AKA: North American Miniature Australian Shepherd, Mini Australian Shepherd, North American Shepherd, Toy Australian Shepherd, Mini Aussie, Tea Cup Australian Shepherd

Description: The North American Miniature Australian Shepherd has a slightly wavy coat that is moderate in length. It has feathering on the back of its legs and a mane and frill around its neck. Its skull is flat and clean cut, and its upper jaw does not hang over the lower jaw.

Dynamics: The Miniature Australian Shepherd is an affectionate and playful dog. It is great with children and is courageous and very active. It is also attentive and is easy to train. This dog has to be given attention otherwise it becomes nervous and destructive. The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a dog that always needs to be doing something. Socialization is needed so that it will not grow up suspicious of strangers. The Miniature Australian Shepherd is not usually dog aggressive and can get along with other dogs.

Breed Group: Herding

Weight: 20-40 pounds (9-18 kg)

Height: 13 to 18 inches (35 to 46 cm)

Color: The coat of the Miniature Australian Shepherd comes in either blue or red merle, red or black tricolor, or all with white or tn markings. The hair around the ears and eyes should not be white.

Country of Origin: The Miniature Australian Shepherd was bred in the United States in 1968 using small Australian Shepherds.

Activities: The Miniature Australian Shepherd is an active breed and therefore needs to be regularly walked and exercised. This is a working dog and has to be always on the go.

Grooming: An occasional brush with a firm bristle brush is enough to groom the Miniature Australian Shepherd. Bathe only when necessary.

Other Info: The Miniature Australian Shepherd has a life expectancy of 12-13 years. This breed is prone to blindness and deafness as the gene for the merle combination carried this factor. This breed will be all right living in an apartment as long as it is sufficiently exercised.

Photo: Elf

AKA: Greek Sheepdog, Greek Shepherd

Description: The Hellenikos Poimenikos is a dog breed of medium to large size. It has a solid body and massive head, exuding superior physical strength and power. The muzzle and cheeks are wide and deep, with the jaws forming either a scissors or plain bite. The ears should not be cropped. The eyes are almond-shaped and the eyelids are tight.

The chest is broad and deep. The coat is thick, it body covered with slightly long rough-looking hair. The tail is thick at the base. Some tails are long, some are short. Some have no tail. The breed is generally characterized by its heavy bone structure, good muscle, and thick coat.

Dynamics: The Hellenikos Poimenikos is a working dog that requires great patience. It is proud and hardworking as a sheep and goat guard. It works better in pairs, moving at the sides of the flock and looking out for wolves and other predators. It is a loyal, independent, and brave dog, with a strong protective instinct for the animals and territory. It can adapt to any rough condition. It is naturally observant and wary, and it will only heed to its owner or shepherd.

The Hellenikos Poimenikos has a serious temperament. It does not tolerate violent behavior and can be dominant when the owner does not have strong leadership over it. It is wary of strangers and cautious in getting along with others. It is aggressive towards other animals. It has a loud and powerful bark that is given as a warning to back off its territory. To avoid excessive aggressiveness, proper socialization is required. The Hellenikos Poimenikos can also be trained to be trustworthy.

Breed Group: Flock Guardian

Weight: males 84-110 pounds (38-50 kg), females 70-92 pounds (32-42 kg)

Height: males 25-29 inches (65-75 cm), females 23-26 inches (60-68 cm)

Color: The coat colors of the Hellenikos Poimenikos include black, grayish-brown, and white.

Country of Origin: The Hellenikos Poimenikos originates in Greece.

Activities: The Hellenikos Poimenikos is an energetic and serious dog breed that needs to work to keep itself busy. Boredom will only cause it to develop destructive behavior and excessive barking.

Grooming: Brushing and combing at least once a week is enough. Remove dead hairs. Bathe only when necessary.

Other Info: The Hellenikos Poimenikos has a life expectancy of 12 years. It is a generally healthy breed. This breed is not meant for the city life. It is a natural flock guardian, and is best on an open field guarding the flock from wild predators.

AKA: n/a
Description: The English Shepherd breed can be compared to Collies also to Australian Shepherds physical looks. They are a medium sized breed regularly hairy and has long body compared to its tail. They are considered a working a dog. Coat is regular in length and very shiny and smooth to touch,can be wavy or straight and they come in variety of colors.

Temperament: A genius dog, hard working with less supervision, they are very independent dog. Also, they are friendly and affectionate too. Although they can be demanding a times but mostly is sociable especially within his family at home. Moreover, they could get along well with children and with other dogs. They are a very strong breed since they are used for hunting and as watchdog. To strangers, they are very observant and could immediately alert their owner for some suspicious movements outside or inside the house.

