We purchased our first North American Miniature Australian Shepherd in 1997. At the time we were living in Wisconsin raising beef and quarter horses.  Our border collie, Dixie, was getting up in age, so we were ready to have a new puppy join our family.

Through our interest in quarter horses, we met a nice couple in South Dakota, who introduced us to our first miniature Aussie.  We totally fell in love with these mini sized dogs that have the  same abilities as their standard size counterparts. As luck would have it,  besides purchasing a few quarter horses , we were able to buy our first puppy from Lynn and Gardner Gray of Bluegrass Kennels.

We are so proud of our first female,  Jazzy, (Bluegrass N Jazz) who has exceeded our expectations by completing her American Rare Breed Association  Conformation  Championship in only three shows!  She is very lovable, a wonderful companion, and has acquired the skills of our herding dog Dixie.  With the passing of our beloved Dixie, we decided on purchasing two more Minis: Rikki (Cowtown Bluegrass Rikki) and Alli (Bluegrass Allison).

The Miniature Australian Shepherd [North American Miniature Australian Shepherd]  averages between 13-18 inches and weighs 20-40 pounds. Life expectancy is about 12-13 years.  Their  coat is medium in length and slightly wavy. The colors are blue or red merle, black bi or tri, and red bi or tri.  Tri-color markings include tan trim.  The eyes come in a variety of colors including amber, brown, blue, or  marbling. The tails are sometimes bobbed otherwise they are docked.  The hair around the ears and eyes should not be white. The feet are oval and compact.  Their coats are easy to groom and need little attention.  The breed is an average shedder.

Miniature Australian Shepherds are loyal and affectionate. They are eager to please with a sixth sense about what their owner wants.  Minis are highly intelligent and easy to train.  They are naturally suspicious of strangers, so they should be well socialized as puppies.