working lines and toy aussies.  They are different because they have been selected over time for very different purposes.  The working lines are bred to round up cattle sheep etc.  The toy aussies are bred to be calm, companions for our homes

Aussies also tend to be territorial and wary of strangers.  This is a part of the breed standard.  Aussies were bred to be protectors.  This is an inate part of their character.  If you do not want to spend time training a dog to accept strangers coming into your home, this is not the breed for you.  However, if you would like a dog that has a lot of protective instincts for his family, an aussie is the right fit.  Our toy aussies have a lot less protective instincts than our standards.  Again, bred for different purposes.  But we do still find all aussies tend to not be as eager to welcome new people into the home.  Aussies, of all sizes, by nature and as stated in the breed standard, are not overtly affectionate with people they do not know.  This might mean they are protective of you/your family by barking at new people, being “aloof” or skiddish when first meeting new people, or simply just not being a social butterfly with new folks.  This has been bred into aussies for many generations, and even our smaller versions retain some of this.  If it will bother you that your dog does not willingly accept new people into your home right away, or you aren’t willing to put in extra time and training to properly socialize your aussie, you might consider a different breed.  Early socialization is key to influencing the adult outcomes, but understanding that aussies are in fact bred to be protectors, is important to understanding the breed.

DEVOTED

Australian shepherds are unusually eager to please.  They go above and beyond to please their owners.  This makes them excel in any dog sport, from frisbee to flyball, to agility to tracking and herding.

The toy and miniature aussie is highly intelligent and eager to learn.  They are loyal and devoted.  If you are looking for a dog that has a high intelligence with a drive to bond to you and be a devoted partner in your life, that is an aussie.