Miniature American Shepherd
Miniature American Shepherd Training
Miniature American Shepherds mature to be smart and eager to please, but these confident herding dogs need firm and consistent obedience training early on to learn who’s the boss (you, human!). Use positive reinforcement to teach the basics of stay, sit, lay down and drop it, rewarding them with treats and praise. Their intelligence goes a long way, so they’ll get the gist quickly. Along with basic training, these dogs need plenty of regular mental and physical stimulation to ward off bad behaviour. They’ll cope with boredom and loneliness by barking, digging or chewing on your favourite footwear or furniture—it’s really not fun for anyone. Miniature American Shepherd puppies can be aloof and wary of people they don’t know, so practice socializing them with new people, neighbourhoods and other dogs so they don’t turn to guarded behaviour or biting.
Selecting a Miniature American Shepherd Puppy
Miniature American Shepherd Puppy Ears
Their triangular ears should walk the line between pricked and hanging, perched high on the head and breaking forward and over into a rose shape. Healthy puppies will have clean ears with no signs of discharge, redness, inflammation or pungent odour. If the puppy is aggressively scratching or pawing their ear, tilting their head or excessively flipping their head, it may also be a sign of discomfort. Breeds with floppy ears are more prone to infection or disease.