Miniature American Shepherd puppies

About the Miniature American Shepherd

The Miniature American Shepherd was bred in California from small Australian Shepherds, selected for size so they could travel easily to horse shows, and later recognised as a herding breed in their own right. This is a compact dog of 33 to 46 cm and 9.1 to 18.1 kg, with a medium double coat that comes in merle and solid patterns. The character is pure stock dog: watchful, quick to read a handler, reserved with strangers at first and closely bonded once they have settled in.

These dogs have energy to burn. This is a very high drive dog that wants a job, and they take to agility, obedience and herding far better than to long idle days. Brush weekly, and daily when the undercoat comes out, working mats free with a slicker or metal comb. They are rated highly with children and other pets, though supervision and steady socialisation still do the work. Expect the needs of a herder in a small package, because a bored one barks, nips at heels and invents their own jobs.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Miniature American Shepherd puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Multidrug sensitivity (MDR1), detectable by DNA test, which affects safe dosing of several common drugs
• Collie eye anomaly, detectable by DNA test and eye examination
• Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), detectable by DNA test
• Hereditary cataract, screened by an ophthalmologist examination
• Hip and elbow dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed and scored for
• Deafness and eye defects arising from double merle breeding, avoided by never mating two merle dogs together

Your Miniature American Shepherd puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Miniature American Shepherd.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 9.1 to 18.1 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 18.1 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Miniature American Shepherd

Previous: Mastiff · Next: Miniature Bull Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Miniature American Shepherd breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/miniature-american-shepherd/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Lextergrace, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.