15-30 lbs
12-21"
Unknown
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is an interesting breed that has been created recently. These dogs were made by combining a Miniature Schnauzer and an Australian Shepherd, who are both wonderful breeds on their own. When mixed together, they create a smart and social pet who can be suitable for all owners and get along well with older children. They will grow to a medium size, and are moderately easy to maintain. These dogs do not drool or smell, and should be easy to train as well. This breed can be adaptable to cold or warm climates and should be given space in a fenced in yard to run around, as their activity levels are usually quite high.
In the past few years, designer dogs have been becoming more and more popular, resulting in the creation of many unique hybrid breeds. The Confetti Australian Shepherd is one of these new breeds and is the combination of a Miniature Schnauzer and an Australian Shepherd. Miniature Schnauzers are a smaller version of the Standard Schnauzer, which is descended from the Affenpinscher and the Poodle, as well as the possibility of Miniature Pinschers, Wire Fox Terriers and Zwergspitz. This breed was only fully recognized in the 1800s, but is thought to have dated back to around 1400, where they were depicted in paintings. The Miniature version of these dogs was created thanks to Georg Rhiel and Heinrich Schott, who both loved the dog and decided to cross and line breed the smallest of the litter together. The first of these dogs were shown in 1899, and have been breeding in North America since 1924. It was in 1927 that the breed began being separated into the Miniature and Standard groups.They were mainly used as farm dogs and ratters. Between Spain and France in the Pyrenees Mountains, more specifically the Basque region, is most likely where the Australian Shepherd is originally from. The name of the breed was chosen because they came from Australia and were often used by shepherds in the United States in the 1800s. This breed is thought to be crossed with several types of Collies, and were excellent herders that move large herds of sheep between seasonal grazing grounds. Containing herds in small spaces, such as alleyways and chutes, was their specialty.
The physical appearance of the Confetti Australian Shepherd will be a combination of characteristics from the Australian Shepherd and the Miniature Schnauzer. Therefore, to determine how your hybrid breed will look, we must consider the appearances of the parent breeds. The latter is a small and squarely shaped dog. They have bushy eyebrows and beards, and the eyes are deep set. Their small ears, which will be either cropped or uncropped, are set high, and are v-shaped. Their rectangular heads have small and blunt muzzles, and the docked tails are erect and set high. Australian Shepherds are medium in size, with a body that is not quite as tall as the dog is long. They have pendant ears and bobtails, with deep chests. Their muzzles are tapering and will have a length that is similar to that of the head. Their eyes, which can be a variety of colors, and medium sized and oval shaped. The triangular ears are erect and set high.
Miniature Schnauzers will need to be groomed well every five to eight weeks in order to keep their coats in tip top shape. This process can be difficult, which is why most owners choose to get help from a professional. On top of that, these dogs, who do not shed but will need the fur to be brushed out, should be brushed two or three times each week and extra care should be given to the beard, like washing it after they eat. Australian Shepherds, who shed all year round, should be brushed every week, or more often during the heavy shedding seasons. The grooming needs of your hybrid will be determined according to the dominant parent. The Confetti Australian Shepherd will not need regular baths, only if they are dirty or smell bad. All dogs need to have their teeth brushed every day, or two to three times per week as a minimum. Clean out your pet’s ears weekly to prevent infections, and trim the nails as needed. This can be once or twice per month, but can vary if your dog is active and wears down the nails naturally.
This breed is highly alert and would do well as a watchdog. They are also very smart, and should be a pleasure to train. The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a social and loyal dog who will do well living in a home with older children. They can sometimes be aggressive, which is why proper training and socialization is important for this breed. They will respond best to kind but firm and consistent owners. As the parent breed Miniature Schnauzers can be mischievous and very smart, your hybrid may be stubborn and independent, and sometimes training will be a bit challenging. They can also get bored easily, so try to keep training sessions short and varied. They are quite active and will enjoy exercising with their owners. This breed is suitable for all people, even if they do not have any experience with owning dogs before. This hybrid is an alert dog who can watch the house, and is more suited to homes with older children as opposed to toddlers. The Australian Shepherd parent can have a varying personality. These dogs will be anywhere between friendly and outgoing, to reserved and shy. They are always loyal and very smart, and love to spend time with active families. They are easy to train as they love to please their owners.
This breed is highly active, like its parents. The Miniature Schnauzer enjoys activities like earthdog competitions. They are also talented at agility, as are Australian Shepherds. Aussies can become destructive or develop separation anxiety if left alone with too much energy, so it is important to give them the exercise that they need. The Confetti Australian Shepherd will most likely need around 30 to 80 minutes of exercise per day.
Written by Kathleen Egger
Published: 10/16/2017, edited: 02/24/2021
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