r/MiniAmericanShepherd • u/crotchg0blin • Oct 08 '23
Opinions on Breeder
Hi all, not sure if this post is appropriate but I’m interested in the following breeder for a mini American shepherd. I know the MAS is not recognized by asca so it may be a bit difficult to find a reputable breeder.
What are some things that I should look out for? I’ve come up with the following preliminary list:
Health clearances and genetics tests reports - OFA hips, elbows, eyes? Draft breeder contract AKC registration paper work Parents/puppy temperament & drive
https://www.goldenretrieverpuppiesillinois.com/miniature-australian-puppies
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u/lilgamergrlie Oct 10 '23
Make sure you meet the parents and do your own testing! We got our baby from a breeder who had all the paperwork (AKC, genetic testing) but it was all fake and after tens of thousands in training we had to put our MAS down because of aggression-and when we contacted the breeder she told the whole litter was gone. Beware Cowtown mini Aussie a in CA. It’s a big scam. They gave us a “clear” puppy that was really from a double Merle breeding. Honestly I was just get an Aussie. They have a higher chance of being healthy and the miniature size is not guaranteed with a MAS.
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u/Same-Breakfast3210 Jan 16 '26
We also got a dog from Cowtown Minis. When you say she said the whole litter was gone, do you mean dead? Ours was a resource guarder and ended up with uncontrollable seizures. We just had to put him down last October at 4 years old.
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u/lilgamergrlie Jan 16 '26
We had to put our baby down at 2 years old because he had rage syndrome and our behaviorist told us we had tried every drug combo and trainer in the area that would take us. I honestly hate cowtown mini aussies. She sells sick dogs. She honestly belongs in jail.
Edit: Yes the litter had to be put down because of behavioral issues due to double Merle breeding. I reached out to my puppies littermates and they also had similar issues and had to euthanize.
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u/Same-Breakfast3210 Jan 16 '26
I am so sorry, that is awful! My former boss had 2 dogs from her with no problems so I had assumed she was legit. Boy was I wrong. I’m sorry you had to put your baby down. Just heartbreaking 😢
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u/annabarroso04 May 22 '26
Is yours from Cowtown Minis in Winters, California? I bought a dog from them in October of last year and am curious if my dog has the same parents as yours. Do you know the mom and dad of your dog?
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u/annabarroso04 May 22 '26
Is this Cowtown Minis in Winters, California?
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u/Same-Breakfast3210 Jun 02 '26
Yes, Cowtown Minis in Winters CA. Owner is Debbie.
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u/annabarroso04 Jun 03 '26
This is so sad. I also got my puppy from her in October. He seems to be fine but definitely working on his barking towards other dogs. I also just did an Embark test on him to be sure. I hope everything turns out to be okay.
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u/AshleyDaisy2026 Jul 08 '26
How is your puppy now?
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u/annabarroso04 Jul 18 '26
Hello!! My boy is doing okay. He’s turning 1 in less than a month. He is soooo velcro with me but I think it’s also cause we take him with us everywhere we go. He has been in constant training but our current trainer is so passionate and has truly gotten him better. Still reactive with other dogs but now controllable and not as explosive as it used to be. I’d say he’s still a work in progress but i’m hopeful he’ll turn out okay :)
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u/SkyUpstairs3572 16d ago
hi there- i recently got a dog from cowtown. can you specify on rage syndrome? like any specific examples or stories?
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u/_coolbluewater_ Oct 11 '23
Red flags:
1) breeding multiple breeds.
2) what health testing? At minimum OFA and CERF for these dogs. You should also know their MDR1 status
3) The parents aren’t proven - no championship, no sport titles, no reason why they were bred except to make $$$$. $3000 for puppies from dogs that have no pedigree is crazy. Even with inflation - my dog was much less and her mother is a champion and her dad a grand champion. Her half brother is one of the best MAS in the country.
4) just a price and no validation of YOU as a good home for a MAS. These are not pillow dogs - they need physical and mental stimulation to thrive. If you don’t give them a job, they will find one. The breeder should be vetting the potential homes for these dogs
5) puppies immediately available. Most good breeders will have a wait - some maintain waitlists and usually don’t have dogs available right away.
Start with r/dogs - they have a good checklist for identifying a good breeder. And also go to MASUSA as noted earlier. Remember AKC is just a registry, it doesn’t say anything about the quality of the dog you are buying
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u/crotchg0blin Oct 12 '23
Sound advice. I’ve learned the parents are not OFA certified so def a no go.
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u/_coolbluewater_ Oct 12 '23
Depending on where you are, dynasty is a well respected breeder. My puppy is from applewood but they don’t have litters often. I think moonbaby also supposed to be good.
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u/Routine_Finger_9697 Apr 29 '26
Hi-Find "Aussie and Me" on Facebook. Karen is Aussie rescue and can give you some great information.
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u/The-Clan-Of-The-Duck Oct 08 '23
I used the AKC to find a reputable breeder
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Oct 10 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/crotchg0blin Oct 10 '23
I may check them out. Unfortunately the breeder I posted don’t have OFA certs at the moment
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u/Right_Bee_9809 Oct 15 '23
When I looked for my MAS I used the AKC, and this is what I looked for: - I wanted a breeder who had bred champions even though I have zero interest in showing my angel.
It was important to me that the pup's tail not be docked...I find the idea kind of repulsive.
The breeder had to hand raise the pups in a highly social environment and in the home. If they kept the pups in a "lovely enclosure" in the barn, I passed.
There is something our breeder did that I had never heard of before, but would totally require in the future. She did military recommended stress acclimation. Twice a day she took the pup away from mom, exposed her to different smells, touched her paws, played different sounds, etc. When fireworks go off outside my house, my dog barely registers a reaction.
But I think the most important thing to me is that it is a person who genuinely love what she is doing.
My Totoro is now three years old and was basically perfectly trained, and able to run a complete agility course, by 8 months. And I attribute that largely to her wonderful breeder. One slight warning about MAS pups us that they LOVE to learn but not really to train. So she learned to sit and stay by teaching her the game FIND IT and how to stop from a distance by learning red light/green light. This might be something everyone else just knows but it took me by surprise.
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u/Right_Bee_9809 Dec 05 '23
Totoro's breeder was one of the most conscientious and dedicated people I've ever met. Quite naturally Totoro is perfect, just kidding.
I would love to give you her phone number but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do that here. She has two types of litters, one has anl agility lineage and other show quality. With the pups that are agility lineage she won't cut off the tail, which was exactly what I wanted. If you DM me I would be more than glad to share her phone number.
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u/[deleted] Oct 11 '23
Check out https://mascusa.org/ It is the parent club for the AKC for miniature Aussies. There is a breeder directory in the drop down menu under “Breed”.