GONGWER KENNELS

Miniature Australian shepherds are just a smaller variation of the standard Australian Shepherd breed. They have not been hybridized with other breeds to make them small, instead they were created by simply breeding smaller Aussies to get a consistently smaller size. This way, you get all of the great qualities people love from an Aussie in a smaller package.

 

Size- Mini Aussies can range from 20-35 lbs, and both of ours are about 35lbs.

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Temperament- Australian Shepherds were bred both as working herding dogs and companion dogs. While Border Collies were bred to do their herding on their own away from the shepherd, Aussies were bred to work directly with the shepherd while herding, giving them a strong connection to people. The start of the breed actually is with small Aussies that traveled with the rodeo. They were bred to preserve the small size, creating the mini Aussie. This origin means they tend to have a good affinity with horses and cattle. 

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Coloration- There are two colors and two patterns found in Aussies and Mini Aussies. They can have a red or black color, and a merle or tri pattern. This gives four different potential combinations: Black tri, red tri, blue merle(black), and red merle. Odin, our male, is a blue merle, and Pepper, our female, is a red tri. Our litters can have all four color combinations! 

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FAQ-

Do they shed?

YES! They have a double coat that functions to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Aussies and other breeds with double coats should not be shaved.

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Are they good with kids?

Yes! You may have read that Aussies and Mini Aussies will nip at kids heels and herd them around, which can happen, but our dogs are great with kids. We have nieces and nephews and both of our dogs have never herded them. They will chase each other in the yard, showing their herding instinct is there, but they are still great with kids.

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Why are their tails docked?

The breed standard for Mini Aussies includes having tails docked. This was originally done to prevent injury while working with livestock. The process of docking their tails is quick and causes little pain/risk in comparison to having their tail stomped on by livestock. Aussies with docked tails also won't pick up as many burs and will have less hair to shed. Dew claws are also removed to minimize risk in working dogs.

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