My love for dogs has also given me back my love for photography. And combining those two makes the nicest, most special moments for me. To capture the unique nature of a dog is great. Very grateful, and also brings you to dogbreeds that you normally do not get to know so quickly.
One such breed is the:
TOY AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD
This photo is made with the Canon 5dmkII, 150mm, f6.7, s 1/200, iso 100
Most people know a Australian Shepherd, but not that there is also an Australian Shepherd in a mini size. That fact is only known to a few people. And I have to admit, some people don't acknowledge the Toy's and Mini's as the well known Australian Shepherd, but say it is a totally other breed. For me, it IS an Australian Shepherd, a.k.a Aussie.
Make no mistake in the format, because despite the fact that a Toy Australian Shepherd is a small dog, it is indeed a dog belonging to the group of the Shepherd Dogs and Drovers. And that's exactly what their character shows!
They are irresistible as a puppy.
This photo is made with Canon 5dmkII, 150mm, f2.8, s 1/60, iso 200
Some History about the origin of the Toy Australian Shepherd.
Opinions differ when it comes to the history of the Mini-Aussie. Some claim that the breed originated when Doris Cordova tried to breed a new breed. Her dog 'Cordova's Spike' is often seen as the origin of the Mini-Aussie. It is not even known if he was of Australian Shepherd breed origin.
A breeding program was set up in 1968, where it was bred with small Australian Shepherds. These breeders strived to make a precise copy of the Australian Shepherd, but a smaller size and without changing the character. They considered the Toy / Mini-Aussie only as a smaller version of the Australian Shepherd. However, the Australian Shepherd Club of America and the American Kennel Club did not tolerate this variation in size and sees the Toy / Mini-Aussie as a separate breed.
In May 2011, the Toy / Mini-Aussie was named Miniature American Shepherd in the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club (AKC), requested by the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA (MASCUSA).
The Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA) and in Europe the Erster Mini Australian Shepherd Club Deutschland e.V. (EMASCD), however, are not in favor of this and will continue to maintain the Mini-Aussie under the current name. They are afraid that the dog will lose her identity, willingness to work, temperament and history as a descendant of the Australian Shepherd.
In the Netherlands there is no club for the Mini-Aussie.
The Mini-Aussie can only be registered at The Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA), North American Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA (NAMASCUSA), American Stock Dog Registry (ASDR), National Stock Dog Registry (NSDR). , America's Pet Registry (APRI) and Dog Registry of America (DRA).
This photo is made with Canon 5dmkII, 150mm, f2.8, s 1/6000, iso 500
Appearance.
The Toy / Mini-Aussie has a half-length coat. This can be slightly wavy or style. The coat color is the same as the Australian Shepherd: blue merle, red merle, black, red. All with or without copper and white markings. The hair around the eyes and ears may not be white. The hair on the head, front of the forelegs and outside the ears is shorter than the rest of the coat. The hair at the hind legs and around the neck is full, the Mini-Aussie has pants and a collar.
At the Toy / Mini-Aussie there are different tail lengths; some aussies are born with a full tail, some without a tail and others with a half tail (or somewhere in between).
The eyes can be a combination of brown, amber, hazelnut, blue and marble.
The size of a Toy Aussie varies from 25 to 35.5 cm at the withers. And the Mini-Aussie varies from 35.6 to 48 centimeters (14 to 18 inches) for a dog and 35.6 to 45.5 centimeters (14 to 18 inches) for a bitch. The weight between 9 and 14 kilos. Life expectancy is 12-13 years.
This photo is made with Nikon D300s, 300mm, f8, s 1/400, iso 200
Character.
The little Aussie is an easy to train dog. But like their bigger brothers / sisters, they have their intelligence and drive. This makes that this dog must have consistent obedience training and must be able to undertake enough interesting activities. When they are properly socialized, they will be comfortable in many environments, provided there is enough space to be able to use their energy.
Without enough activity and without good socialization they can become nervous and destructive. It is by nature a social dog that gets very attached to his boss. Sometimes that can lead to separation anxiety without sufficient training.
All Aussies can live well within a family, but with their energy and enthusiasm you have to keep an eye on other pets and children. It is important to consistently teach the dog that floating people is not allowed. Although that focus on floating we don't see in Gentle. But maybe we have been lucky with Gentle that she does not possess the floating character.
They are extremely suitable as a house dog, provided you give them a consistent upbringing, sufficient challenge and movement.
This photo is made with Nikon D300s, 300mm, f6.3, s 1/1250, iso 400
Health
The little Aussie can just like the Shetland Sheepdog, Old English sheepdog, German Shepherd, Collie and the normal Australian shepherd carry the MRD1 gene mutation. To find out, the dog will have to be tested for this. Dogs that possess this mutated gene can not tolerate certain medications.
The merle color is also the carrier of the blind / deaf factor. By crossing two merles the puppies can be deaf and / or blind. When purchasing the puppy, pay attention to whether the parents do not both have the merle color.Hip and eye problems. When buying, make sure that the parents have been tested for this. A good breeder will take various health tests and repeat these if necessary, and also pass on these details if you ask.
My conclusion.
If you want a smaller dog, where you can do more than enough, and also have to take action. Then you could easily think of a Toy / Mini-Aussie. They are nice willing dogs, social dogs, but you have to pay attention to the character of the parents. Because character is also inherited and not always well informed. The little sister's sister, Gentle, is a bit reluctant to strange people and she got that over from her mother who also had that. We have seen that ourselves, but we were told that it would have no influence because it is not a race property. We have come to the conclusion after 8 years that it has not passed. And for us Gentle is no less sweet, but it is a lesson for next time.
This photo is made with Nikon D300s, 300mm, f7.1, s 1/1000, iso 640