PH: So far no, but it is very important that the breeders pay attention to head type as the breed should never look like a Mini American, it should look like an small Australian Shepherd. There are way too many Mini Americans that do not have correct heads. There are some differences between the standards, but they are very slight. The Auss- ie standard calls for equal length of muzzle and back skull or slightly shorter muzzle while the Mini America call for equal proportions. The Aussies want parallel planes and the Mini Americans want slightly oblique planes. GK: Not at this time. BS: I wouldn’t say that any traits of the Miniature American Shepherd have been exaggerated at this point in time. I would worry more that one or more traits are being neglected. Specifically, I think breeders, owners and/or handlers are failing to keep their dogs in proper condi- tion. Having said that, I do think this breed has been improved significantly since they were recognized for full participation in AKC dog shows. PT: Not yet. SW: Perhaps size. This is Miniature Australian Shepherd— dogs, 14" to 18"; bitches, 13" to 17". When you see a dog at the maximum height in the ring, it seems belong to another breed and not an MAS. (I do use the wicket often.) I would like to see them around size of 16" for dog and 15" for bitches. 4. Do you think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when you first started judging? EDB: I started to judge this breed a long time ago (at rare breed shows) when they were still called different names, since the creation of the American Shepherd (name change) this breed has improved so much. It is more uniform, with moderation, stronger bone than “there Are wAy too MANy MiNi AMericANs thAt DO NOT HAVE CORRECT HEADS.”
tirelessly for hours in pursuit of the profession for which he was bred. When I say small, I do not mean petite. He must have the bone and structure to work hard and long in the field. PT: Australian Shepherd in Miniature. (Sorry, one word “...the MAs Must be slightly loNger thAN tAll, ANd the depth of body ANd leNgth of leg Must be iN PROPER PROPORTION.”
extra!) I refer to the original here. SW: Intelligent, loyal and companion.
2. What are your "must have" traits in this breed? EDB: Absolute must haves: moderate bone, balanced movement and type. If any of these are lacking, there is no MAS. PH: This breed should never look like a different breed. It should be an Australian Shepherd in a smaller size. So the must have traits in an Aussie are that they must be iden- tifiable by their silhouette, identifiable by their head and capable of doing the job for which they were created. GK: My must have traits in this breed are correct outline and proportion, intelligent expression, moderate bone and good sound temperament. BS: While there are many similarities between the MAS and the Australian Shepherd, the MAS is not a replica of the Australian Shepherd. I consider the outline to be very important in every breed and the MAS must be slightly longer than tall, and the depth of body and length of leg must be in proper proportion. I also think that condition- ing is extremely important. Every gun dog, Hound, Work- ing dog, Herding dog or Terrier must be conditioned to do his job. PT: Good bone, the correct head and movement. SW: Stamina, endurance and agile. 3. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated? EDB: If breeders are not careful, the breed might become too big and heavy, loosing its function and type
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