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Welcome to our Miniature American Shepherd learning hub, where newcomers can discover the charm, intelligence, and versatility that make this breed so special.

Whether you’re just beginning your research or preparing to welcome your first “Mini” into your home, we’re here to guide you with clear, trustworthy information about their history, temperament, care, and training.

Our goal is to help you understand what makes the Miniature American Shepherd unique, so you can confidently decide if this lively, loving companion is the perfect match for your lifestyle.

We’ll also link you to plenty of useful resources.

What is a Miniature American Shepherd, and how does it differ from an Australian Shepherd?

According to the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the United States:

“The Miniature American Shepherd was developed in California during the late 1960’s with the breeding of small, unregistered dogs that were thought to be Australian Shepherds. These dogs were bred with a goal of maintaining their small size, active character and intelligence.

The breed was first registered with the National Stock Dog Registry in 1980 and was originally called the Miniature Australian Shepherd. By the early 1990’s, they had attained nationwide popularity. Several clubs promoted these small dogs, as they were registered and shown with various rare-breed organizations. The first parent breed club and registry, MASCUSA, was formed in 1990 and incorporated in 1993. The breed entered the AKC Foundation Stock Service as the Miniature American Shepherd in May 2011. The Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA (MASCUSA) is the designated national parent club of the American Kennel Club.

The breed has been used for herding smaller stock such as sheep and goats, although they have the heart to tackle larger stock as well. Their small size was looked upon with favor, as they could more easily double as a household pet. They became especially popular with equestrians traveling to horse shows, as their intelligence, loyalty, and size made them an excellent travel companion. In this way their popularity spread across the country. Today, the Miniature American Shepherd is established across the U.S. and internationally. It is a breed with a unique identity – an eye catching, versatile little herding dog, equally at home on a ranch or in the city.”

In Canada, the Miniature American Shepherd Club of Canada (MASCAN) was formed in 2014 by a group of Miniature American Shepherd breeders who were (and are) strongly committed to the development of the breed on Canadian soil. Thanks to the great efforts of these individuals and the members of the board who followed, the breed is now fully recognized in Canada. Miniature American Shepherds became eligible to compete as a Listed Breed in Group 7 (Herding) with the Canadian Kennel Club in July 2018 and received enough votes in December 2022 to gain full breed recognition in Canada. Agriculture Canada approval under the Animal Pedigree Act was granted in January 2025.

What Makes An Ideal Miniature American Shepherd according to the Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard?

The Breed Standard outlines the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of a breed, and ensures that a dog can carry out its original purpose. Breeders and judges should be mindful to prioritize dogs that are healthy and sound in both mind and body.

ORIGIN AND PURPOSE

The Miniature American Shepherd is a small size herding dog that originated in the United States. Exceptional agility combined with strength and stamina allows for working over a variety of terrain. This highly versatile, energetic dog makes an excellent athlete with superior intelligence and a willingness to please those to whom he is devoted. He is both a loyal companion and a biddable worker, which is evident in his watchful expression.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

He is slightly longer than tall with bone that is moderated and in proportion to body size and height without extremes. Movement is smooth, easy and balanced. The double coat of medium length and coarseness may be solid in colour or merled, with or without white and/or tan (copper) markings. He traditionally has a docked or natural bobtail.

TEMPERAMENT

The Miniature American Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. An exceptional companion, he is versatile and easily trained, performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. Although reserved with strangers, he does not exhibit shyness. He is a resilient and persistent worker, who adjusts his demeanour and arousal appropriately to the task at hand. With his family he is protective, good natured, devoted and loyal.

SIZE

Height for dogs is 35.5cm (14in) up to and including 45.75cm (18in) at the top of the withers. Height for bitches is 33cm (13in) up to and including 43.25cm (17in) at the top of the withers. The minimum heights set forth in this breed standard shall not apply to dogs or bitches under siz months of age.

