ok so my parents reserved a puppy for me for my birthday. we found the breeder online and they seem really reliable. we have spoken to them on the phone, been in contact through email, (they seem really nice…) and are going to meet them next week. there dogs (show dogs) seem really healthy and happy and each one has certifications and stuff…
the thing is, they’re mini aussie puppies. i had no idea they existed before last week. i was actually hoping for a border collie or another golden retriever (had one up until 2 years ago) so i did some research and found that miniature australian shepherds aren’t a real breed, but i was okay with this. (a dog is a dog, right? and that’s all I wanted) i also read that these dogs have awful temperaments and major health issues because of the way they’re bred. i kinda figured out that the title “mini aussie” is pretty much a marketing scam to run up prices, but i don’t really care… and it is just so hard to believe that these dogs could be bad because she advertises herself as an experienced, educated (and seemingly reliable) breeder and shows many of her past puppies in their new homes. She also has a guarantee with hip and eye issues and will take the dog back through ANY circumstances. this, along with the pictures on her website and the way she speaks of her dogs makes her sound like she really loves them… i really don’t understand how this breed could be bad at all!
so i’m starting to get nervous. i THOUGHT she seemed like a good breeder, but what do i know? what tells you if a breeder is good or bad, and do the cons of mini aussies really outweigh the pros?? i’m really scared…
should i even go through it? i mean my family is getting really excited about it and we’ve even named her… i don’t want to hurt anyone by saying that i dont want the dog!
and if you have any kind of experince with these pups, please let me know. any help is really (really really REALLLLY) appreciated. (: thanks
here is the link: http://www.triplerminiaussies.com/index.html
so is it an ok breeder?
At Triple R we breed for sound healthy puppies with TRUE AUSSIE
TYPE with TEMPERAMENT as our first goal. All our dogs have all
health clearances before being bred either Preliminary or OFA on
hips. We also do eye certification ( CERF) and MDR-1 testing on all
of our dogs. Our puppies are raised in the house with our family
and are well socialized. Pups will be temperament tested at 7 1/2
weeks old. Pups are wormed and up to date on shots before
leaving for their forever home. Hips and eyes are guaranteed for
two years. We breed both show/pet pups. Mary has been a
registered dog trainer for more than 20 years and uses her
abilities to place the puppy that will fit best with your family.
i found the following info on the about us page.. once again it makes them sound reliable. i know that some people will say anything to sell their dogs, but i really trust this!?! i dont know… you tell me :/
Triple R is located in Western Massachusetts on 5.5 acres. It is
owned by John and Mary. We purchased our first Miniature
Australian Shepherd about five years ago. Her name is Reiner. We
have been hooked ever since. We absolutely love the breed.
Aussies are smart, loyal, quick learners and an important part of
our family. We are currently owned by 12 mini aussies, Many of
which are Multi, National, International and or Rarities Champions.
We are Members of MASCA, NAMASCUSA, NSDR, ASDR.
thanks so much for all of your answers (and helpful links!). i talked to my parents and i think we are going to have our vet check it out and make sure we get a couple visits in before we judge whether this is ok. nothing is final yet, but i’m gonna make sure this works (:
ALSO: i guess that i forgot to add that the breeder is very easy to communicate with. all of her pups were reserved well before birth, but the family my puppy was going to had to give her up due to financial issues and loss of a job. i reviewed the (VERY helpful) links from ‘BulliesRock’ and she met all the standards of a good breeder. i think that after our vet checks it out we will have made up our minds.
and i really don’t see mini aussies as a seperate breed… aren’t they just aussies?
and if, in fact, this breeder ISNT any good, do you think its possible that she doesn’t know that shes doing something wrong? i just can’t imagine her hurting her dogs without knowing. she REALLY loves them…!
Hi,
No such thing as miniaussies.
Go to a shelter to adopt a dog. They will be grateful to you and you will be saving a life.
