We had BC/JRT who passed away at 15 a few years ago…SMARTEST and BEST dog I’ve ever owned!! We are “stay at home”…mostly and care for our 20 horses and 65 acres…dogs are in and out as able when we are working on the farm. Currently have two BIG dogs…a Boxer and a Boerboel/Ridgeback. We had a Kelpi stock dog (we don’t “work” our dogs on the horses) who grew up to be the DOG FROM HELL!! Devoted and loveable to humans but wickedly aggressive to the horses. He met an untimely “death by vet” after he attacked the wrong mare and she shattered his leg. Brought up right are the Aussies less animal aggressive/loving/smart??? Looking for smart/devoted…not an employee. Thanks.
LOVE my Aussie and border collies, but do not suggest MINI anything. The people breeding those are breeding for size and NOT the good traits. So they will breed the neurotic, nipping, yapping one with no GOOD traits whatsoever just to have mini puppies.
Aussies are INCREDIBLY smart! And loyal. If you get an Aussie you will never go to the bathroom alone again, LOL!
They ARE working dogs and NEED a job. Mind you, that doesn’t mean they NEED to herd animals. They just have a lot of energy and need to be trained to do something. Play ball, Frisbee, agility, swimming anything.
3 Likes
The “mini australian shepherd” has undergone some evolution in the past few years.
There were AKC Australian Shepherds - normal size, and folks breeding them down in size. It got to a point where there was functionally a split between the standard sized dogs and the “minis”… at that point the AKC actually split it into two breeds. There was some controversy surrounding it, but for this conversation all that really matters is that there are now two breeds:
- The full size version is still the Australian Shepherd.
- The small size is now the Miniature American Shepherd.
At this point, I think anyone breeding “Miniature Australian Shepherds” or “Toy Australian Shepherds” is considered to be a little bit suspect - instead, I recommend looking for breeders of Miniature American Shepherds.
Here are some breeders in TX that came up on a quick google, and that look pretty good:
http://www.stonesriverminiamericanshepherds.com/
http://www.southernstarcattle.com/MiniAussies.html
Given what it sounds like you’re looking for, I wonder if another breed might be a better fit. I don’t have a ton of experience with the Mini American Shepherds, but their full sized counterparts can be a bit headstrong and somewhat intense.
Off the top of my head, the Sheltie is one alternative to consider. Barking can be a problem in the breed, but if you proactively manage from early on it’s generally not so bad. As a general rule Shelties are milder mannered/less likely to have some of the over-intensity/pushiness/work-work-work attitude that can sometimes be an issue with Aussies.
You might also consider branching out away from herding dogs entirely to reduce the risk of animal chasing. Brittany Spaniels, Welsh Springer Spaniels, and Mini Poodles come to mind as two potential options. You can find “mini” poodles that are in the 15-17" height range, and keeping them clipped short really reduces how much work their hair might be around a farm.
If you have the inclination to branch out to a rare breed, I could see both Danish-Swedish Farmdogs and Schapendoes potentially fitting your needs.
2 Likes
Thanks for the info…Our Boxer would LOVE to have someone to “play” with…and we have a dog fenced 2 acre yard/barnyard!! The Boerboel cross is more into sunbathing or HORRIFYING the Boxer when she does play…all 140 pounds…sort of like playing tag with a BULLDOZER!!
I’ll have to Google “Mini American Shepherds”…I’m not familiar with that breed…we had several “German bred” GSD’s in the past…will probably have another before I die…GREAT dogs. I’m not really determined to go “mini”…just a smaller size, SMART dog. And I don’t want an agressive “stock dog”…made that mistake once. I’ve had Poodles in my life…very smart and sweet…but we are out in the country and I resent paying a groomer more than my hairdresser!! Thanks for the ideas.
1 Like
Mini American Shepherds seem to be Mini Aussies from the sites mentioned…
I agree that you should be looking for a Mini American Shepherd from a GOOD breeder. They are a relatively new breed to AKC but in order to be recognized they have to have a substantial number of breeders that breed to the standard, so look for those people.
As for branching out to other breeds - not a bad idea but as a Brittany owner I would say you may trade one problem for another. Mine don’t chase horses because I don’t allow them into the paddock. They have a fenced yard because they will go off to hunt on their own if left to their own devices. So, they will probably learn to leave your horses alone pretty quickly, but that doesn’t mean they will necessary stay where you leave them while you ride or do chores.
2 Likes
To clarify, “Miniature American Shepherd” is the official name of the breed. If someone is breeding “Miniature Australian Shepherds,” they are probably not a responsible breeder - because the latter is not a “real breed.” People breeding unregistered “Miniature Australian Shepherds” or “Toy Australian Shepherds” are likely to have lines where they’ve crossed in smaller dogs, like Pomeranians - and that can result in the puppies being wildly different than what a puppy buyer might expect. Here’s an example of one that clearly has a lot of other stuff in the mix - https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54ac534ce4b005bf10102325/1507052705121-EXBBST11T94GTKAKLWAH/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kDHPSfPanjkWqhH6pl6g5ph7gQa3H78H3Y0txjaiv_0fDoOvxcdMmMKkDsyUqMSsMWxHk725yiiHCCLfrh8O1z4YTzHvnKhyp6Da-NYroOW3ZGjoBKy3azqku80C789l0mwONMR1ELp49Lyc52iWr5dNb1QJw9casjKdtTg1_-y4jz4ptJBmI9gQmbjSQnNGng/FullSizeRender+54.jpg
Thanks for the info on Brittanies, S1969 - I didn’t realize they were inclined to be wanderers left to their own devices.
OP, I really would encourage you to check out Farmdogs. There aren’t a ton of them in the US, but they’re a dime a dozen in Denmark and Sweden - and they’re purpose bred for what sounds exactly what you’re looking for (a small, smart, peaceable/non-aggressive dog to hang around the farm as a devoted companion).
Here’s a Farmdog breeder in TX - http://www.lonestarfarmdogs.com/
There are a handful others around the country - http://www.farmdogs.org/Puppies.htm?tp3=1_2
2 Likes
Thanks…I’ll check them out. I’ve had dogs for decades!! All but one Great Pyrenees were devoted “farm helpers”…bored at times, but always stayed close…The GP was a “heart breaker” who survived until old age took him at 14…but he was a “free spirit”…he never “ran away”…but would get on a coyote…or rabbit…or squirrel…or just a whim… and just keep going!! He NEVER returned home on his own…but he was friendly and wore a collar with his/own phone number easily seen…then he’d sit and wait until I came to get him…8-10 miles was not unusual!! I never want to deal with THAT again…too stressful…I want a dog who WANTS TO BE BY MY SIDE!!
I have a mini Aussie, from before AKC recognition (he’s almost 13). He came from a breeder in Arkansas and he has been absolutely wonderful. Looks just like an Aussie, instead of something else. Very sweet and laid back and totally devoted. One of those that always comes to the bathroom with me…Excellent recall, very smart. Would chase the horses if another dog started it, but I could call him off. I agree with: check the breeder and what they have.
