If you like the Australian shepherd, but worry that you might not have enough space, you might want to consider the miniature version of this dog. The miniature Australian shepherd is only 13 to 18 inches high, and weighs about 17 to 40 pounds. However, before you decide on this dog, it is best to learn a bit more about it to make sure that you have the time and energy needed to take care of this breed.

First of all, if you have allergies, the miniature Australian shepherd probably isn’t the right dog for you. This dog sheds all year long, and tends to shed quite a lot. You will need to spend a decent amount of time brushing this dog and cleaning up the hair that it sheds. This is probably not the right dog for a neat freak who needs everything perfectly clean.

Those who do not have a lot of time to spend with a dog also should consider another breed since the miniature Australian shepherd. First of all, this dog is very active and requires a lot of exercise. It needs to be stimulated as well so that it doesn’t get bored since bored shepherds tend to be destructive. It also requires a lot of time and patience to train these dogs since they can be stubborn. They are smart though, and able to learn with the proper techniques. You don’t want to use any heavy handed methods though because that will just bring out the stubbornness in them. These dogs are also very social, so they don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time.

Miniature australian shepherds do best when they have quiet surroundings. If you have a lot of loud guests it is best if they have someplace quiet they can go in order to get away from the noise, especially since they can also be a bit shy. They also like to be touched gently and slowly. If you have very small children the noise and the unintentional hard pats and hair pulls they are prone to might mean that it would be better to wait a bit to get this type of dog for your family until the kids are a bit older.