Honestly…Mini Aussies have been around for a LONG time!! They are just like reagular aussies. There is nothing different with them besides the size. All dogs have healh problems just like any person. Don’t worry. It will for sure be a little devil dog as a puppy but only because it will have a lot of energy. Just as long as you take care of it and give it plenty of attention you will be fine.
As an assitant to a dog trainer, we have yet to see a mini aussie that will pass a temperament test.
DO NOT GET ONE.
This is a made up breed.
Aussies can be great dogs. Go get a regular Aussie.
Whatever “dog shows” they aer taking them to is bogus.
your better bet is too adopt!!!!!
Go and have a look around, you will only truly know if you take a look at the pups, the surroundings, and if she is such a good breeder, then the parents too.
I dont know about that specific breed, however it sounds as if you’re doing your research. Tell your parents your concerns. Be blunt.. say “Hey I Love this idea, the pups look cute.. I’m really keen on it, however I have some concerns about this breeder and this breed.”
DONT push to get the breeds you want. DONT do that.. your parents may feel that your saying no only cause you want a different breed, and they may feel you are being fussy.
Tell them that you dont care what breed you get, but you do want to make sure you get a breed that’ll suit your lifestyle and situation.
(Maybe give an example: “I wouldnt want a husky, they can have temperament problems and become viscious, and I’d **** for a gift/pet you got me to bite you or any family!” This might prove to them you are wanting to be responsible about such a big thing as a new dog.)
The “best” BYB and puppy mills know how to present themselves to appear as if they are responsible breeders. She sounds like one of those. You are correct responsible breeders don’t produce “mini aussies” as they are not a real breed. My recommendation would be to tell your parents about your research and your concerns about health issues, supporting poor breeding etc. Tell them you would like to research and find a responsible breeder as a family and that you are willing to wait for your birthday present until you can find the breed that is best for your family and the responsible breeder of your choosing has puppies available (most responsible breeder have waiting lists for their puppies before they are ever born) Most parents are going to be impressed by your maturity and aren’t going to be hurt by you making a responsible and mature decision.
Edit: I just visited their site and wanted to point out also their guarantee is a joke. They have a 3 day guarantee against congenital and genetic defects. Things like hip dysplasia can’t even be definitively tested for until the dog is 3 years old and many other genetic/congenital defects won’t show up until the dog matures.
Sounds it. I know a lady at the dog park locally who has one. She is an amazing little dog, so cute, friendly.
As for the breeder, if the pups have theirs shots, and all the parents are shown champions, as well as having all certs, and the breeder is willing and up front to show you these, then I wouldn’t concern myself, and just enjoy my new pup.
We have a mini Aussie pup going on nine months now. I’m not sure where you heard they have temperament problems, but I can assure you they are sweet even-tempered dogs. They do like to be busy, have things to do, go for walks, etc. If they’re not compatible with your lifestyle, look into another breed. You can check my blog for lots of info about our raising of a mini Aussie.
Ok, it appears that there is a contingent of people out there trying to create a small and different version of an Aussie – so the miniature is born. When you think about it, all dogs breeds were created by man. There are new breeds appearing all the time.
To its credit, this is not just a new breed. It is begun its foundation in 1996 and it appears to be legit although not yet recognized by AKC. That means that there is no ’standard’ to which to compare any dog.
Here is a link
and another
and another
Like any breed being developed, there are likely to be those where the gene has not yet been ‘fixed’ and it is unpredictable what characteristics are fixed.
I would speak extensively to the breeder and specifically about how the club is attempting to gain AKC recognition.
It does appear that she is a legit breeder, albeit of a non-recognized breed. The certifications tell me that she is concerned with the health of the dogs and if the pictures are true, they are raised in the proper environment with proper socialization. You just need to be aware of the possible complications (health, temperment, etc) and be certain of the environment from which a puppy came from.
No, she is not a good breeder. Read the official stance of the AKC and the US Australian Shepherd club on minis:
They compete in their own made up competitions because they don’t qualify for AKC (real) shows.
