Miniatures and Toys
There are 3 variations of Australian Shepherd size - the Australian Shepherd (standard), the Miniature Australian Shepherd (American Shepherd), and Toy Australian Shepherd.
The recognition of these separate breeds is divided by those who recognize only the Australian Shepherd and those who recognize all size variations.
The Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) - the founding breed registry of the Australian Shepherd - does not recognize Mini or Toy Australian Shepherds. Nor does it recognize any dog that is registered as a standard size Aussie within its registry if the same dog is also registered as a Mini or Toy within any other registry.
The American Kennel Club does not recognize the Miniature Australian Shepherds. However, it does recognize the Miniature American Shepherd.
This exclusion is due to the Miniature and/or Toy Australian Shepherd's foundation originating through the repeated breeding of 2 small, unregistered Aussie look a-likes that produced small offspring. The breed's reduced size was further cemented in through the practices of inbreeding (parent to child, sibling to sibling), line breeding (grandparent to grandchild, aunt to nephew, cousin to cousin), and culling (killing of undesired offspring - in this case offspring who were too large).
Hartspride does not breed Miniature or Toy Australian Shepherds.
For more information regarding Miniature and Toy Australian Shepherds please click the link below:
https://en.mini-aussie.ru/library/first-kennel/sandy-travis-and-her-mini-aussie/