Activity: They are required to have exercise in the form of walking or jog daily, to keep them fit and strong.

Health: They are also prone to hip and elbow dysplasia like other breeds.

Grooming: They don’t require heavy grooming. Brushing daily would be enough for this breed. Bathe them only when necessary.

Breed Group: Herding
Color: Sable and white , tricolor, black and white, and black and tan.
Height: 18-23 inches (46-58 cm)
Weight: Males – 45-60 pounds (21-28 kg.) Females – 40-50 pounds 18-23 kg.)
Country Of Origin: England

Dynamics: This breed is a very independent, intelligent and friendly dog. They are born a hunter and a watchdog so they are very alert to some suspicious strangers that would envade their owner’s house. With their family, they are hardworking that would be a great help and they don’t have any problem dealing with other dogs as they are very sociable.

Image Source: English Shepherd

AKA: Hollandse Herdershond, Hollandse Herder, Dutch Shepherd, Holland Shepherd

Description: There are three varieties of the Dutch Shepherd: the long-haired, the short-haired, and the wire-haired. The short-haired variety, with a fine and dense coat, is very common, the wire-haired one, with medium length hair that is wiry, less so. The long-haired variety, with long straight and harsh hair, is very rare.

The body of the Dutch Shepherd Dog is muscular and symmetrical. It has dark slanting eyes and ears that stand erect on its head. It has a long muzzle and the strong teeth forms a scissors bite. The tail is slightly curved. The feet are small, and there are no dewclaws.

Dynamics: The Dutch Shepherd Dog is an affectionate dog with a sweet and playful disposition. It is very friendly, loving, and highly energetic. It is a very happy dog, and very intelligent. It gets along well with children and with other dogs and animals. It is reserved and suspicious of strangers. It is easy to train and very eager to learn, which makes it an active and enthusiastic worker.

Breed Group: Herding

Weight: 65-67 pounds (29.5-30.5 kg.)

Height: 22-25 inches (55-63cm.)

Color: The coat color or the Dutch Shepherd Dog can come in various shades of brindle, including gray, yellow, silver, red or gold brindle, and blue.

Country of Origin: The Dutch Shepherd Dog comes from the Netherlands, and is not really popular outside the country as compared to the related Belgian shepherds’ popularity in the US and northern Europe.

Activities: The Dutch Shepherd Dog is a highly energetic dog and likes a lot of action. This breed has to be kept physically and mentally exercised. They need to be taken outdoors for a walk or a run from time to time. The Dutch Shepherd Dog is popular for being a herder and for its quick reflexes. It has been used for agility, catch, obedience competitions, guard work, and field training companionship. The Dutch Shepherd Dog is also valued as a farm guard, cart-puller, watchdog, and police and security dog.

Grooming: The long-haired and short-haired variety need regular combing and brushing. The wire-haired variety should never be brushed and can only be combed from time to time. It needs professional plucking twice a year to remove dead and loose hairs. The excess hair on the ears should be removed. Bathe only when necessary.

Other Info: The Dutch Shepherd dog has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. This breed will be fine living in the city and in an apartment as long as it is sufficiently exercised and taken outdoors often. This is a generally healthy breed and its all-weather coat helps it to overcome cold climate.

Description: Usually in black and tan or shades of Sable, the Dakotah Shepherd is a new breed with short to medium length coats. Its size is average and the body is well-proportioned. No standard has yet been established.

Dynamics: The Dakotah Shepherd is smart and intelligent, capable of learning through a flexible training. It has a gentle temperament and is great with children. It is a loyal dog, devoted to its family. The Dakotah Shepherd is generally quiet and calm. It is a breed content with the company of a family.

Weight: 35-50 pounds (16-23 kg)

Height: 17- 21 inches (43-54 cm)

Color: The coat color of the Dakotah Shepherd is usually black & tan or shades of Sable. There may be white patches and markings on the chest and feet.

Country of Origin: The Dakotah Shepherd is a new breed being bred by the Triple M Kennel from the English Shepherd and the Dakota Shep Foundation.

Activities: The Dakotah Shepherd is being trained to be a good herder. It is also able in agility and can be used as a watchdog (although they have not yet shown any sign of aggression towards strangers).

Grooming: Occasional combing and brushing is enough. Bathe only when necessary. Shedding usually comes in the Spring and during hot temperatures.

Other Info: So far, there are no known health problems specific to this breed, although it may be prone to normal minor health concerns that all dog breeds have, like hip and elbow dysplasia. The Dakotah Shepherd will be fine in any home, as long as it is taken outdoors occasionally.