Miniature Australian Shepherd - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Miniature Australian Shepherd was developed by breeding smaller Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherd

The Australian shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States. Despite its name, the breed, commonly known as an Aussie, did not originate in Australia They acquired their name because some of the Australian sheepdogs arrived in the United States with...

s for the desired size. Miniature Australian Shepherds are rapidly increasing in popularity among those interested in a compact dog with a strong work ethic. They are especially popular in dog agility

Dog agility

Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles...

, and do well in other dog sports including herding

Herding

Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group , maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. While the layperson uses the term "herding", most individuals involved in the process term it mustering, "working stock" or...

, obedience

Obedience trial

An obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. According the American Kennel Club obedience regulations...

, disc dog

Disc dog

Disc dog is the more generic name for what is commonly called Frisbee dog. In disc dog competitions, dogs and their human flying disc throwers compete in events such as distance catching and somewhat choreographed freestyle catching. The sport celebrates the bond between handler and dog, by...

, and many other activities. They can serve well as service or therapy dogs.

Appearance

The preferred height of the Miniature Australian Shepherds range from 14 to 18 inches (35 to 46 cm) at the withers

Withers

The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...

and the weight is typically between 17 and 30 pounds (9 to 14 kg). Toys range in height from 10 to 14". Coat

Dog coat

Dog coat can refer to:*rug , jacket or blanket for a dog*coat , dog's fur or hair...

colors are the same as those for the Australian shepherds; blue merle, red merle, black, and red, all with or without copper as well as with or without white trim. Eyes may be any combination of brown, amber, hazel, blue, or marbled. Some Miniature Australian Shepherds (including standard Australian Shepherds) have eyes that are two different colors.

Temperament

The Miniature Australian Shepherds are easily trained, but their intelligence and drive require obedience training and plenty of interesting activity. They have a sixth sense about what their owners want and are easily trainable because they crave approval. Once given proper socialization they will thrive in a variety of environments, provided they have an adequate outlet for both physical and mental energy. If they are not allowed adequate stimuli they may become destructive. Because of their herding background, they also may have the tendency to try to herd people, especially small children, nipping at their heels. As long as this behavior is put in check when they are young, they will generally be fine. They are social dogs and form close attachments to their owner. As a result, some may suffer separation anxiety. Minis function well as a family dog, but their excessive energy may need to be checked around small children. They are generally great house dogs but do require a large amount of exercise. In contrast to larger Aussies, they can also be good apartment dogs provided they are physically and mentally exercised.

History

The "Mini Aussie" was developed directly from the Australian Shepherd breed. Throughout the history of the Aussie, small (under 18") dogs can be seen in historical photographs - in fact, many breed experts believe that the original Aussie was selectively bred larger as sheep ranching decreased and cattle ranching increased. Cattle ranchers preferred a larger dog to work the larger stock. Some Aussie owners have continued to prefer a smaller sized Aussie, while others prefer the larger.

In 1968 Doris Cordova, a horse woman in Norco, California, began a breeding program specifically to produce very small Australian Shepherds, the best known being Cordova's Spike. Spike was placed with Bill and Sally Kennedy, also of Norco, California, to continue to develop a line of miniature Aussies under the B/S kennel name. Another horseman, Chas Lasater of Valhalla Kennels, soon joined the ranks of mini breeders. In the 1980s fanciers formed member clubs (North American Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of the USA and the Miniature Australian Shepherd Association) and registries to promote the smaller dogs in particular.
Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America

Recognition

Miniature Australian Shepherds can be registered with the Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA), American Stock Dog Registry (ASDR), National Stock Dog Registry (NSDR), and International Miniature Australian Shepherd Club (IMASC).

Possible health conditions

Eye defects of varying severity are the most common disorder in Australian Shepherds of all size varieties. The following disorders have been recognized in the Australian Shepherd of all sizes:

Iris Colobomas

Coloboma

A coloboma is a hole in one of the structures of the eye, such as the iris, retina, choroid or optic disc...

(IC): A cleft in the iris

Iris

Iris commonly refers to:* Iris , part of the eye* Iris * Iris , a feminine given name* Iris , a Greek goddess* Iris , a genus of flowering plantsIris may also refer to:-Places:...

of the eye. If large, it will impair vision. A dog with a small IC may be sensitive to bright light. While the exact mode of inheritance is unknown, it is probably polygenetic. They may also be the result of abnormal development in puppies from merle to merle breedings.

Juvenile cataracts

Cataract

A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...

: A congenital opacity of the lens of the eye due to abnormal early degeneration of the lens tissue. This can result in gradual and painless deterioration of sight, resulting in partial or complete blindness by 2 to 5 years of age.

Persistent pupillary membrane

Persistent pupillary membrane

Persistent pupillary membrane is a condition of the eye involving remnants of a fetal membrane that persist as strands of tissue crossing the pupil. The pupillary membrane in mammals exists in the fetus as a source of blood supply for the lens. It normally atrophies from the time of birth to the...

(PPM): PPM is rare, but possible in the mini Aussies. During normal development, a puppy's eyes are enveloped by a membrane which stretches and breaks away by 8 weeks of age. In an affected dog, the membranes fail to break free, whether on the front of the eye, or behind it. It causes varying degrees of vision impairment depending on placement and concentration of the strands. Diagnosis can be mild to severe. If strands have not broken free by 8 weeks, the dog is inclined to carry them for the rest of its life.

Progressive retinal atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of genetic diseases seen in certain breeds of dogs and, more rarely, cats. Similar to retinitis pigmentosa in humans, it is characterized by the bilateral degeneration of the retina, causing progressive vision loss culminating in blindness...

(PRA): PRA is common in many breeds of dogs and has been identified in Australian Shepherds. It affects the entire retina and is the canine equivalent of retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of genetic eye conditions that leads to incurable blindness. In the progression of symptoms for RP, night blindness generally precedes tunnel vision by years or even decades. Many people with RP do not become legally blind until their 40s or 50s and retain some...

. The disease is recognized first in early adolescence or early adulthood. Puppies may be blind by six to eight months. All dogs affected with PRA eventually go blind. Carriers show no clinical symptoms. Symptoms are subtle, starting with night blindness, some eye dilation, progressing to complete blindness. It is quite common not to notice anything wrong until the dog is nearly completely blind.

MDR1 gene

MDR1 gene mutation

Mutation

In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...

has been found in a variety of herding dogs: Collies, Australian shepherds, Mini/Toys, Shetland sheepdogs

Shetland Sheepdog

The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog.They are small to medium dogs, and come in a variety of colors, such as sable/white, tri-color, and blue merle. They are vocal, excitable, energetic dogs who are always willing to please and work hard...

, Old English sheepdogs

Old English Sheepdog

The Old English Sheepdog is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from early herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog has very long fur covering the face and eyes...

and German shepherds. Testing is the only way to determine if an individual dog has the mutant gene. Washington State University

Washington State University

Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...

is the only facility that provides such testing.

Dogs with the MDR1 gene mutation may have adverse reactions when given certain drugs. The documented list includes drug types for: antiparasitic agents, antidiarrheal agents, tranquilizers, pre-anesthetic agents and chemotherapy agents.

Based on the genetic issues of the Miniature Australian Shepherd, it is urged that all buyers protect themselves with a written contract. Ethical breeders will have no issue in following simple rules of a contract to protect both parties. Please make sure to have any Miniature Australian Shepherd that may be purchased from a breeder checked for possible health issues, and get updated information on sire and dam.

External links

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