Miniature Australian Shepherd / North American Australian Shepherd

Breeders of the Miniature Australian Shepherd continue to strive to produce Aussies of a smaller stature.   Breed standard size is 14 inches to 18 inches at the top of the withers with weights ranging from 15 pounds to 40 pounds.   Colors include Black Tri’s and Bi’s, Blue Merles, Red Tri’s and Bi’s and Red Merles.  Eye colors can range from brown, blue, amber and a mixture of these colors.  Tails are sometimes a natural bob or docked. 
Intelligence and athleticism help the mini’s to compete in Agility, Flyball, and Disc competitions and their smaller stature allows great athletic ability and makes them very easy travelers.   
Conformation titles are sought out by many breeders and are important for many reasons, good structure makes a balanced, correct dog that will have the opportunity to compete in athletic competitions, will be able to play frisbee or ball in the back yard for many years to come and also maintain the breed’s integrity of structure. 
Miniature Australian Shepherds have many of the personality traits of its larger, standard size.  They can be very loving, a total companion dog and at times a bit wary of strangers.  They have a working mind, although a bit more relaxed than a standard aussie, they still enjoy athletic activities and challenges.  This drive also makes this breed an excellent therapy and/or service dog.   Miniature Australian Shepherds are very easily trained and enjoy the challenges of obedience work. 
Their loving nature makes them an family dog , many times being a “velcro” dog to many of the owners in the household.
The Miniature Australian Shepherd is recognized by the North American Miniature Australian Club of the U. S. A. (NAMASCUSA), the Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA). 

MASCA Breed Standard

Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a well-balanced dog of medium size and bone. He is attentive and animated, showing strength and stamina combined with unusual agility. Slightly longer than tall, he has a coat of moderate length and coarseness with coloring that offers variety and individuality in each specimen. An identifying characteristic is his natural or docked bobtail. In each sex, masculinity or femininity is well defined. Bone is moderate and clean with coarseness, heaviness or lightness being undesirable.

CHARACTER

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an exceptional companion. He is versatile and easily trained, performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved with strangers but does not exhibit shyness. Although an aggressive, authoritative worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable. Fault: Undue shyness.

HEAD

Clean-cut, strong, dry and in proportion to the body. The topskull is flat to slightly rounded, its length and width each equal to the length of the muzzle, which is in balance and proportioned to the rest of the head. The muzzle tapers slightly to a rounded tip. The stop is moderate but well-defined. Lips: Giving a dry appearance. Disqualification: Wet flews. Teeth: A full complement of strong, white teeth meet in a scissors bite. An even bite is a fault. Teethbroken or missing by accident are not penalized. Disqualifications: Undershot bites; overshot bitesexceeding one-eighth inch. Eyes: Very expressive, showing attentiveness and intelligence. Clear, almond-shaped, and of moderate size, set a little obliquely, neither prominent nor sunken, with pupils dark, well-defined and perfectly positioned. Color is brown, blue, amber or any variation or combination thereof including flecks and marbling. Ears: Set on high at the side of the head, triangular and slightly rounded at the tip, of moderate size with length measured by bringing the tip of the ear around to the inside corner of the eye. The ears, at full attention, break slightly forward and over from one-quarter (¼) to one-half (½) above the base. Prick and hound-type ears are severe faults.

NECK AND BODY

The neck is firm, clean and in proportion to the body. It is of medium length and slightly arched at the crest, setting well into the shoulders. The body is firm and muscular. The topline appears level at a natural four-square stance. The chest is deep and strong with ribs well-sprung. The loin is strong and broad when viewed from the top. The bottom line carries well back with a moderate tuck-up. The croup is moderately sloping, the ideal being thirty (30) degrees from the horizontal. Tail is straight, not to exceed three (3) inches, natural bobbed or docked.

FOREQUARTERS

The shoulder blades (scapulae) are long and flat, close set at the withers, approximately two fingers width at a natural stance and are well laid back at an angle approximating forty-five (45) degrees to the ground. The upper arm (humerus) is attached at an approximate right angle to the shoulder line with forelegs dropping straight, perpendicular to the ground. The elbow joint is equidistant from the ground to the withers. The legs are straight and powerful. Pasterns are short, thick and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle when viewed from the side. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and strong. Dewclaws may be removed.

HINDQUARTERS

Strong and muscular. Width of hindquarters approximately equal to the width of the forequarters at the shoulders. The angulation of the pelvis and the upper thigh (femur) corresponds to the angulation of the shoulder blade and upper arm forming an approximate right angle. Stifles are clearly defined, hock joints moderately bent. The metatarsi are short, perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and strong. Rear dewclaws are removed.

COAT

Of medium texture, straight to slightly wavy, weather resistant, of moderate length with an undercoat. The quantity of undercoat varies with climate. Hair is short and smooth on the head, outside of ears, front of forelegs and below the hocks. Backs of forelegs are moderately feathered; breeches are moderately full. There is a moderate mane and frill, more pronounced in dogs than bitches. Non-typical coats are severe faults.

COLOR

All colors are strong, clear and rich. The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black and solid red (liver) and with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference. The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose, lips and eye-rims; the red (liver) merle and red (liver) have liver pigmentation on nose, lips and eye-rims. Butterfly nose should not be faulted under one year of age. On all colors, the areas surrounding the ears and eyes are dominated by color other than white. The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the point of the withers. Disqualifications: Other than recognized colors, white body splashes, Dudley nose.

GAIT

Smooth, free and easy; exhibiting agility of movement with a well-balanced, ground-covering stride. Fore and hind legs move straight and parallel with the center line of the body; as speed increases, the feet, both front and rear, converge toward the center line of gravity of the dog, while the topline remains firm and level. Joints do not bend or twist when in motion.

SIZE

Preferred height at the withers for males is fourteen (14) to eighteen (18) inches; that for females is fourteen (14) up to but not including eighteen (18) inches. Dogs or bitches above these measurements should be faulted to the degree of variance; however, quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of size. Disqualification: Below 14" at the withers.

OTHER DISQUALIFICATIONS

Toy-like characteristics (i.e. domed head, bulging eyes, fine bone), monorchidism or cryptorchidism. Note: The Miniature Australian Shepherd should be judged as if it were an Australian Shepherd in all respects other than size. The Miniature Australian Shepherd's conformation, moderate coat, efficient yet driving movement and stable temperament should all imply a herding dog capable of working long hours in a variety of conditions. Shown in near to natural state. Hair may be trimmed away from and around the pads. Whiskers may be trimmed or untrimmed (never removed on a dog to work stock). Pasterns may be trimmed between carpal pad and heel. Hair along hock and long hairs on docked or bobbed tails or sparse, stray or straggly hairs may also be trimmed to make a neater outline.