Proportion: Measuring from the point of shoulder to the point of the buttocks and from the highest point of the shoulder blade to the ground, he is slightly longer than tall. Substance: Solidly built with moderate bone in proportion to body height and size. Structure in the dog reflects masculinity without coarseness. Bitches appear feminine without being slight of bone.

COAT

Moderation is the overall impression of the coat. Hair is of medium texture, straight to wavy, weather-resistant, and of medium length. The undercoat varies in quantity with variations in climate. Hair is short and smooth on the head and front of the legs. The backs of forelegs and breeches are moderately feathered. There is a moderate mane and frill, more pronounced in dogs than in bitches. Hair may be trimmed on the ears, feet, back of hocks, pasterns, and tail, otherwise he is to be shown in a natural coat. Untrimmed whiskers are preferred.

COLOUR

The colouring offers variety and individuality. With no order of preference, the recognized colours are black, blue merle, red (liver) and red merle. The merle will exhibit in any amount, marbling, flecks or blotches. Undercoats may be somewhat lighter in colour than the topcoat. Asymmetrical markings are not to be faulted. Tan markings are not required but when present are acceptable in any or all of the following areas: around the eyes, on the feet, legs, chest, muzzle, underside of neck, face, underside of ear, underline of body, under the base of tail and the breeches. Tan markings vary in shades from creamy beige to dark rust, with no preference. Blending with the base colour or merle pattern may be present on the face, legs, feet and breeches.

White markings are not required but when present do not dominate. Ticking may be present in white markings. White on the head does not predominate, and the eyes are fully surrounded by colour and pigment. Red merles and reds have red (liver) pigmentation on the eye rims. Blue merles and blacks have black pigmentation on the eye rims. Ears fully covered by colour are preferred. White markings may be in any combination and are restricted to the muzzle, cheeks, crown, blaze on head, the neck in a partial or full collar, chest, belly, front legs, hind legs up to the hock and may extend in a thin outline of the stifle. A small amount of white extending from the underline may be visible from the side, not to exceed 2.5cm (1 in) above the elbow. The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the withers at the skin. If a natural undocked tail is present, the tip of the tail may have white.

HEAD

The head is clean cut, dry, and in proportion to the body. Expression: Alert, attentive, and intelligent. May express a reserved look and/or be watchful of strangers. Eyes are set obliquely, almond-shaped, neither protruding nor sunken and in proportion to the head. Acceptable in all coat colours, one or both eyes may be brown, blue, hazel, amber or any colour combination thereof, including flecks and marbling. The eye rims of the reds and red merles have full red (liver) pigmentation. The eye rims of the blacks and blue merles have full black pigmentation. Ears are triangular, of moderate size, set high on the head. At full attention they break forward and over, or to the side as a rose ear. Skull: The crown is flat to slightly round and may show a slight occipital protuberance. The width and the length of the crown are equal. Stop is moderate but defined. Muzzle is of medium width and depth and tapers gradually to a rounded tip without appearing heavy, square, snipey or loose. Length is equal to the length of the crown. Planes viewed from the side, the muzzle and the top line of the crown are slightly oblique to each other, with the front of the crown on a slight angle downward toward the nose. Nose: Red merles and reds have red (liver) pigmentation on the nose leather. Blue merles and blacks have black pigmentation on the nose leather. Fully pigmented noses are preferred. Bite: A full complement of teeth meet in a scissors bite. Teeth broken, missing or discoloured by accident are not penalized.

NECK

The neck is firm, clean and in proportion to the body. It is of medium length and slightly arched at the crest, fitting well into the shoulders.

FOREQUARTERS

The forequarters are well conditioned and balanced with the hindquarters. Shoulders: Shoulder blades (scapula) are long, flat, fairly close set at the withers, and well laid back. Upper arm (humerus) is equal in length to the shoulder blade and meets the shoulder blade at an approximate right angle. The forelegs drop straight and perpendicular to the ground. The elbow joint is equidistant from the ground to the withers. The elbows should be close to the ribs without looseness. Legs are straight and strong. The bone is oval rather than round. Pasterns: Short, thick and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle when viewed from the side. Feet: Oval-shaped, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails are short and strong. The nails may be any colour combination.

