Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd" Compare Australian Shepherd and Miniature Australian Shepherd. Which is better: Australian Shepherd or Miniature Australian Shepherd or Miniature American Shepherd?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Australian Shepherd	Miniature Australian Shepherd	Miniature American Shepherd
Origins	United States	United States	United States
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	17	381	35
Reviews	2	1	0
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Other Names	Aussie, Little Blue Dog	Mini Australian Shepherd North American Miniature Australian Shepherd, Mini Australian Shepherd, Miniature Aussie Shepherd, North American Shepherd, Mini Aussie, Mini Aussie Shepherd	North American Shepherd, Mini American, MAS, Ameri
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991 as a Herding breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2015 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Not recognized by FCI.	Not recognized by FCI.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Australian Shepherd Club Of America	America's Pet Registry American Canine Association, Inc.	No set
Price	$600-$800	$1000-$2000	$900-$1000

General Appearance - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Size	Large	Medium	Small Medium
Weight	Male: 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg), Female: 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg)	20–40 pounds (9-18 kg)	15-35 pounds (6-16 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 57.5 pounds (27 kg), Female: 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg)	30 pounds (13.5 kg)	25 pounds (11 kg)
Height	Male: 20-23 inches (52-58cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46–53 cm)	13–18 inches (33-46 cm)	Male: 14–18 inches (36–46 cm), Female: 13–17 inches (33–43 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 21.5 inches (55 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (46–53 cm)	15.5 inches (39.5 cm)	Male: 14–18 inches (36–46 cm), Female: 13–17 inches (33–43 cm)

Hair & Care - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Coat	Feathered	Feathered	Smooth
Colors	Red Blue Merle Black	Blue Merle Red Merle Red White & Black & Tan	Merle Blue White Black
Grooming	Average: The Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Miniature Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Easy to groom: The Miniature American Shepherd doesn't require a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Australian Shepherds shed moderately.	Miniature Australian Shepherds shed moderately.	Miniature American Shepherds shed moderately.

Characteristics - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Good With - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Stranger Friendly	Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Miniature American Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	No Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Miniature Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Miniature American Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Miniature American Shepherds are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Miniature American Shepherds are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Australian Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Miniature Australian Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Miniature American Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Australian Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Miniature Australian Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Miniature American Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Health Issues	The Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	Miniature American Shepherds tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.
Health Problems	Allergies Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Deafness Detached Retina Distichiasis Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Nasal Solar Dermatitis Osteochondrosis Dissecans Persistent Pupillary Membranes Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Drug Sensitivity Glaucoma Iris Coloboma Juvenile Cataracts Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Retinal Dysplasia	No set
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-13 years	13-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises.	Miniature Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises.	Miniature American Shepherds have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Miniature Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Miniature American Shepherds don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Australian Shepherd can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Miniature Australian Shepherd can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Miniature Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Miniature American Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Australian Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Miniature Australian Shepherd is an average drooler.	The Miniature American Shepherd is a perfect example for low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Australian Shepherd vs Miniature Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American Shepherd

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	6-9 puppies, average 7	2-6 puppies	2-6 puppies
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Temperament	Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective	Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective	Devoted Intelligent Energetic Loyal
Intelligent Rank	Smart: Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence.	Smart: Miniature Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence.	Average: Miniature American Shepherd's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.	Miniature American Shepherds are very easy to train.
Playfulness	The Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed.	The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed.	The Miniature American Shepherd is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Miniature Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs.
Social Needs	Australian Shepherds are a social breed.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are a social breed.	Miniature American Shepherds need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Low to Average: The Australian Shepherd rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Miniature Australian Shepherd rarely barks.	Low to Average: The Miniature American Shepherd rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Miniature American Shepherds are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Low The Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Miniature Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Miniature American Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Australian Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Miniature Australian Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Miniature American Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Australian Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Miniature American Shepherds have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
Prey Drive	Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Miniature Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Miniature American Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Australian Shepherds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Miniature Australian Shepherds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Miniature American Shepherds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Miniature Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Miniature American Shepherds don't adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Australian Shepherds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Miniature Australian Shepherds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.