| :: RunAmok Farm ~ Miniature Australian Shepherds :: |
:: Miniature Australian Shepherd; Miniature Aussie; Mini Aussie; North American Shepherd ::
| We apologize for the temporary "mess" our site is in! We are doing a little "spring cleaning", so things will be a bit confusing for a week or two! We promise, this won't take long, and the site will be more readily accessible SOON! Jaque |
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| A "RunAmok" puppy! |
| Disclaimer: The information obtained on our site, or found in the links provided, is not to be construed as medical or legal advice. Our recommendations are derived from our personal experiences and from years of study, however the decisions concerning feeding and vaccinations and how you implement those decisions are yours and yours alone. |
First, if you have done any research at all, you have found these delightful and exuberant dogs are known by several different names: Miniature Australian Shepherd; Miniature Aussie; Mini Aussie; North American Shepherd... Whatever you may call them, they are to reflect the Australian Shepherd in every aspect but size! Each registry may have slightly different size requirements; typically Miniature Aussies generally range in size from 14" to 18" tall, with the measurements taken from the top of the withers. An Australian Shepherd under 13" at the withers would be considered a "Toy" Aussie. Mini Aussies are to be examples of the well-loved and respected Aussie, yet have all the advantages that come with owning a smaller dog. Since most weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, they are easily housed, and make fine travel companions. They are highly intelligent and easily trained, naturally protective of home and family, and are seen as extremely devoted companions. The breed standard calls for them to be well-balanced, compact, athletic and alert; and retaining the natural herding instincts of their larger counterparts. Many people are fascinated with the unusual appearance of the Australian Shepherd. A wide variety of rich color combinations delight Aussie lovers worldwide! Gorgeous coats in COLORS of blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black or red (liver); with or without copper and/or white trim make each dog unique. Eye color is particularly delightful, as eyes may be blue, brown, amber, yellow, gold, green, even hazel... or they may have a combination with one eye one color and the other eye another; it is also common to have "flecked" or "marbled" eyes... While discussing the Aussie "look" one cannot neglect comment on the Aussie tail, which, according to breed standard, is to be less than 3 inches long. Though some lines are naturally "bobbed", others must be "docked" shortly after birth. For those who would like more information, an explanation concerning the procedure of TAIL DOCKING may be found here. Our beautiful, smaller Aussies are registered with a variety of registries (more information to be found on our puppy page). While several are very worthwhile, our registry of choice is the United Kennel Club! The UKC was founded in 1898 and is one of the oldest and finest registries. The National Stock Dog Registry was the very first and official registry for Australian Shepherds and their miniature counterparts. The American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) recognizes them in the herding category. The Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America (MASCA) is a breed-specific club for this size variety, as is the North American Miniature Australian Shepherd Club Of America (NAMASCUSA). There are several other registries who recognize the Miniature Australian Shepherd as well! If you are considering a "Mini Aussie" to be part of your home, please research carefully. ~* OFA TESTING *~ Some dogs are prone to flaws in their hips that can cause problems for the animals as they age. This condition, called canine hip dysplasia, is most common in the large breeds, but may also be found in varying degrees in the smaller breeds. Dogs with this condition may suffer with mild "joint pain" similar to that of arthritis, or in severe cases the hip joint is so faulty that the dog will actually become crippled. OFA testing is usually performed by a licensed vet. An X-ray, or several X-rays are taken, then sent to specialists for review. The specialists give a rating for both hips - for example: "Excellent", "Good", "Fair", or one of 5 "dysplastic" ratings... Testing can be helpful to determine or rule out the cause of suspected hip problems but we believe there is more to this problem than just genetic codes... After 21 years of breeding, we are convinced that nutrition plays a key factor in the proper formation of hips, so we feed a special diet to help ensure healthy puppies. ~* EYE CERF *~ As with many breeds, certain lines of Aussies & their smaller counterparts may be prone to genetic flaws in their eyes. These may be minor imperfections that do not impair the animal's vision, or they may be severe - even leading to blindness in an affected dog. In many cases, it is impossible to detect these problems without doing an eye exam complete with eye dilation. To be certain there are no eye defects, it is very important to have each puppy's eyes checked by a Veterinary Ophthalmologist - most veterinarians are unable to do the complete eye exam. It is also important to have all breeding animals' eyes CERFed every year... Many people will say "We have never had any problems..." but that may not be the case -- the only sure way for them to know is to have had their breeding animals' eyes checked - yearly! To be safe, we do test... All of our animals are cleared with our Ophthalmologist in Spokane Washington before they are bred. To ensure our puppies are free of eye defects, we also have every puppy's eyes tested before placing them in their new homes. A CRASH COURSE IN NUTRITION FOR YOUR PET (please read) If you have any questions, or would like more information, please feel free to contact us via email or phone! Dan, Jaque & RunAmok tribe 208-669-0594 raf@cpcinternet.com |
| NEW! Beautiful, naturally-reared, Champion-sired Miniature Australian Shepherd puppy! More information: LIL' RUSTLERS |
| 208-669-0594 raf@cpcinternet.com |