As for the breed, I don’t see anything that indicates their temperaments are any different than that of the Australian Shepherd. They are highly intelligent working dogs. If they don’t get enough exercise, both mentally and physically, you will have a destructive problem dog on your hands. If you are willing to work them in herding or agility and get them the large amount of daily exercise they require, they can be great dogs. My friends who have them, LOVE them. But they also spend a great deal of their mornings and evenings working their dogs, then compete with them on weekends.
If you want to find a responsible breeder, use this checklist:
If there actually was such a thing as mini aussies she’d probably be a decent breeder.
The fact remains that all Australian shepherd parent clubs in the world do NOT recognize the mini aussie and do not recognize them as such. They are just undersized Aussies, no more no less and to title them as minis is just a marketing ploy as you said.
Not one of these dogs is registered with what one would call a reputable registry. All of them came about because the ASCA as is their right refused to acknowledge the bred down version, part of the reason being as they could NOT verify across the board that every dog was in fact purbred.
I have always been of the opinion that anyone who cannot bred to the standard is not a good breeder.
Don’t see it as hurting anyone’s feelings but explain to your parents that you want the best do possible for your family.
– Aussie breed club.
AKC lists only one size for Aussie….
anyone who breeds “mini aussies” IS a bad breeder.
they aren’t bred for health, they’re bred for size. they’re bred runt to runt, for generations.
breeding for size alone WILL make health and temperment suffer. any breeder who is breeding out of AKC guidelines, especially for an extreme such as color or size, will have dogs who suffer in other ways. in this case, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the dogs weren’t as nice as you’d like.
if you want an aussie, get a regular one, or pick another breed if it’s a little dog you are after.
I would have far less of an issue with them if they would simply STOP the mis-advertising, be honest and call these dogs something BESIDES Aussies. They aren’t, so stop calling them that.
Her guarantee is absolute CRAP… as others have pointed out.
As a person who believes a dog not only should DO what it was bred to do but should also be proven at doing it, I have concerns that the temperament of these dogs is not correct since she’s not working them nor putting working titles of any type on them.
In the end, only you and your parents can decide if a puppy from this breeder is right for you. And you do realize, of course, that your parents will be dealing with the dog when you go off to college and it is primarily their decision.
Edit: You cannot OFA a dog before the age of 2 – so a 2 year guarantee guarantees you NOTHING. They are breeding animals on “preliminary OFA” ratings – why? because they couldn’t wait a few more months until the dog was 2 years of age? (No, because this way they can produce more pups to sell).
Championships in scam registries mean little to nothing beyond the fact that they are “better” than the average poorly bred rare “breed” dog.
never heard of a Mini Aussie.
plus the 3 day garauntee for health probs is just crap.
most health problems appear as the puppy/dog gets older…
i have a 9 week old golden retriever and i cant get her hips and elbows checked till she is a year old.
No such breed as a mini Aussie – they certainly can’t be shown in AKC shows as they are irresponsibly bred dogs.
If people want an Australian Shepherd then they should get them in the regular size.
This person does have a spay/neuter clause in their contract however look at the number of litters they have! One born on the 27th April, one on the 28th April and one on the 5th May – irresponsible idiots.
I certainly would stay well away. By buying from these people you are keeping them in ‘business’.
People will say and do anything to make money.
Mini Aussies are Aussies, only smaller. Think poodles – teacup, miniature, toy, standard. Same with many other breeds. A lot of the now ‘recognized’ breeds started with the crossing of two other breeds, or “Mutts” as the breed snobs so scathingly refer to them. It is my feeling that the miniature (adjective) Aussie is on the cusp of becoming just such a recognized breed. Some Breeders of standard (adjective) Aussies also breed the mini line.
No BYB would go through the trouble to have their animals as thoroughly checked as the Breeder that your parents have chosen seems to have, much less offer a health guarantee or with holding of registration papers (google MASCA or NSDR registry for more info). The pups and dogs on the Web site look happy and well cared for, you can’t fake some of those shots and a pup is not born catching a frisbee! BYBs don’t usually travel the country showing their dogs or breed dogs that are capable of winning championships regardless of breed!
