Designer Too Many!!

The North American Miniature Australian Shepherd or "Mini Aussie" have been around for some time (about 40 years) and pretty well established.  These dogs are from 14 to 18 inches tall.  If you went to a good breeder you could probably get a very nice dog.  Now the toys and smaller is a new fad.  I would be very leary of that.  All they are doing is continuing to size down the mini and there reaches a point where there are problems.  I am told that there are some good mini breeds up towards the Ocala area as there is a popular area for Aussies anyway.

Pomeranian <3

When will this stupid designer dog crap stop!

When there is no longer a market for them (don't hold your breath) for as long as people buy them people will breed them.

I don`t think it will ever end. Back in 1972 I got my first dog after leaving my parents home and going to collage. I was offered to buy a year old cockapoo for a price of  5.00 or they were going to dispose of her (how I did not ask). I bought her on the spot and Muffin went home with me. Now that the trend is alive and well and people will pay for the pups it will never end although now they are asking more then 5.00 now. They are a mixed breed so anyone breeding them on purpose or any oops breeding equals a designer breed.

 Do let your mom know that temperament issues are a real concern with the mini Aussies.  All the ones I've met have been quite aggressive and that seems to be fairly common (either fear-based or offensive aggression) from what I've heard from others as well.

I am not a fan of this whole "designer dogs" idea only because a lot of them are bred for aesthetics and profit. If someone were to breed them for the purpose of creating a breed with good qualities of the two parent breeds then I cant say much about that because I know a lot of our pure breeds today were mutts in the days of old.

Well, a nice small playful dog (from when I was a kid) is a cairen terrier.  They're very playful, and small.  I loved our little cairen.  He was such a great dog.  So, you're saying she's looking into a mini/toy Aussie?? 

Janet808

So, you're saying she's looking into a mini/toy Aussie?? 

Yes she keeps sending me pictures from the internet from this one lady who's selling pups. Minis/toys/teacups blah idk its all crazy to me personally.

We had a sheltie growing up. She remarried and had my brother who is still very young and wants another play mate b/c "Meeko" is 14yrs old and isn't looking good... I went to visit over Christmas and started BAWLING my eyes out when I played "fetch" with her (if you could even call it that) the poor thing hobbled and limped over to the ball took her like 10mins and I just couldn't hold it back... she's fadding slowly. She's officially deaf in both ears and going blind...

Obviously this is extremely painful for my family to watch and witness; so they are constantly looking for a new pup for when she passes since they refuse to "replace" her just yet.

They live in Florida on a 7 mile private island. They have tons of space and are looking for an active lifestyle dog. My bother is a big surfer/beach kind of guy. My mom also loves the long haired coats (hense the Sheltie, and falling in love with my Pom)

My gf has Aussies and I've never been a fan. They were extremely mean and snappy and only cared about the owners no one else. BUT granted its the owner that makes the dog so I can't really judge that...

I need some alternative suggestions for her b/c I refuse to let me family be apart of the designer dog madness!

Pomeranian <3

They live in Florida on a 7 mile private island. They have tons of space and are looking for an active lifestyle dog.

Well, Misty doesn't have long hair, but they can adopt me and her!  lol  My hairs, kind a long!  On a private island, though, I may not be that active!  LOL  Sorry, don't mean to make light of the situation, but when I read this....OMG, I could just invision myself there!  LOL  That's my ultimate goal...my own private island.  Aaaaahhh! 

I'm sorry to hear about your little Sheltie, poor thing.  I don't blame you for crying, just hearing about her, made my eyes water.  I hope you can convince your mother!  Good Luck!

WELL I just called her from work! Haha... they said they are going to go look at a Mini Austrailian Shepard this weekend. She's 5 weeks old so they will have time to figure it all out. I told her the "minis" are better than this crazy toy/teacup nonsense and "minis" are just like a Sheltie's size pretty much. But I also warned her about their temperment and it won't be the same but yet it will still have the same "smarts" as all the hearding breeds do. The breed is also strict too she said and won't give the pup away unless its the right situation... from what she's telling me this does sound pretty good... I'm glad she's just not doing the Teacup!! ugh!! I told her if you want a tiny dog mom get a Pom! And she was like "i know I want one! but your brother wants to RUN and stuff and idk i just love the look of the aussie!!" so I guess I'm going to just be supportive. I mean they are beautiful dogs and since they have the space and the lifestyle I hope the dog will be happy...

lol you can come to the island anytime! my mom always wants guest!!! my step dad build a bar called "the crab shack" and they always invite people over haha... we'll have some margaritas together

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idk if these will show up... its showing and error in my window... but these are pictures of the dog...

My mom thinks its fate because the reason why my brother wanted an Aussie was because his friends just got a puppy and named it Mango Breeze. My brother said he wanted one just like it but to name it Peaches...

WELL low and behold... my Mom found a Florida breeder that had a Red/Orange Merle Aussie Mini named PEACHES! So I guess my brother is freaking out with excitement saying its fate!

This may be Kayla's new cousin!!! :o)

I am so with you!  I could just scream when I am reading the pet section in the Sunday paper and all these DB's are listed.  And then they have the nerve to say "AKC".   What the heck is THAT about?  Sure, mom might be AKC, and dad might be AKC, but the pups are MUTTS!!!   I love mutts.  I have had them for many, many years, but I have NEVER pretended they were, or could be anything more.

These DB's are a cash cow and too many of them are going to be very sick.  I just boil!!

OMG!!!  Who could NOT fall in love with THAT?  I hope all will be well with the pup.  It doesn't do much good to ask for a size guarantee.  By the time you realize you got a reg sized dog, you are already TOO in love to make an issue out of it.  I have a friend who paid $1,200 for a "Tea Cup" Yorkie.  It is not a TALL 7lbs.  Many of these breeds are too new to the market to be consistantly labeled "mini".  It is the luck of the draw.  I have been told that these mini's are forced down in size by breeding the mom to a son.  Not good on any level.

I hope your brother is really good with dogs.  Regardless of the size, a true Aussie will need extensive exercise, plenty of training, lots of things to do and constant monitoring.  They are AWESOME dogs, but they are workers.  A bored Aussie is a nightmare.

LOVE THAT FACE!

*hugs* thanks for the input Mdog59!!

I'm excited for them... all though puppies at this age look like guinea pigs... I still can tell she'll be a cutie!

*crossing my fingers* I'm going to bring Kayla down there to visit the puppy so hopefully it will socialize well with small dogs!!! I'm nervious that the dog will be a nightmare!

Thankfully my Mom is a stay-at-home "housewife/mother" so the dog will be with someone 24-7. And she promised me to take her EVERYWHERE because I told her all though our Sheltie was amazing she didn't properly socialize her. "Meeko" was very reseved about everything you could tell we never took her off the island.

timsdat

The North American Miniature Australian Shepherd or "Mini Aussie" have been around for some time (about 40 years) and pretty well established.  These dogs are from 14 to 18 inches tall.  If you went to a good breeder you could probably get a very nice dog.  Now the toys and smaller is a new fad.  I would be very leary of that.  All they are doing is continuing to size down the mini and there reaches a point where there are problems.  I am told that there are some good mini breeds up towards the Ocala area as there is a popular area for Aussies anyway.

Pomeranian <3

When will this stupid designer dog crap stop!

When there is no longer a market for them (don't hold your breath) for as long as people buy them people will breed them.

Thaaaaanks timmmmmsssdat! My mom did say something about a breeder in Ocala... I'm going to copy and paste this to her haha!