Many people like small dogs, and to this end there are a lot of dogs being bred to be even smaller than they normally are. The australian shepherd is a medium sized dog, which has been bred to create two smaller versions, a miniature version and a toy version. Some organizations consider all three versions to be just different sizes of the same dog, while others now consider them separate breeds.

Toy australian shepherds are meant to look just like regular sized australian shepherds, just smaller. In order to be classified as a toy, the dog must be between 10 and 14 inches tall. Anything smaller is too small, and dogs over 14 inches are considered miniature and those over 18 considered regular sized. Size is meant to be the only difference in these dogs.

There are a number of great things about toy australian shepherds. They are very smart and can learn to do all sorts of things when properly trained. However, if you do not properly train your dog you can end up with a dog that is destructive, barks too much, and chases and nips moving objects. Some shepherds can be very stubborn, so it might be difficult to train your dog if this is the case. However, there are a number of places you can go for help, and a lot of information is available on this topic on the internet. It is also important to make sure to properly socialize you dog so that he will not be suspicious or shy around strangers.

Shepherds also love exercise. If you do not exercise your dog enough they will get bored and practice destructive behavior as well, so this is a requirement. Because of the exercise needs of this dog, it isn’t a good dog for apartment living. It is best if you can actually provide interesting activities for the dog, or the option to actually use its herding skills in a group meant for this purpose.

Toy australian shepherds come in a number of beautiful colors; however, they also can shed a lot. You will need to be diligent about brushing this dog, and it probably isn’t the best choice for those with allergies. If you don’t brush the dog enough his hair will get all matted and tangled as well. You need to make sure you have time for this grooming.