Height:
12 – 23 inches
Weight:
15 – 50 pounds
Lifespan:
12 – 15 years
Colors:
Black, red, silver, gray, white
Suitable for:
Active families with older children, house with a yard
Temperament:
Active, intelligent, loyal, social, affectionate
The Confetti Australian Shepherd (also called the Confetti Schnauzer) is the mixed breed pup of the Miniature Schnauzer and the Australian Shepherd. The Miniature Schnauzer is smart, loyal, and friendly, and the Australian Shepherd is energetic, intelligent, and affectionate. The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a combination of these qualities and looks like a mixture of both parents.
The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog with a medium-length double coat famous for its blue or red merle coloring (patches or splotches of dark colors on top of a lighter colored base), blue eyes (if it’s merle), and has triangular, floppy ears. The Miniature Schnauzer is a small dog with a short double coat that is black or black and silver and has triangular, floppy ears naturally (Miniature Schnauzers typically have their ears cropped when competing in dog shows).
The Confetti Australian Shepherd will also likely have triangular, floppy ears, and its coat might be short or medium in length with coarse or wiry hair. They may take on the merle coloring of the Australian Shepherd and could come in black, white, gray, red, and silver variations.
Confetti Australian Shepherd Puppies – Before You Buy…
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is an energetic dog that is healthy and has a lengthy lifespan for a dog its size. They are smart and easy to train and are very friendly and social dogs.
What’s the Price of Confetti Australian Shepherd Puppies?
At the time of this writing, there were no Confetti Australian Shepherd puppies available. However, Miniature Schnauzer crosses as well as Australian Shepherd cross puppies were $1000 to $3200, so it’s reasonable to conclude that Confetti Australian Shepherd puppies might be available within this range.
If you do decide to find a puppy through a breeder, you’ll want to find a reputable and responsible breeder and completely avoid puppy mills.
Here are 4 different tips for working with a good breeder:
- Meet the breeder: Going to the breeder’s location will give you the opportunity to have a look at the dogs and their kennels. Do the dogs appear to be in good health? Are they happy, and do they seem to have a great relationship with the breeder? Consider using video chat if you are unable to meet with the breeder face-to-face.
- Medical history: A responsible breeder will provide you with access to their dog’s medical background.
- Meet the parents: Meeting the puppy’s parents will allow you to not only check their health, but it should give you an idea of how the puppy will look and act as an adult dog.
- Ask lots of questions: Ask the breeder as many questions as you want. Remember, there’s no such thing as a stupid question if it’s important to you.
You could also think about adopting a dog. The adoption fees are typically lower than purchasing a puppy from a breeder and will help support the rescue group. Most groups will waive the adoption fee if you adopt a special needs or senior dog. You will bring home a dog that will be rehabilitated and vet-checked and will give a dog a new and better life.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Confetti Australian Shepherd
1. The Confetti Australian Shepherd might have blue eyes.
Merle coloring usually also changes the dog’s eyes to blue. If your Confetti Australian Shepherd has merle coloring, it might also have blue eyes or possibly one brown and one blue eye.
2. The Confetti Australian Shepherd usually resembles the Schnauzer.
The Miniature Schnauzer is known for its adorable beard and bushy eyebrows, and the Confetti Australian Shepherd tends to sport similar Schnauzer facial hair with a jaunty little beard.
3. The Confetti Australian Shepherd is named after the merle coloring.
If the Australian Shepherd parent is merle, the Confetti Australian Shepherd will usually end up merle as well. The splotches and speckling of the merle coloring give them the name “confetti.”
Temperament & Intelligence of the Confetti Australian Shepherd
Confetti Australian Shepherds are alert and energetic dogs that love to be around their family and are loyal and affectionate. They make good watchdogs because they are very aware of everything going on and alert the family if they sense anything out of the ordinary. However, they might also have some issues with aggression.
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is highly intelligent and is very social with people and other animals. They can adapt to both hot and cold conditions, and they are prone to destructive behavior if left alone for too long.
Are These Dogs Good for Families?
The Confetti Australian Shepherd makes a great family dog but will do better with older children. They are social and loyal and will enjoy playing with children, but all children, regardless of age, need to be taught to respect all dogs.
Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?
With proper training and socialization, the Confetti Australian Shepherd will get along with the other family pets very well. The aggressive trait previously mentioned might be an issue with other dogs, so always supervise your Confetti Australian Shepherd when it’s around unfamiliar dogs.