BODY

The overall structure gives an impression of depth and strength without bulkiness. Topline: The back is firm and level from the withers to the hip joint when standing or moving. Loin is strong and broad when viewed from the top. Croup is moderately sloped. Body is firm and well conditioned. Chest/ribs: The chest is full and deep, reaching to the elbow, with well sprung ribs. Underline: Shows a moderate tuck-up.

HINDQUARTERS

Width of hindquarters is approximately equal to the width of the forequarters at the shoulders. Angulation: The angulation of the pelvis and upper thigh (femur) mirrors the angulation of the shoulder blade and upper arm, forming an approximate right angle. Stifles are clearly defined. Hocks are short, perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Feet are oval, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails are short and strong. The nails may be any colour combination.

TAIL

A docked tail is straight, not to exceed 7.5cm (3 in). The undocked tail when at rest may hang in a slight curve. A natural bobtail is also permitted. When excited or in motion the tail may be carried raised with the curve accentuated.

GAIT

Smooth, free and easy; exhibiting agility of movement with a well-balanced, ground-covering stride. Fore and hind legs move straight and parallel with the centre line of the body; as speed increases, the feet, both front and rear, converge toward the centre line of gravity of the dog, while the back remains firm and level. When travelling at a trot the head is carried in a natural position with neck extended forward and head nearly level or slightly above the topline. He must be agile and able to turn direction or alter gait instantly.

FAULTS

Any departure from the aforementioned ideals shall be considered faulty to the degree in which it interferes with the health and well-being of the dog and the breed’s traditional purpose.

Severe Faults:

DISQUALIFICATIONS

MASCAN AND OUR CODE OF ETHICS

Leigh is honoured to serve as the MASCAN Ontario Regional Director for the 2026/2027 term, as well as a member of the Web/Social Media, Educational and Code of Ethics subcommittees. We invite you to explore MASCAN, the Miniature American Shepherd Club of Canada, at https://www.miniatureamericanshepherdsofcanada.com/ .

As a member and representative of our National Breed Club, Leigh Enborg and Five Pines MAS have agreed to uphold the following Code of Ethics:

1. Records

a) Any MASCAN Member who breeds his/her bitch or uses his/her stud for services must keep accurate records of the following: stud services, leases, pedigrees, all litters produced, sale of all dogs/puppies, and all exchanges involving Miniature American Shepherds for a minimum of 7 years.

b) Any MASCAN Member who falsifies a registration or knowingly misrepresents a pedigree must be reported to the MASCAN Board of Directors.

2. Breeding

a)Every breeding should be planned with the paramount intention of bettering the Miniature American Shepherd breed.

b)When choosing a stud or bitch for breeding, Members must scrutinize the dogs pedigree, conformation, temperament, intelligence and working potential, keeping in mind the basic principles of genetics and the requirements of the AKC Breed Standard.

c)Members should know the status of both dog and bitch for: Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Hereditary Cataracts (HSF4) and Multidrug Resistance Gene (MDR1) before being used for breeding.

d) It is recommended that all breeding stock have yearly eye exams performed by a Licensed Ophthalmologist and be documented clear from hereditary eye defects (with breeder option) before being used for breeding.

e) All breeding stock must be documented clear from Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia (optional) and Patella Dysplasia (optional) before being used for breeding. OFA ratings Fair, Good and Excellent are to be accepted for Hip Dysplasia and only OFA normal ratings for Elbows and Patellas are to be accepted for breeding. PennHip is also an accepted method for screening Hip Dysplasia. Only dogs that grade above the breed average (50th percentile), are acceptable for breeding.

f) Members should not breed a dog or bitch that is affected with monorchidism, cryptochidism, deafness, albinism and any other disqualifying defect. Members should further refrain from breeding a dog or bitch who, although free from defects, consistently produces afflicted offspring.

