Firefly River Mini Aussies

Why Us?

If you’re looking for a puppy, you are probably wary of the issues surrounding dog breeding. Puppy mills prioritize quantity over quality, compromising the health of their dogs. It is good to be cautious and do your research during this process. We enjoy the process of raising puppies, and do our best to make sure your puppy is happy and healthy, just like our girls! Here’s a little bit about what we do:

• We completed Pawprints Genetic Testing to rule out common health issues of the breed.
• All puppies are ASDR eligible (American Stock Dog Registry).
• We prioritize quality over quantity, only having one litter a year.
• We provide all age appropriate deworming medication and vaccinations.
• The puppies are well-loved and well-socialized.
• We seek out high-quality studs.
• We abide by San Antonio city laws, acquiring the appropriate permits for each litter.
• Our dogs are part of our family; they live awesome lives and go on many adventures.
• We will never rehome our dogs when they retire from breeding.

Whether you purchase a puppy from us, buy a puppy from another breeder, or adopt from a shelter, we wish you the best of luck on your puppy journey!

The Process

Join our waiting list

Complete a short survey and sign up to be notified about our next litter. Don’t worry; it’s not a commitment just yet! Being on our list makes you a priority for updates and puppy selection.

Birth

Follow @fireflyriveraussies on Instagram for lots of puppy pictures! We will also update you via email about the pups that will be available.

Reservations

At about 4–5 weeks old, we will make the puppies available for reservation. Once you choose a puppy, you will need to place a deposit. The rest of the payment will be completed at pickup.

Pickup

Puppies can be picked as early as 8 weeks old! We will finalize the paperwork and you’re good to go.

Vet Evaluation

We request that you take your puppy to the vet for evaluation within 3 days of pick up, to ensure your puppy is healthy and establish a vet plan for the rest of your puppy’s vaccinations.

Stay connected

We love to hear about your puppies as they grow! Stay connected with us via @fireflyriveraussies on Instagram, and never hesitate to reach out if you have training or grooming questions.

About Mini Aussies

Miniature Australian Shepherds (also known as Miniature American Shepherds) are usually energetic, playful, protective, and loyal. They are a medium sized dog full of lots of love! Aussies are highly intelligent and learn fast at a young age. Since they were bred to work with livestock, they are a high-drive breed and require a lot of exercise. They do well with owners who have a yard or have active outdoor lifestyles.

Coat

Aussies have medium to long fur, usually with longer sections on their legs and backside (“feathers”) and chest (“mane”). Aussies come in 4 main color categories:

• Blue Merle – A mixed black and white coat, often with sections of white and copper.
• Red Merle – A mixed red and white coat, often with sections of white and copper.
• Black Tricolor – Mostly solid black, usually with sections of white and copper.
• Red Tricolor – Mostly red or brown, usually with sections of white and copper.

Other combinations of colors are possible, but these are the most common. Aussies are rarely solid colors, but it is possible.

Tails or no tails?

That is the question! Some aussies are born with naturally short (bobbed) tails, however most aussies are born with naturally long tails. Most breeders dock the tails (clip them short when the pups are just a couple days old), as it is standard for shows in the U.S. However, in Europe it is standard to leave the tails natural–long or bobbed. We love both docked-tail wigglebutts and long foxy tails! Since there are so many breeders in Texas that choose to dock the tails, we have decided to keep natural tails on all our litters.

If you are interested in a docked-tail puppy, I can refer you to another breeder.

Eye Color

Aussies have amazing eyes! They can be blue, brown, green, amber, copper, or black. Many aussies have heterochromia; two eyes of different colors or multiple colors in each eye. Aussie eye colors may appear blue as a puppy, but often change as they age–even up to 8 months! Because of this, we can never guarantee a puppy’s eye color will stay a certain color. In our last litter, 5 of 6 puppies had eyes that stayed blue after puppyhood.

Common Health Issues

MDR1: This breed is known to have a drug sensitivity caused by a gene called MDR1 (Multi-Drug Resistance 1). This sensitivity may cause adverse reactions to certain medications, causing seizures and other symptoms. Unfortunately many aussies are carriers for this gene. To ensure the health of our litters, we have completed genetic testing to rule out common health issues such as MDR1. Our females and selected studs are not carriers for MDR1.

Double merle: Aussies are bred either a merle with a tricolor, or two tricolors together. However, when two merle aussies are bred together, the genetic combination can be very damaging to the offspring. Many puppies from litters have severe visual and hearing impairment including full blindness and deafness. A dominantly white dog or white face can be a sign that the dog was from a double merle litter, so be cautious on your puppy search. Responsible breeders should not breed dogs with double merles in their family history. Many dogs from double merle litters are special needs and require extra care and customized training.

If you’re open to a special needs dog, be sure to check out your local shelters and websites like aussierescue.org.