Miniature Australian Shepherd Puppies for Sale

The Miniature American Shepherd is the same breed under its newer name. Miniature Australian Shepherd was the original name, and the breed became the Miniature American Shepherd when it entered the AKC Foundation Stock Service in 2011. The AKC, the UKC and the FCI register it only under the newer name, and the AKC and the UKC both recognized it in 2015.

It began as one, but the AKC now registers the Miniature American Shepherd and the Australian Shepherd as separate breeds. The Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA), a separate registry, still treats the Mini Aussie as a size variety of the Australian Shepherd with its own standard.

The AKC standard colors are black, blue merle, red (liver) and red merle, each with or without white and/or tan (copper) markings. A tri has both white and tan markings, and other colors are outside the AKC breed standard.

Many Mini Aussies have a docked tail or a natural bobtail, which is the look the UKC and FCI standards prefer.

A Mini Aussie has a double coat of medium length, straight to wavy, with a mane and frill. Feathering grows on the backs of the front legs and on the breeches.

Males stand a little taller, 14–18 in against 13–17 in for females, and usually carry a fuller mane and frill. Pawrade Mini Aussie placements are split almost evenly between males and females.

Mini Aussies are intelligent, devoted and protective working dogs with strong herding and guarding instincts. The quirks to plan for are herding, a reserved manner with strangers and a real need for a job.

Many do, because the herding instinct shows as nipping at heels and herding children and other pets. Redirect it early with training, and supervise play with young children.

Mini Aussies bark a moderate amount, mainly to alert you to strangers or something unusual. Early obedience training and socialization keep it from becoming excessive.

Mini Aussies are reserved and watchful with strangers at first, but they should not be shy. Early socialization builds their confidence around new people.

Mini Aussies are generally good with children when socialized and trained, and they do best with kids who understand dogs. Many try to herd children, so redirect nipping early and supervise play with young kids. Most Mini Aussie breeders on Pawrade socialize their litters with children before the puppies go home.

Many do with supervision, since Mini Aussies are friendly with the family's other pets but may try to herd them. Some breeders on Pawrade socialize their litters with cats before the puppies go home.

For an active family, a Mini Aussie is an affectionate, loyal companion that settles indoors after its exercise. Among Pawrade Mini Aussie buyers, most have a yard, about a third have children at home and more than a third already have a dog.

A Mini Aussie needs about as much activity as a standard Australian Shepherd, because both breeds have top energy. Plan daily walks, hikes, games or sports, plus training or puzzle toys for the mind.

Mini Aussies can live happily in an apartment as long as they get enough exercise and mental work every day. Alert barking is typical, and early training keeps it in check.

Mini Aussies make keen partners for hiking and for fetch and disc games. They compete in AKC agility, herding, obedience, rally, tracking, scent work and more. Keep exercise controlled while a puppy is still growing, and agree a plan with your vet.

Mini Aussies have a long history as travel companions, because their small, easy-to-carry size made them favorites of riders going to horse shows.

Mini Aussies shed a fair amount all year, with heavier seasonal sheds once or twice a year. They are not a low-shedding breed, so plan on regular brushing.

Brush weekly for most of the year and daily in shedding season, and add a bath about once a month and regular nail and ear care. The coat is left natural, and show dogs are trimmed only on the ears, feet, hocks, pasterns and tail.

Mini Aussies are bright, eager to please and easy to train with positive reinforcement. Harsh methods and repetitive drilling backfire, so keep sessions short and varied.

A common rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold its bladder for about as many hours as its age in months. A 3-month-old, for example, can usually wait about 3 hours. The rule works up to about 9 months to 1 year, and every puppy is different. Take your puppy out first thing in the morning, after naps and last thing at night.

Set up the crate in a room where the family spends time, or in your bedroom at night, so your puppy settles near you. Breeders on Pawrade report whether they have started crate training, so ask how far your puppy has got.

Your Mini Aussie is most likely in adolescence, a normal phase when dogs test boundaries and may seem to forget their training. Adolescence runs from about 6–8 months to about 2 years. Keep training consistent and patient, with plenty of exercise for body and mind.

Fetch and disc games, puzzle toys, hiking and herding instinct tests all suit their instincts. Many also enjoy real herding work with sheep, goats or ducks.

Mini Aussie breeders on Pawrade report a typical litter of 5 puppies, usually between 3 and 8.

Most Mini Aussie litters on Pawrade meet other dogs and children before the puppies go home. Breeders report socializing 86% of litters with small-breed dogs and 76% with older children. They also report getting litters used to loud music or TV (85%), the vacuum cleaner (81%) and car rides (75%). These figures come from what breeders reported for 370 litters.

Have a crate set up in a room where the family spends time, a slicker brush and metal comb, and a few puzzle toys. Ask what your puppy is eating now, and if it has an MDR1 result, bring it to the first vet visit.

Start right away, because the first 3 months are the most important time for socialization. That matters even more in a breed that is naturally reserved with strangers. Puppy classes can begin as early as 7–8 weeks, with healthy classmates, as your vet advises.

Most puppies finish teething by about 6 months, when the adult teeth are in. Baby teeth start to fall out from about 12 weeks, and in Mini Aussies the chewing phase usually eases around 18 months. Offer a few safe chew toys at a time and rotate them, and keep valued things out of reach.

Most puppies finish their core vaccine series at about 16 weeks, as your vet advises. A puppy class with healthy classmates is fine before then, if your vet agrees. Tell your vet your puppy's MDR1 result before it gets any parasite drug.

Many Mini Aussies reach adult size by about a year old. Most dogs are fully grown and settled into adulthood at around 2 years.

The Veterinary Health Report is the record of your Mini Aussie puppy's exam before it goes home. The breeder's licensed vet gives the puppy itself a full hands-on exam to PetPay's exam standards and writes down what they find. It gives you and your own vet a clear starting point for your puppy's care.

The breeder's licensed veterinarian examines every puppy before it goes home, to PetPay's exam standards. The results are recorded in the puppy's Veterinary Health Report, and a copy travels with your puppy for your records.

The breeder's vet examines the whole puppy and pays close attention to a few things that matter in Mini Aussies. The vet checks the eyes, the bite and, in males, the testicles, and listens to the heart for a murmur. In merle or mostly white puppies, the vet also checks how the puppy responds to sound.

Before travel, every puppy follows PetPay's vaccination and deworming schedule as far as its age allows: deworming at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks, and the distemper, parvo, adenovirus and parainfluenza combination shot at 6–8, 9–11 and 12–14 weeks. Bordetella and corona are given at the vet's discretion, and no vaccine is given within 3 days of travel. Rabies is given by a licensed vet on the schedule your state requires. Your own vet completes the series. Your puppy's vaccination and deworming records are separate documents that travel with your puppy. Bring them, with the Veterinary Health Report, to your first visit so your vet starts from the same record.

If the vet finds something that could put your puppy at risk during travel, your puppy stays with the breeder until it's resolved. Problems that can be treated before travel are treated by the breeder's licensed vet first. Anything else the vet notes is shared with you.

Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no single exam can find everything. Hips, for example, are checked later with X-rays. The report is a strong early look at your puppy, and your own vet builds on it at every checkup.

Every puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.

Mini Aussie buyers rate their Pawrade experience 4.7 out of 5 on average, from 305 reviews, and about 79% of those reviews give 5 stars.