Do Miniature American Shepherds bark a lot? Is living in a flat okay for them?

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Hi everyone, I've just joined the forum to get some info on Miniature American Shepherds, so if you could help me out, that would be great! ;)

1) I live in a 95-square-metre flat. I'd be able to take the dog out: in the morning (10-15 mins), at lunchtime (25-35 mins), when I get back from work around 4:30 pm (1 to 1.5 hours), and in the evening before bed (15-25 mins). On Wednesdays I'm home all afternoon, and at the weekend we'd do big walks with the family, games, agility... Do you think that's okay?

2) Do Mini Aussies bark much, or is it just to alert you to danger?

3) I have a rabbit and two children (aged 10 and 13) – is the dog likely to react badly to them?

4) The dog would be on its own for about 7 hours a day, except on Wednesdays when I'm home all afternoon and at weekends when I'm not working. Is that too long for the dog?

5) I've read that they are about 35-45cm (14-18 inches) at the withers, but how tall are they including their head?

6) I've never had a dog before – is a Mini Aussie a good breed for a first-time owner?

I hope you can help me out with some answers, thanks in advance! ;)

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Same with my rabbit! We originally wanted a female, but when we saw our little bunny we just fell in love ❤️❤️
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Like they said, just follow your heart ;D
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Thanks so much! Well, I was thinking of a female, but I'm happy with either ;)

    Thanks for your replies ;)

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    I was wondering the exact same thing a little while back :P

    Have a look at the replies I got (there’s a bit of everything in there ^^):

    http://wamiz.com/chiens/berger-australien-23/forum/male-ou-femelle-17428.html

    (we’re seriously thinking about getting a little boy ;D)

    And here’s a site I’m on that’s all about Miniature Australian Shepherds. Once you’ve signed up, you can access all the threads! Let me know what you think ;D

    http://miniaussie.forumactif.com/

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Cheers ;) and my last question - with Miniature Australian Shepherds, is there a difference between males and females or are they the same?
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    I live in a flat and work 7 hours a day, and I have a 62 lb German Shepherd. It’s going really well—every evening we go for a proper brisk walk, and at the weekend we head to the woods. When it comes to barking, it’s up to you to train them and make them understand what’s right and wrong!

    Good luck!

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    But otherwise, can we train him to be left alone, or will he just be too miserable for seven hours regardless?
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    If you can manage to make the walks a bit longer, I don't see any problem with that! But it's mainly the being left alone that's the worry :/ I’d suggest speaking to a breeder for more info; they’ll be able to give you some proper answers and help you with the loneliness side of things!

    Keep us posted on your dog :)

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    You'll see, an Aussie is absolutely adorable and so lovely!!!
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    An hour in the morning is going to be a bit tough, but my husband could walk him for a bit longer at lunchtime – about 15 minutes extra – and we can also add 20 minutes to the evening walk. Would that be okay? Mind you, at the weekend and on Wednesdays, the kids will definitely make the most of it (agility, frisbee, long walks, games...)

    As for the Whippet, I’m not really keen; I prefer those with fairly long coats.

    And thanks for the other replies ;)

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