Miniature Australian Shepherds vs Miniature American Shepherds

This is a long political debate between dog registries (AKC, ASDR, NSDR, MASCA, MASCUSA, etc.) but I will keep it simple for you.

Miniature American Shepherds (AKC) were derived from miniature Australian Shepherds and is now a new breed. There is not a lot of differences between the two breeds. Basically, ASCA & AKC drew a line in the sand and wouldn't back down on the miniature Australian Shepherd being a size variation of their Australian Shepherd breed standard. So to be accepted into AKC, breeders changed the (mini) Australian Shepherd's name and revised a few of the breed standard wording (including size range). Thus, came the new breed, the Miniature American Shepherd.

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The miniature sized Australian Shepherds were derived from standard Australian Shepherds by breeders selecting for smaller dogs. The toy, mini and standard Australian Shepherd are all the same breed, just different heights. You may hear someone say they have an oversized or undersized mini Australian Shepherd. There is no such thing as an oversized/undersized mini Australian Shepherd because they are all the same breed and are just size variations. There are plenty of people that own an AKC Australian Shepherd that is within the mini or toy height range.

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What registry do you use?

ASDR (American Stock Dog Registry)

None of RedTree Ridge Aussies can be registered as any other breed than Australian Shepherd (i.e. cannot register as Miniature American Shepherds)!!!

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How do I select a puppy?

We encourage you to select your puppy based on personality, not color/looks alone. 

Every puppy has a different personality ranging from couch potato to outgoing. Knowing a puppy's personality in advance can help you make the best decision for your family. We do our best to match a puppy with your family's lifestyle and want to be sure that you're happy with your new RedTree Ridge puppy.

We are happy to help you select a puppy that will best fit your family's lifestyle. We will ask you a few questions about your home, family members, and daily/weekly regime. One puppy or another will usually stand out as the best fit. If you have a preference on a specific color or sex, let us know and we will keep that in mind while helping you select the best fitting puppy for your family. Even if one particular puppy captures your heart, please tell us about your family and what you want out of a pup.

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What vaccinations, shots & preventatives do all puppies come with and do they come with a health guarantee?

1st puppy shots, deworming, flea/tick preventative, heartworm preventative.

We will provide you with a list of vaccinations/shots, preventatives that the puppy has received.

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***Do NOT give an Aussie Ivermectin!!!***

There are a number of drugs that Aussies should not receive (link below). 

MDR1 Problem Drugs

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Please see the Pet Contract for our Health Guarantee

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Do all puppies come with registration papers & microchip?

At RedTree Ridge Aussies the total price of a puppy includes the microchip & registration fees ($100 value - microchip price, vet visit price, & registration price).

We will just need you to fill out the registration form & microchip form.

By having RedTree Ridge Aussies microchip & register your puppy this will save you time and money.

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All puppies will come with registration paperwork. We will fill this out when you pick up your puppy (you will receive the pedigree once processed with the registry organization).

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What is the difference between show and pet quality? Why are some puppies listed as show quality and others are pet quality?

Not all puppies have ideal qualities and traits.

Show quality puppies have ideal conformation/breed standards, personality, etc.

Pet quality puppies don't have ideal conformation/breed standards (including coat, color, ears, teeth, etc.) or don't have the best suited personality for the show ring.

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Can I have full registration on any puppy I choose?

No, see question about show vs pet quality. Not all puppies can be sold with full registration due to minor flaws and/or the popular-sire syndrome.

The popular-sire syndrome is when a male with desirable attributes is bred repeatedly, which can can undetected, undesirable genetic traits in the stud to spread rapidly throughout the gene pool. This can also lead to reduced genetic diversity. To avoid the popular-sire syndrome don't use a stud to produce more than 5% of the total population. Other ways to avoid this are using a stud that has not been overused and only allowing a few of his puppies to breed.

This is one of the reasons why we cannot just let everyone & anyone have breeding rights to our puppies. We have to be very selective when giving full registration for a dog. Many factors come into play when selecting a potential puppy for full registration, such as the dam's & sire's lineage (pedigree/health history), conformation, breed standards, temperament, health & genetics.

As a responsible breeder we have to know what to "throw away" and "what to keep".

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We evaluate those who request full registration of a puppy to ensure they will also be a responsible breeder.

Check out our Contract, Policies & Pricing page for more info on breeding rights.

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When can a puppy go to its forever home?

Puppies are released to go to their forever home at 8 weeks of age as long as they are healthy and eating well.

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What food do you feed your puppies?

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

Purchase from: https://www.chewy.com

 

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What should I purchase before bringing my new puppy home?

​Kennel for crate training

Collar and leash

Chews and toys

Dog food and treats

Dog bed or blanket