Info in English
Miniature American Shepherd Club of Finland
The Miniature American Shepherd Club of Finland was established in 2018 with the aim of increasing awareness of the breed as well as promoting common activities. MAS Finland strives to set a benchmark for healthy and responsible breeding practices. We want to promote the breeding of healthy, compliant dogs that fit both good family life as well as work. MAS Finland exists for the benefit of its members and it organizes and promotes regular events and activities such as training trials among agility, showing, herding, obedience, lectures etc.
In addition, we provide support for owners and breeders as well as advice and guidance in all matters concerning our nice breed MAS. If you need any advice or information, do not hesitate to contact us, we are happy to help!
You can reach us best by email:
yhdistys@pieniamerikanpaimenkoirat.fi
Breed Info
In Europe and especially in Finland, the breed is still considered relatively new and therefore most of our dogs are young. The breed was recognized as an FCI breed in 2019 and our own national canine organization, The Finnish Kennel Club (Kennelliitto), accepted the breed in 2017.
The Miniature American Shepherd, aka MAS, is an active, small, herding breed that originated in the United States dating back to the late 1960s. Males vary from 35,5cm to 46cm, and bitches from 33cm to 43,5cm. The MAS is suitable for many different activities and dog sports. These include for example obedience training, rally-obedience, herding, tracking, SAR, nosework, agility and hoopers. Physical and mental exercise is very important in the well being of this smart breed.
Good health and a good temperament are of utmost importance in breeding. Parents need to be registered and widely health tested. Obligatory tests are named in the Breeders Database. Remember to get to know your breeder and the parents of your future puppy, meet the mom at least and see the surroundings where your future companion spends its first two months.
To find more profound info about the breed standard and history, we recommend you to visit:
Miniature American Shepherd Club USA
Breeding Database
The Finnish Kennel Club is a member association of FCI and we do not have any other main registries in Finland. Finnish Kennel Club is able to register all imported Miniature American Shepherds registered in the AKC or in FCI member associations. See the list of FCI member associations world wide. In order to support genetic diversity The Finnish Kennel Club has also approved our application to register dogs registered in MASCA and ASDR until December 31, 2025.
The Finnish Kennel Club Breeding Database is a thorough, diverse and transparent tool and therefore internationally unique. There you can find detailed information on breed statistics and on registered dogs individually. Statistics contain data on breeding (pedigrees, litters, registrations etc.), on all official health examinations and on results in various performance and conformation events. See the Finnish breed database called Koiranet.
Health requirements for breeding dogs in Finland
In order for a breeder to register a MAS litter in Finland, the parents need to meet these breed specific health requirements.
* Eye examination taken (in time of breeding the eye screening is not older than a year & preliminary examination prior to pharmacological dilation should be done as well)
* Hip Dysplasia screening. Limit value C (in scale from A to E). See the hip score comparison chart.
* Elbow Dysplasia screening. Limit value 1 (in scale from 0 to 3).
More information of canine hip and elbow dysplasia.
* The bitch needs to be at least 22 months and the stud 18 months of age in time of breeding.
* The maximum amount of offspring for a stud younger than 5 years is 20 and altogether 60.
* Regulations on the time limit with eye examination and on the amount of offspring do not apply to foreign studs. Elbow Dysplasia screening also not required.
* The Finnish Kennel Club forbids to mate merles to each other. It is also forbidden to mate two NBTs (natural bob-tails). Docking tails has been forbidden in Finland since 1991 and docked dogs haven’t been allowed to compete in any events since 2001.
In addition to previous health checks we highly recommend the screenings listed below. The results are also systematically published in the database.
* Patellar luxation
* Back: Vertebral anomaly (VA), Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV), Spondylosis (SP), Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
* Shoulder osteochondrosis
* Cardiac examination
DNA-tests are also fairly common but these results are not listed in the official Kennel Club database.