Ask her for references, check the results of the health testing that has been performed, is she a registered business? Email MASCA or NSDR to check on her status with them.
I am the owner of a standard size Aussie who has several friends of the smaller size. They act and play together as if they are the same – because they are.
Many Aussie affectionados believe that the minis are somehow a blotch on the breed and not deserving of recognition on their own. I respectfully disagree. What if we humans felt that those shorter than 5′5″ were inferior? The ones that Mazie and I know are wonderful dogs and excel in all the usual Aussie pursuits.
You WILL fall in love, the Aussie personality is unique, no matter what the size. Hope that you are ready for a bundle of energy and love – they are velcro dogs
ADDITIONAL: After reading the other responses, I too went back and re-read the contract. The 3 day health guarantee is to allow you time to take your pup to the vet and have it examined and tested for disease. It specifies clearly PUPPY This is standard.
The next clause specifies DOG and states that if your dog is found to have any inherited defects a letter from your vet should be sent to her.
This is also standard.
Your recourse is set out in the following clauses. Note that most web sites for breeders do not post their contract.
Check this website for standard Aussies for more info
You will find your breeder in the following directory
This site also gives good info on questions to ask and what the certificates look like
What are the most common genetic diseases?
There are many diseases that affect Australian Shepherds. The most common of these are eye diseases include:
* Cataracts
* CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly)
* PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
* Detached Retinas
* Colobomas
* Small eye
Other diseases that commonly affect Aussies are:
* CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia)
* vWD (von Willebrand’s Disease)
* PH (Pelger-Huet)
* Epilepsy
Eye and hip problems are much more common than any of the others, so be sure that breeders have clearances on hips (OFA, PennHIP, GDC) and eyes (CERF, GDC) for all their breeding stock.
For more information on genetic diseases in Aussies, contact:
C.A. Sharp -
Editor, Double Helix Network News
730 East Weldon Avenue
Fresno, California 93704
(209) 264-2685
Get the Mini Aussie!!!! your so lucky your geting a puppy.
my mini aussie is 4 now and she is so sweet and OMG so SMART! She is beautiful too and everyone that sees her compliments her pretty face. she knows frisbie , is excellent at agility, she knows so many tricks like bang, be pretty, high five, roll over , uppie ( she jumps from the floor into our arms like in the movie 8below when the husky jumps into the arms in a hug catch. she has the toughest sounding bark and is the best watch dog. she is also super friendly to all and loves to give you kisses.
get the mini aussie you will be so happy!! be sure to take many pictures and videos cuz the puppy will grow fast! your so lucky!
You’re a smart girl. You knew the answer to this question before you came on here. That nervous feeling in your gut? That’s your intelligence hard at work knocking some sense into your emotions.
It is hard to walk away from a puppy. It’s even harder to watch that puppy get sick and die or know you got scammed because you couldn’t walk away from the dog. If this woman were legit, she would NOT be breeding these dogs. If she were trying to make them a real breed, you’d know about it. Good breeders don’t need to make up breeds to sell their dogs.
It is more mature to turn this dog down and get one from a good breeder than it is to go along with something that doesn’t sit right with you. From the sound of you, you have what it takes to find a great breeder, and there are many resources here to help you find one. The akc is a great place to search for reputable breeders. Do yourself a favor and don’t give these people your business.
ETA: I have no doubt she loves her puppies and wants the best for them. Many people do want the best for their dogs, but that does not exempt them from being BYBs. If I loved mini aussies as much as she does, I would be worknig with the parent club to get them recognized as a legitimate breed, just like a mini schnauzer or mini poodle. The fact of the matter is, to get these dogs that small requires either a) breeding with a smaller breed or b) breeding runts. In the case of the first, it is impossible to predict what the puppies will be like, since they could be like either mom or dad (and contrary to hybrid vigor theory, second or third generation puppies are not more predictable). In the case of the latter, she is breeding two unhealthy animals. Neither is a reputable practice. As a dog lover, you should not support her with your money.