Australian Shepherd

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is almost identical in appearance to the standard or full sized Australian Shepherd in everything but size. The Miniature Australian Shepherd is actually less than 18 inches tall (46 cm) at the withers when full grown, and there is also a smaller version of the breed known as a Toy Australian Shepherd which must be less than 14 inches or (36 cm) when fully grown. A still smaller variety known as the Tea Cup must be less than 12 pounds when fully grown.

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is an athletic dog that should appear solid and sturdy without appearing stocky. They have a medium length straight coat that can have a slight wave but never a curl. The coat is double with a somewhat thick and coarse outer coat covering a soft, downy inner coat. The outer coat is not coarse feeling but is rather smooth to the touch. The body is longer than the dog is tall at the shoulders, and the ribcage and chest is moderately developed. The topline is very straight from the withers to the hips. The legs are straight and the feet are slightly arched with the back legs having a well defined stifle that gives the dog its ready to jump into action appearance.

The neck is in proportion to the body and flows naturally into the powerful shoulders. The head is carried high and level when walking but often carried lower when working livestock. The muzzle is tapered and there is a well defined stop between the muzzle and the eyes. The eyes may be different colors including blue, brown, amber and flecked but are always slightly almond shaped and very clear and alert looking. The ears are carried high on the head and are full triangles with slightly rounded tips. The top one quarter to one half of the ear should fold forward and ears with no fold or ears that don’t stay erect are considered faults in show dogs.

The legs and lower body are covered with slightly longer hair known as furnishings. The Miniature Australian Shepherds are either born with a very short, stubby tail known as a natural bobtail, or the tail in docked when they are a few days old. In some countries docking is prohibited so the dogs may be seen with natural tails that are still shorter than other Collie breeds.

Gibson: Tallest Dog In The World

Gibson World Tallest Dog With World Smallest Dog

Scientists have discovered a sequence of canine DNA key to the great diversity in the body size of dogs, from Chihuahuas to Grant Danes, according to research in the 6 April issue of Science.

In their research, Nathan B. Sutter, a geneticist at the National Human Genome Research Institute, and colleagues found that all small dogs share a specific sequence of DNA that affects insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), a gene that has been implicated in body size in other organisms including mice and humans.

Through their DNA analysis of more than 3,000 domesticated dogs, which exhibit the greatest diversity in body size of any terrestrial vertebrate, the authors found the size-regulating DNA sequence present in all small breeds and nearly absent in all large breeds.

"The [sequence] is common to all small breeds and nearly absent from giant breeds, suggesting [it] is a major contributor to body size in all small dogs," wrote Sutter.

The authors' initial research focused on Portuguese water dogs—a breed that has an unusually wide range of skeletal size—but eventually involved DNA analysis of more than 143 breeds.

While the genetic origin of dog size diversity is vague, the authors hypothesize that humans may have bred dogs to meet physical limitations of their surroundings.

Previous archaeological studies have found 15,000 year-old Great Dane-sized remains in Eastern Russia and 12,000 year-old small terrier-sized remains in the Middle East, suggesting that the diversity may have been caused by "early humans or as an adaptive trait for coexistence with humans in the more crowded confines of developing villages and cities."

Gibson: Tallest Dog In The World

Gibson: Tallest Dog In The World
Gibson: Tallest Dog In The World
Gibson: Tallest Dog In The World

HERCULES: The Biggest Dog In The World

Hercules: The World's Biggest Dog Ever According to Guinness World Records

Hercules was recently awarded the honorable distinction of Worlds Biggest Dog by Guinness World Records. Hercules is an English Mastiff and has a 38 inch neck and weighs 282 pounds.

With "paws the size of softballs" (reports the Boston Herald), the three-year-old monster is far larger and heavier than his breed's standard 200lb. limit. Hercules owner Mr. Flynn says that Hercules weight is natural and not induced by a bizarre diet: "I fed him normal food and he just grew".... and grew. and grew.