The Australian Shepherd as a breed originated with the expansion of the American West in the early 20th century and the immigration of various European settlers, many of whom were shepherds by profession. These shepherds brought their favorite sheep herding dogs with them. In particular, the Basque herders are believed to have been the backbone of the evolution of the Australian breed. As ranching grew and sheep herding declined, many ranchers selectively bred larger dogs that are more or less the same as the “standard” Australians we see today. However, others preferred a smaller sized dog, sometimes referred to as “little saddle dogs” because they could easily sit next to a rider on his horse. There are numerous old photographs showing these smaller type dogs.
Two distinct types of Australian Shepherds emerge
As the breed evolved, two distinct types of Aussie began to become prominent, the larger “standard” and the smaller variety that came to be known as the “Miniature Australian Shepherd” or Minis. In the 1960s, the Miniature Australian Shepherd Club was established to ensure that small “saddle dogs” were not lost as a breed. The aim was to secure a dog with all the wonderful intelligence and characteristic herding traits of larger Australians but in a smaller package.
The Miniature Australian Shepherd as a Separate Breed
The cause of the Mini Aussie was started by Mrs. Cordova, an Amazon with a passion for smaller dogs. She advocated the idea that the Mini should be a completely separate breed from her larger cousin. This is based on the same concept as the Miniature Schnauzer, for example, which is not a size variety of the Standard or Giant Schnauzer, but rather a separate breed. There was a movement to declare the Miniature Australian Shepherd a completely separate breed from the so-called “standard” Australian Shepherd and rename it the North American Shepherd.
In 1993, the Australian Shepherd as a breed gained formal recognition from the American Kennel Club (AKC). This resulted in a definite split at the time, as many of the Mini dog breeders did not register with the AKC, but continued to have an interest in declaring the Mini as a separate breed.
Are Miniature Aussies Spoiled?
There are many opponents of Miniature Australian Shepherd breeds who claim they are poorly bred, substandard dogs with bad genes. Unfortunately, this idea may have been propagated by unscrupulous breeders who have capitalized on the growing popularity of Minis by breeding stunted dogs on purpose. However, those who truly love Mini Aussies aim to breed quality dogs, albeit in a small package. Only when official breed status is achieved can DNA profiling become mandatory, which would prove the parentage of each cross and prevent unscrupulous breeders from intentionally crossing other breeds with Australian Shepherds to create Mini dogs.
Today, however, the popularity of the Miniature Aussies is growing and one hopes that the future for this intelligent little dog is bright. If you decide to own one of these dogs, be sure to purchase a dog from a reputable breeder.