Things to Know When Owning a Confetti Australian Shepherd:
Food & Diet Requirements
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized, active dog, so how much and how often you feed it will depend on its age, size, and activity level. You can follow the guidelines on the food bag (like this one), which can help you determine the proper amount you should feed your dog. You can always check with your vet if you’re ever concerned about your dog’s weight and health.
Exercise
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a high-energy dog that will need a lot of daily exercise. They would do best in a house with a yard and should get about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. This can include agility and obedience trials or just tossing a ball around in addition to long walks.
Training
The Miniature Schnauzer is easy to train because of their intelligence and eager to please nature but tend to become bored with repetition. The Australian Shepherd has a strong bond and loyalty to their owner. That, combined with their intelligence and energy, makes them equally easy to train.
It should be straightforward to train Confetti Australian Shepherds as they are intelligent and devoted to their owners and share many of their parents’ characteristics. They will need a gentle but firm hand to train and socialize them, and you’ll end up with a confident and happy companion.
Grooming ✂️
Grooming the Confetti Australian Shepherd will depend on what kind of coat they inherit from their parents. The Miniature Schnauzer has a double coat with a short, wiry outer coat that sheds little but requires frequent brushing and grooming. The Australian Shepherd also has a double coat that is waterproof and medium in length that only needs a weekly brushing except when it is shedding season (in which case, they need daily brushing).
The Confetti Australian Shepherd should be groomed according to which coat they inherit (more than likely, they’ll need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week). Giving your dog a bath with a good dog shampoo should only occur once a month or when absolutely necessary.
You should clean your Confetti Australian Shepherd’s ears approximately once a month, trim their nails every 3 to 4 weeks, and brush their teeth about 2 or 3 times a week.
Health Conditions
The Miniature Schnauzer is susceptible to:
The Miniature Schnauzer is prone to:
Your vet will check your dog’s thyroid, skin, and eyes to rule out any of the conditions their parents might have inherited.
The Australian Shepherd might suffer from:
The Australian Shepherd might experience:
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a mixed breed and not as likely to develop these conditions, but your vet will still examine your dog in case it has acquired any health problems from its parents. Your vet will check your dog’s hips and might run x-rays and ultrasounds as well as blood and urinalysis tests.
Male vs Female
The male Confetti Australian Shepherd is a little bigger than the female. They could measure 12 to 23 inches in height and weighs 15 to 50 pounds. The male will usually have a height closer to the top end of 23 inches and weighs near 50 pounds, and the female will be more likely towards the lower end of both scales.
If your dog has surgery, neutering the male dog is a less complicated operation than spaying the female and will be less expensive and needs less time to recover from. Having your dog neutered or spayed can prevent future health risks and lessen any aggressiveness your dog might exhibit or any tendencies for it to run away.
There is also the belief that female dogs are less aggressive and easier to train than males, but there are debates about this. The one element that will always determine your dog’s personality and temperament is how it was raised and trained as a puppy and how it has been treated as an adult.
Final Thoughts
The Confetti Australian Shepherd is a very active dog that loves to spend lots of time with its family and makes an excellent watchdog.
Finding one of these puppies could be a challenge. They aren’t one of the most common hybrids, so start by talking to Australian Shepherd and Miniature Schnauzer breeders. You can also speak to national and local dog clubs, attend dog shows, and talk to as many people as possible. Social media is another great method to get your message out.
If you’re looking for a dog to fit into your active family and are home a lot of the time, look no further than the adorable and distinctive looking Confetti Australian Shepherd.
Related Reads:
- Cosheltie (Collie & Shetland Sheepdog Mix)
- Italian-Bichon (Bichon Frise & Italian Greyhound Mix)
- Giant Irish Wolf Schnauzer (Giant Schnauzer & Irish Wolfhound Mix)
Featured Image Credit: Left: Australian Shepherd: otsphoto, Shutterstock | Right: Miniature Schanauzer: Winsker, Pixabay
Contents
- Confetti Australian Shepherd Puppies – Before You Buy…
- What’s the Price of Confetti Australian Shepherd Puppies?
- 3 Little-Known Facts About the Confetti Australian Shepherd
- Temperament & Intelligence of the Confetti Australian Shepherd
- Things to Know When Owning a Confetti Australian Shepherd:
- Final Thoughts
