About the AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD

 Australian Shepherd  ("Miniature")

The smaller version of the Australian Shepherd is often referred to as the "mini aussie".  This denotes size only and does not reflect the temperament or drive as they are aussies through and through.  They are intelligent, beautiful and loving dogs with a deep desire to please and be with their new families.  They excell at all types of performance sports, therapy work and, of course, herding.  They are excellent companion dogs and love to be with their family and are often known as the "velcro" dog.  However, they retain strong guardian and herding instincts and require activity, stimulation and a lot of socialization to realize their potential.  As with any breed, please do your research to determine if the aussie is the right dog for you.

Characteristics of the Aussie:

The Aussie is intelligent, athletic, energetic and of moderate size.  They are slightly longer than tall with a moderate coat in a variety of accepted colors:  black, red, blue merle or red merle, all with or withough white and/or copper trim.  Their eyes can also be a variety of colors including blue, brown/amber, marbled, flecked or any variation of those colors.  The differences in coloring can be as unique and varied as there are dogs.  Another distinguishing feature called for by the standard is the docked or natural bob tail, although you may occasionally see a full or partial tailed aussie.  The "mini aussie" ranges in height from 14" to 18" for both males and females (whereas the more common larger aussie height standard is 18" to 21" for females and 20" to 23" for males).