Questions? We’ve Got Answers

Our puppies start at $2,500. Pricing can vary a little with color and markings — merles are typically priced slightly higher. Every puppy’s price reflects the health testing, structured early training, and lifetime support that go into raising them. A $500 deposit reserves your spot and applies toward the total.

Yes! We’re based in Harrisonville, Missouri (just outside Kansas City), and families are always welcome to pick up in person. For homes farther away, we work with our lovely flight nanny, who has flown our puppies safely to families all over the country — and we’re happy to discuss ground transport too. We’ll help arrange whatever travel works best so your puppy arrives happy and stress-free.

Size can be confusing with terms like “Toy” and “Mini,” so here’s the breakdown:

Toy Aussies: under 14″ at the shoulder, usually 12–20 lbs.
Mini Aussies (Miniature American Shepherds): 14–18″ at the shoulder, generally 20–40 lbs.

In our program, Chief (our stud) is a Toy and Millie is a Mini, so their puppies usually land in between — on average about 13–16″ tall and 18–30 lbs full grown. It’s a sweet spot: portable and easy to travel with, but sturdy enough to keep up with family adventures.

Yes, Mini Aussies do shed. They have a double coat — a soft undercoat and a medium-length outer coat — with the heaviest shedding during seasonal changes in spring and fall. Weekly brushing goes a long way in managing loose hair and keeping their coat healthy, and most families find the shedding very manageable.

If you’d prefer a lighter-shedding option, our Aussiechons are a wonderful low-shed alternative.

They’re the same dog by two names — “Mini Aussie” is the common name, and Miniature American Shepherd is the official AKC name (recognized in 2015). The breed was developed from Australian Shepherds to create a more compact, travel-friendly companion while keeping all the intelligence, loyalty, and athleticism that made Aussies so popular. Our program focuses on family companions first: steady temperaments, great structure, and plenty of personality.

An Aussiechon is a cross between a Mini Aussie and a Bichon Frise. They tend to be small (around 10–12 lbs), soft-coated and low-shedding, and they blend the smarts and devotion of an Aussie with the affectionate, people-loving nature of a Bichon. Learn more on our Aussiechons page.

Our Mini Aussies come in black tri, red (liver) tri, blue merle, and red merle — with or without copper and white points, and often with beautiful blue or partial-blue eyes. Aussiechon colors depend on the pairing; our Coco × Chief litters are expected to be sable-based, many with merle patterning and striking blue eyes.

Smart, athletic, and deeply people-oriented — they thrive with a job to do, whether that’s dog sports, hiking, farm life, or active family adventures. They need daily physical and mental exercise, and what they all share is a deep desire to be with their people. They’re not dogs who want to be left in the backyard all day, but when included in family life, they adapt beautifully to your lifestyle. Some are higher-energy go-getters; others are happy to relax after a good walk or training session.

Yes. Our dogs are raised in our home as true members of the family, and from day one our puppies are handled daily and raised around children, normal household activity, horses, and chickens. Using a thoughtful blend of Puppy Culture and Badass Breeder methods, we intentionally shape their emotional and behavioral development during those critical early weeks. We’ve seen firsthand how loyal, attentive, and affectionate Mini Aussies are with children when given the right start.

Yes! Our dogs live with us as family pets, and meeting them lets you see the temperaments and personalities we work to pass on to our puppies.

“Puppy curriculum” is a structured, science-based approach to raising puppies through their first 8–12 weeks — the most important window for social, emotional, and behavioral development. Raised in our home and surrounded by family and farm life, our puppies grow up through a blend of Puppy Culture and Badass Breeder protocols, including:

• Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) for stress resilience
• Early Scent Introduction (ESI) for confidence and problem-solving
• Positive exposure to new sounds, surfaces, and environments
• Confidence-building, enrichment, and problem-solving games
• Early foundations for crate training, potty training, and manners

This intentional start produces puppies who are more resilient to stress, less fearful in new places, and better prepared to settle smoothly into family life.

Our dogs are family members first — they never live in kennels, pens, or runs. They spend their days inside with us or out in one of our two specially designed yards, complete with cozy dog houses and raised beds, seasonal comfort (heaters in winter, fans and pools in summer), enrichment features, and daily interaction with horses, goats, cats, and other dogs. At night, everyone sleeps in kennels inside our home for a safe, restful routine. Happy, fulfilled parents are the foundation for happy, healthy puppies.

