Why the name "Rafter 22?"
My dad passed away in 2005, when I was only 11 years old. In order to honor his memory, I decided to name my kennel after his cattle brand. 

Do Mini Aussies make good family dogs?

Yes, definitely. Australian Shepherds are easy to train, extremely devoted to their families, and wonderful with children and other pets. People often refer to them as "velcro dogs." Australian Shepherds are also working dogs, and as working dogs they need to be involved in the family and exercised regularly. They must be socialized early because the standard calls for a dog of “strong herding and guardian instincts” and a “reserved” temperament. Not all Australian Shepherds will be friendly toward strangers.

How much exercise do they need?

Australian Shepherds require moderate exercise. Miniature Australian Shepherds may not require as much exercise as the full size Australian Shepherd. My dogs are usually relaxed while inside with the family. Adult Miniature Australian Shepherds will likely enjoy fetch, hiking, jogging, flyball and frisbee. If the Miniature Australian Shepherd is not sufficiently exercised, it may become destructive or bark when left alone. 

Do they shed much? How much grooming is required?

The Miniature Australian Shepherd has a moderately thick double coat. The degree of shedding will depend on the individual dog. They blow their coat  Regular brushing once or twice a week will help to minimize shedding and keep the skin and coat healthy. The mini Aussie’s coat is not long enough to require heavy daily attention.

How big will a Miniature Australian Shepherd grow?

They typical height is between 14 to 18 inches. They usually grow to be 20-40 pounds. Dogs will occasionally mature over or under the preferred size. My dogs will likely mature between 15-18 inches. See the breed standard page to find out more about size and structure.
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Where are you located?

We are located in Dayton, WA.

Are you willing to ship a puppy?

Yes, we are willing to ship a puppy Shipping generally cost $600 extra if buyer is comfortable with cargo shipping on a plane. Ground shipping is something I have not done, but is generally more expensive than a cargo shipment. I am occasionally in the Tri City area and am happy to deliver puppies to that area IF I already have a planned trip, otherwise I ask all buyers to meet in downtown Dayton, WA. If you are interested in shipping a puppy or having one delivered, please contact us for more details. 
 
If I want to purchase a puppy, how much is a deposit?

The deposit is $500 unless otherwise specified.  

What is included with my puppy?

Your puppy will have been vaccinated, wormed, and vet checked prior to leaving. All puppies will have their tails docked and dew claws removed. We will include a blanket from home, collar, and a small bag of food. ASDR limited registration application paperwork is also included. ​Limited registration may be changed at a later date. Contact me for more information.

Do you do health testing on your dogs? 

We DNA health test our dogs through Paw Print Genetics and CanineHealth Check

Do you take PayPal and/or Credit Cards? 
 
Yes, our website pay links will accept Paypal and Credit cards to be used. Purchaser will be responsible for fees. 

Should something come up and I am no longer able to keep my puppy, will you take it back? 

Absolutely. We actually stipulate in our contract that if you can no longer keep your puppy or dog, we will take it back. We would rather have the dog here than to have it end up in a shelter or bouncing from home to home. We will assess boarding fees at $30 per day and attempt to rehome the puppy in a reasonable time frame. If puppies are rehomed quickly, I will deduct the $500 deposit and any applicable vet and boarding fees from the most recent sales price before issuing a refund.  

Where do you raise your puppies?

We raise our puppies in our 14x40 kennel building. Mama dogs have their own whelping areas away from our other adult dogs. We watch our puppies closely from the time they are born until they are ready to leave our home. This allows us to learn the personalities of each puppy and to socialize our dogs.​

Do you provide a health guarantee on your puppies?  ​

Yes! We offer a 3 year guarantee free of any genetic defects such as serious eye defects or deafness. Should a problem arise, each situation will be dealt with on a case by case basis.    

Do you complete OFA's?

We do not complete OFA's at this time. The x-rays are a snapshot in time and very subjective. The positioning required is also crucial to a reliable result. I have watched my dogs mature and see how they move daily. Parent dogs with excellent or good hips can produce offspring with poor hips. While there may be a genetic component, I strongly believe that environmental factors play a very large role in their development of a dog's joints. For example, if a puppy is allowed to jump off furniture at a very young age or is overfed, the joints will likely be affected into adulthood. 

What registry do you use?

We currently use American Stock Dog Registry (ASDR). ASDR recognizes the size variations in Australian Shepherds. 

Why not AKC?
AKC opened their stud books to Miniature Australian Shepherds who had proven lineage in other registries such as ASDR. The stud books closed and stopped accepting dogs from outside registries in January of 2025. AKC chose to rename the breed to Miniature American Shepherd to differentiate between the Standard Australian Shepherd and the "Mini Aussie." We believe that an Aussie is an Aussie regardless of size. All that to say, the Miniature Australian Shepherd and the Miniature American Shepherd are the same breed with the same lineages. 

What type of dog food do you feed?
 
We feed Diamond Naturals Grain Free salmon flavor to our adult dogs and Diamond Naturals small breed puppy food to our puppies.
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Tails on Aussies
If you'd like to keep a tail on your puppy, I ask that you are #1 on the waitlist and will require the full cost of the puppy prior to their docking appointment at 2-5 days old. The price will reflect this request.

MDR1
https://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/mdr1-in-dogs/

Parent dogs have all been tested or are clear by parentage outside of some being a carrier of MDR1, which is a genetic mutation that causes adverse reactions to certain medications. All puppies that come from carriers should be treated as affected. A list of medications to avoid will be included in your puppy health documents.