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Pastoral group · United States

Miniature American Shepherd

Also called MAS, Mini Aussie, Miniature Australian Shepherd.

Small dog, high energy, learns almost anything, fast.

  • Intelligent
  • Devoted
  • Energetic
  • Versatile
  • Loyal
Miniature American Shepherd, a small pastoral breed
Photo by patrice schoefolt on Pexels
Size
Small
Weight
9 to 18 kg20 to 40 lb
Lives
12 to 13 years
Energy
High
Trains
Very High
Barks
Moderate

Training

Training a Miniature American Shepherd

Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.

  1. Small But Mighty

    Start here

    Don't let size fool you, needs same mental and physical challenges as full-size Aussies.

  2. Excel at Dog Sports

    Perfect size for agility, flyball, and disc dog competitions.

  3. Herding Drive

    May try to herd children and pets, redirect this natural instinct appropriately.

The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.

Add your Miniature American Shepherd and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.

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Coming to iPhone first. The list hears the day it opens.

At home

Living with one

Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.

Gets on with

  • ChildrenHigh
  • Other dogsHigh
  • StrangersModerate
  • CatsModerate

Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.

Exercise
1-1.5 hours daily. Active exercise and mental stimulation required.
Grooming
Moderate to heavy shedding. Regular brushing needed.
Drool
Low
Coat
Double coat, Medium length, WavyBlack, Blue Merle, Red, Red Merle, All with White Markings
In a flat
Can work, with enough exercise outside it.

Health

Things to ask a breeder or vet about

  • Hip Dysplasia

    Moderate

    Joint condition despite smaller size

  • MDR1 Gene Mutation

    Moderate

    Drug sensitivity. DNA testing recommended

  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy

    Moderate

    Inherited eye disease

Where they come from

History

Developed in California in the 1960s by selectively breeding smaller Australian Shepherds. Originally called Miniature Australian Shepherd, renamed to gain AKC recognition in 2015.

Similar breeds

All breeds

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