All of our breeding dogs are AKC registered, genetically health tested through Embark, and cleared by our veterinarians before breeding. Every puppy goes home vet-checked, dewormed, microchipped (with our info as a permanent backup), and started on age-appropriate vaccinations. We pair that physical foundation with intentional early socialization to give each puppy the healthiest possible start. You can see each dog’s specific results on our Our Dogs and Aussiechons pages.

Final OFA hip and elbow certifications can’t be completed until a dog is 2 years or older. In the meantime, our dogs are screened through Embark for a wide range of inherited conditions, and as each dog reaches the appropriate age we complete all recommended OFA testing.

Mini Aussies are a lower-risk breed for hip dysplasia (around 8–12% in OFA-evaluated dogs), and elbow dysplasia is rare. Because hip dysplasia is polygenic and influenced by environment, no breeder can fully eliminate the risk — but we stack the odds in our puppies’ favor through genetic testing, careful selection for structure and movement, pedigree history, and guidance on proper growth, nutrition, and exercise.

We sometimes breed before age 2 (when final OFA certifications become possible), and it’s never a decision we take lightly. We base it on a whole-dog, multi-factor picture: clear Embark genetic screening, physical maturity and soundness, true developed temperament, and pedigree and line history. Many dogs are physically mature well before 2 years old, even though final certification requires that age.

All recommended OFA testing will still be completed as our dogs reach the appropriate age, and those results continue to inform our future pairings. Our goal is always to balance responsible health practices with thoughtful, well-rounded selection.

Miniature American Shepherds are traditionally docked within the first few days of life — long before their eyes open, when puppies spend almost all their time sleeping and nursing, and return to nursing right away.

Tails are docked to help prevent “happy tail” injuries in such an active breed and to meet the AKC breed standard; front dewclaws are removed because they can easily catch and tear during play. We understand opinions differ, and we always respect families who prefer a natural tail — see the next question.

We absolutely respect families who prefer a natural (undocked) tail. Because docking must happen within the first 72 hours of life, families wanting a natural tail must:

• Be at the top of the waitlist when the litter is born
• Select their puppy within 72 hours
• Place a $1,000 deposit (50% refundable), applied toward the purchase price

This early timeline is necessary because the decision must be made right after birth and can’t be changed later. If a natural tail is important to you, we recommend joining the waitlist early so you’re in position when a litter arrives.

All families complete a puppy application first. If approved, you’ll be invited to join the waitlist with a $500 deposit (applied toward your puppy’s total). Waitlist order is based on when your deposit is received.

Selections happen at 4 weeks of age: I contact families in deposit order with photos, videos, and my professional recommendations, and help guide you to the puppy that best fits your lifestyle and goals. You always have the final choice — once you select, I move to the next family. It’s how we create the best possible matches.

Puppies are ready for their new homes at 8 weeks old. This allows healthy social development with their littermates while they’re still young enough to bond deeply with your family.

Each puppy goes home with:

• AKC registration (if applicable)
• Vet-check paperwork
• Microchip (with our info as a permanent backup)
• Age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming
• A complete Puppy Guide
• A puppy pack with starter supplies
• Weekly training and socialization tips
• Lifetime breeder support

Always — our relationship with you continues for life. Every family gets a complete Puppy Guide (with training resources and trainer recommendations), a puppy pack of starter supplies, weekly training and raising tips in those first weeks home, and ongoing access to us for questions at any stage. Whether it’s a quick question at 12 weeks or advice when your dog is 12 years old, we’re here to help.

We have a lifetime, no-questions-asked take-back policy. If at any point in your dog’s life your circumstances change and you can’t keep them, they always have a safe place to return to us — a Trailside dog never has to end up in a shelter.

This is such an important question. I have a deep personal connection to rescue — I’ve worked in a managerial role at an animal shelter and have adopted and rescued many dogs and cats over the years, some of whom still sleep in our bed every night. If you have the heart and ability to adopt a shelter pet, you absolutely should.

At the same time, I believe in raising great dogs from the very beginning. When families — especially those with children — know what to expect in size, temperament, and health, it dramatically reduces the risk of stress, behavior problems, and rehoming. To me it’s not “adopt or shop” — it’s doing both responsibly. And I take real steps to make sure none of my puppies ever end up in a shelter: lifetime microchip backup, a no-questions-asked return policy, and careful matching from the start.