Miniature vs. Toy vs. Standard Aussie Dog Breed

The Australian shepherd didn't originate in Australia. The breed, affectionately known as the Aussie, hails from the Pyrenees Mountains region between France and Spain. According to the American Kennel Club, the dog was referred to as the Australian shepherd because Basque shepherds originally from the Pyrenees area brought these dogs to the United States from Australia in the 19th century. The dog also has been called the California shepherd and the New Mexican shepherd. While the energetic, friendly Aussie excels as a ranch and farm dog, he can live in suburbia if there's a large backyard and he receives lots of exercise. He's really not suited for city living, unless his person can give him the amount of exercise this active breed requires.

Male Australian shepherds mature between 20 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder, with females standing between 18 to 21 inches high. Males weigh between 50 and 65 pounds, while females range between 40 to 55 pounds. Permissible colors include black, red and blue or red merle -- a solid base color with marbling. White markings and tan points are common. White is allowed on the legs, chest, neck, under the muzzle and as part of a facial blaze. Their medium-length coats can be wavy or straight. Australian shepherds sport feathering on the backs of their legs and their "britches," or the area on either side of the tail to the legs.

At maturity, miniature Australian shepherds range between 15 to 18 inches tall at the shoulder, weighing between 25 to 40 pounds. Males are larger than females. Other than size, the miniature Australian shepherd looks exactly like the standard version. The breed was created by mating standard Aussies maturing on the small size to each other, until the resulting puppies remained true to size and type.

The toy is the smallest version of the Aussie, created by a similar breeding-down process. Toy Australian shepherds stand between 10 and 14 inches tall at the shoulder when full-grown, weighing between 12 and 17 pounds. Although he's small, the toy Aussie possesses all the herding instincts of his larger relatives. Unlike some other small dogs, who are relatively fragile, he's a good choice as a child's companion and gets along with other animals. These little dogs need plenty of stimulation and exercise.