g) No Member shall intentionally breed a merle coated Miniature American Shepherd to a merle coated Miniature American Shepherd (merle x merle breeding).

h) No dog or bitch should be bred under the age of 12 months. A breeder should choose both a sire and dam that have reached such maturity that they can produce and raise a healthy litter.

i) All offspring produced should be registered with the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the USA (MASCUSA), the American Kennel Club (AKC), and/or the United Kennel Club (UKC).

j) Members should only breed their Miniature American Shepherd to another registered Miniature American Shepherd or to a registered Miniature Australian Shepherd with the intent to register all offspring as Miniature American Shepherds.

3. Ownership

a) Members must maintain high standards of health care (including parasite prevention and regular veterinarian care,) cleanliness and provide adequate shelter for their Miniature American Shepherd(s).

b) Members shall make every effort to learn about the structure, anatomy, behaviour, temperament and other inheritable traits of the Miniature American Shepherd.

c) Members are individually responsible for their own compliance with their local laws and by-laws.

4. Advertising

a) Members agree that all advertising of their Miniature American Shepherds shall be factual and honest in both substance and implication.

b) Members agree to fully disclose; coat and eye colour, size (height and weight), health testing (with as much supporting documentation), attributes (training, titles, etc.) and any fault or disqualifying traits (according to the AKC Breed Standard) of any Miniature American Shepherd they have placed for sale or adoption.

5. Sales

a) All Miniature American Shepherds shall be sold in good condition and health at the time of release. When a Miniature American Shepherd has a health related illness or defect, it must be fully disclosed in writing to the Buyer prior to the agreement of sale.

b) Members must be discriminatory in the sale of his/her Miniature American Shepherds. Members must thoroughly screen all prospective buyers and be concerned with the type of homes in which they are placed.

c) Members will not sell, consign or donate their Miniature American Shepherds to any commercial dog wholesalers, retailers (pet stores), laboratories or raffles.

d) All Miniature American Shepherds must be either permanently micro chipped or tattooed prior to being released.

e) Members must provide adequate written contractual proof of sale at the time of release.

f) Members must provide a minimum of a 1 year written guarantee against all congenital and hereditary defects on all puppies sold. With the sale of breeding stock, the Member should provide the buyer with a contract to guarantee against any disqualifying faults according to the AKC Breed Standard.

g) Members agree to sell all pet Miniature American Shepherds on a strict Non Breeding Contract with Limited Registration, unless selling to another Ethical Breeder.

h) Members shall transfer all applicable registration papers or applications when the sale is complete, or in a timely manner if the registration certificate is not yet available.

i) All Miniature American Shepherds shall be sold with a minimum 3 generation pedigree containing as much information as possible (full names, registration numbers, date of birth, coat and eye colour, and indication of NBT occurrence.) Members shall also include with the sale; diet and general care/training information, health record, and parent’s health clearances.

j) Members agree that no puppy will leave it’s litter before the age of 7 weeks minimum (8 weeks old if required by law). It is highly recommended for the health and well-being of the puppy that they stay with their litter mates until at least 8 weeks of age.

l) All Members must be willing to take back and find an alternate home for any Miniature American Shepherd that they released, in the event that the Buyer is no longer able to provide proper care for said dog.

6. Member Relations

a) Members are expected to express good sportsmanship in all activities involving the Miniature American Shepherd.

b) Members must refrain from unnecessary criticism of another Club Member, another’s Miniature American Shepherd or another’s Kennel.

c) As a matter of ethics, all Members pledge to help educate and promote the Miniature American Shepherd to the general public and graciously assist the novice breeder with correct and pertinent information regarding the breed.

7. Implementation

a) Any infraction of the Code Of Ethics should be reported, in writing, to the MASCAN Board of Directors. Only when a Member continues to deviate from the rules set forth in the Code of Ethics and is not cooperative in rectifying an error, will the situation be presented to the MASCAN Board of Directors for disciplinary actions.

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