Ask yourself, Are you ready for the commitment?
Let me be blunt: I have put HOURS and lots of $$$ into this dog; playing with him constantly, working on training, socializing, taking him for hikes, doing obedience classes, etc. Now that he is almost 1 year old, I can see that my hard work has really paid off. You must do the work this breed or they will destroy your house and everything you own!
1) Mini's are cute, but they need a lot of exercise!
A lot of people want to get Mini Aussies because they are cute and they think, "Hey, it's a miniature so it doesn't need as much exercise." FALSE! Mini's need just as much as their larger counter parts, possibly even more because they are so zippy.
2) Mini's are NOT lap dogs
They are a working dog and they want to move and think. My dog barely even likes being petted. He would much rather have me throw a frisbee or a ball than sit idly in my lap being petted.
3) Adult Mini's need to RUN on a daily basis
Mini's, or any herding breed, is not the ideal dog for "taking on walks." They do not walk around the block on a leash. They will pull you the whole way until they get tired. You can walk them when they are puppies, but as they get older they will probably need to go somewhere that you can toss a ball or frisbee and they can run around.
4) They need mental stimulation ALL the time
We recently had a family get a mini aussie (partially after seeing all these wonderful pics of our dog). Much to their dismay, the dog "jumps into my lap and stares at me until we play with it." You may want a break, but your mini aussie is ready to keep playing, they will let you know! And they will keep being persistent with a capital "P" until you relent. They will nudge you with their nose, they will jump into your lap and walk on your laptop, they will bring you toys...anyways, you get the idea. This not a dog that can be ignored and will just "hang around the house." You must play games with them and you must train them to do tricks or else they will drive you insane.
Let me be blunt: I have put HOURS and lots of $$$ into this dog; playing with him constantly, working on training, socializing, taking him for hikes, doing obedience classes, etc. Now that he is almost 1 year old, I can see that my hard work has really paid off. You must do the work this breed or they will destroy your house and everything you own!
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| Playing at the beach at sunrise on a work day! |
A lot of people want to get Mini Aussies because they are cute and they think, "Hey, it's a miniature so it doesn't need as much exercise." FALSE! Mini's need just as much as their larger counter parts, possibly even more because they are so zippy.
2) Mini's are NOT lap dogs
They are a working dog and they want to move and think. My dog barely even likes being petted. He would much rather have me throw a frisbee or a ball than sit idly in my lap being petted.
3) Adult Mini's need to RUN on a daily basis
Mini's, or any herding breed, is not the ideal dog for "taking on walks." They do not walk around the block on a leash. They will pull you the whole way until they get tired. You can walk them when they are puppies, but as they get older they will probably need to go somewhere that you can toss a ball or frisbee and they can run around.
4) They need mental stimulation ALL the time
We recently had a family get a mini aussie (partially after seeing all these wonderful pics of our dog). Much to their dismay, the dog "jumps into my lap and stares at me until we play with it." You may want a break, but your mini aussie is ready to keep playing, they will let you know! And they will keep being persistent with a capital "P" until you relent. They will nudge you with their nose, they will jump into your lap and walk on your laptop, they will bring you toys...anyways, you get the idea. This not a dog that can be ignored and will just "hang around the house." You must play games with them and you must train them to do tricks or else they will drive you insane.
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