The Miniature Australian Ahepherd is a well-balanced dog of medium size and bone. He is attentive and animated, showing strength and stamina combined with unusual agility. Slightly longer than tall, he has a coat of moderatelength and coarseness with coloring that offers variety and individuality in each specimen. An identifying characteristic is his natural or docked tail. In each sex, masculinity or femininity is well defined. Bone is moderate and clean with coarseness, heaviness or lightness being undesirable.
The miniarure Australian Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an exceptional companion. He is versitile and easily trained, performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved with strangers but does not exhibit shyness. Although an agressive, authoritive worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable. Fault: Undue shyness.
Clean-cut, strong, dry and in proportion to the body. The topskull is flat to a slightly rounded, it's length and width each equal to the length of the muzzle, which is in balance and proportioned to the rest of the head. The muzzle tapers slightly to a rounded tip. The stop is moderate but well-defined.
Lips: Giving a dry appearance. Disqualification: Wet Flews.
Teeth: A full compliment of strong, white teeth meet in a scissor bite. An even bite is a fault. Teeth broken or missing by accident are not penalized. Disqualification: Undershot bites; overstot bites exceeding one-eighth inch.
Eyes: Very expressive, showing attentiveness and intelligence. Clear almond shaped, and of moderate size, set a little obliquely, neither prominent nor sunken, with pupils dark, well defined and perfectly possitioned. Color is brown, blue, amber, or any variation or combination therof including flecks and marbling.
Ears: Set on high at the side of the head, triangular and slightly rounded at the tip, of moderate size with length measured by bringing the tip of the ear around to the inside corner of the eye. The ears, at full attention, break slightly forward and over from one quarter to one half above the base. Prick ears and hound type ears are severe faults.
The neck is firm, clean and in proportion to the body. It is of medium length and slightly arched at the crest, setting well into the shoulders. The body is firm and muscular. The topline appears level at a natural four-square stance. The chest is deep and strong with ribs well-sprung. The loin is strong and broad when viewed from the top. The bottom line carries well back with moderate tuck-up. The croup is moderately sloping, the ideal being thirty degrees from the horizontal. Tail is straight, not to exceed three inches, natural bobbed or docked.
The shoulder blades are long and flat, close set at the withers, approximately two fingers width at a natural stance and are well laid back at an angle approximating forty-five degrees to the ground. The upper arm is attached at an approximating right angle to the shoulder line with forelegs dropping straight, perpendicular to the ground. The elbow joint is equidistant from the ground to the withers. The legs are straight and powerful. Pasterns are short, thick and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle when viewed from the side. Feet are oval shaped, compact , with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient: nails short and strong. Dewclaws may be removed.
String and muscular. Width of hindquarters aproximately equal to the width of the forequarters at the shoulders. The angulation of teh pelvis and the upper thigh corresponds to the angulation of the shoulder blade and upper arm forming an approximate right angle. Stifles are clearly defined, hock joints moderately bent. The metatarsi are short, perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient, nails short and strong. Rear dewclaws are removed.
Of medium texture, straight to slightly wavy, weather resistant, of moderate length with an undercoat. The quantity of undercoat varies with climate. Hair is short and smooth on the head, outside of ears, front of forelegs and below the hocks. Backs of forelegs are moderately feathered; breeches are moderately full. There is moderate mane and frill, more pronounced in dogs than bitches. Non typical coats are severe faults.
All colors are strong, clear and rich. The recognised colors are blue merle, red merle, solid black and solid red and with or without white markings and/or tan ( copper) points with no order of preference. The blue merle and black have black pigmintation on the nose, lips and eye rims; the red merle and red have liver pigmintation on nose, lips and eye rims. Butterfly nose should not be faulted under one year of age. On all colors, the area surrounding the ears and eyes are domminated by color other than white. The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the point of the withers. Disqualifications: Other than recognised colors, white body splashes, dudley nose.
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 center line of the body; as speed increases, the feet, both fron and rear, converge toward the center line of gravity of the dog, while the topline remains firm and level. Joints do not bend or twist when in motion.
Preferred height at the withers for males is fourteen to eighteen inches; that for females is fourteen up to but not including eighteen inches. Dogs or bitches above these measurements should be faulted to the degree of the varience, however, quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of size. Disqualification: Below 14" at the withers.
Toy like characteristics( i.e. domed head, bulging eyes, fine boned) monorchidism or cryptorchidism.
