Jet is a 1 year old blue merle Australian Shepherd. He is being fostered in St Louis MO. He just came into rescue and is currently being evaluated.

Maggie May is a 1 year old blue merle Australian Shepherd. She weighs about 45 lbs and is being fostered near Peoria, IL. This girl is currently under evaluation.

Lucy is a 6 year old, red-tri Miniature Australian Shepherd, weighing about 40 pounds. She is housetrained, gentle, and very lady-like. She is not an overly-active dog, but she LOVES her squeaky toys and will do anything for a treat! Lucy is a wonderful guard dog and very loyal to her master. She is spayed, up-to-date with all shots, a little timid around strangers (especially men), but slowly warms up to them.

Please consider offering this beautiful dog a forever home. She currently resides in St. Charles, MO. If you are interested in Lucy, please email maureengesell@att.net.

Brandi Bear is a 7 year old red tri Australian Shepherd. She is being fostered in Austin, MN. Brandi has just entered rescued and is currently being evaluated.

We do not have enough foster homes in Missouri! We are getting contacted DAILY either by high kill shelters or by owners who can no longer keep their Aussie and they are asking us for help. We are forced to say NO if we do not have available foster homes for these dogs to go!

We don’t want to ever have to turn away an Aussie who needs our help. Owners who cannot get their dog into a rescue will often turn to the shelter or the pound, and their dog probably won’t make it out alive.

Photo from dogsindanger.com

ASRM has foster homes in St Louis. If you’re within the boundaries of Missouri (or Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, or Kentucky!) we would love to have you on board with us!

Photo from dogsindanger.com

Once our foster homes have been approved, they are invited to an online group that gives them access to speak to all of our other Aussie savvy volunteers! It’s a great support system if you have questions or concerns.

ASRM will provide the following for your ASRM foster Aussie:
*Spay/Neuter
*Rabies & DHLPP vaccinations
*Heartworm test
*Basic health exam
*Martingale Collar
*Rescue ID Tag
*Monthly Interceptor
*Monthly Frontline
*Wormers as needed
*Thundershirts (if needed)
*24/7 SUPPORT via online, text or phone! You will always have access to somebody within the rescue to help you.
*We will also take care of all pre-approved vet care should your dog test positive for HW, become injured, have an emergency, etc.
*ASRM will list your foster Aussie on it’s website, Petfinder and other rescue pet sites and we will handle the processing of adoption applications. You don’t have to worry about it at all. Just send us updates and good photos for us to post!

We only ask that our foster homes provide the food and an appropriately sized crate to confine their foster Aussie while they cannot be supervised. (Many fosters find them cheap or free at garage sales or online).

You just love them like they are your own!

Merlin came to us from a shelter. Because we had a foster home for him, we were able to pull him and he was happily adopted in June!

If you are able to temporarily house an Australian Shepherd, please fill out our foster application right now! We need you TODAY!

ASRM FOSTER APPLICATION

Sparkle is a 8 month old black tri Australian Shepherd female who weighs 31 lbs. She enjoys bike rides, dog park outings, doggie daycare, walks, running, learning new tricks, getting brushed, and anything to do with releasing energy and spending time with people. This girl is your typical very sweet loving puppy who is a fast learner and very willing to please. She loves other dogs and cats. Sparkle likes everyone she meets.

She is a loving, and intelligent young lady with endless energy so she needs an active family. We recommend children 8 years and older because Sparkle does jump and likes to play a little wild. This girl is great with other dogs. She really wants to play with the ones that don’t want to play with her and isn’t overly interested in the ones that do. She is a little intimidated by dogs bigger than her but is submissive to them. Sparkle loves playing with any and all toys, frisbees, and balls. She loves just about anything that involves activity even if no human is playing with her!

Sparkle can keep herself entertained for a long time with the right toy. She is a follower who never lets you out of her site. Sparkle will bring you toys and politely wait for you to toss them over and over and over again. She is a clumsy girl still growing into her body especially her legs.

This pup likes car rides. She has quickly mastered basic commands due to the fact that she is food/treat motivated too. Sparkle walks nicely with a no pull head collar. Like any puppy, she is still a work in progress and can get into trouble if left unattended. This gal is crate trained and crating is recommended when she is not supervised. She can jump and bark when she wants attention but we are working on that. Sparkle is housebroken but can pee when she gets overly excited meeting new people. She will counter surf and chew things if she is bored and doesn’t have a chew toy. Sparkle loves shredding paper and tissue items like many puppies. With direction, she will get over this puppy behavior as she matures.

Sparkle is spayed, microchipped, up to date on all vaccinations, and up to date on monthly preventative medications. She is being fostered in Evansville, WI. If you would like to make her an addition to your family, please fill out an ADOPTION APPLICATION.

All dogs do 2 things every day, eat and potty. So why not take a few extra minutes while doing these things to teach your dog self-control.

~Sit and wait for a meal

Ask your dog to sit. Begin to lower the food to the ground. If your dog gets up from the sit, raise the food and again give him the cue to sit. Then start lowering the food. You may have to stop and start over a few times before your dog is able to control himself as you lower the food all the way to the floor and then give him the okay to eat it. In the beginning accept a few second wait and try to release him quickly. After several sessions whe your dog understand what you are asking you can begin to slowly increase the duration of the stay after the food is set down. The first few times will be a little rocky but don’t give up.

~Sit and Wait to go Outside

Choose a time to start this when you know your dog isn’t desperate to pee and/or poop. Put on his leash, ask him to sit, and reach for the door handle. If he gets up take your hand away from the door handle and give him the sit cue again. Then reach for the door. If he gets up, repeat. Many dogs can succeed at waiting for you to open the door at the very first training session, though they will probably need much more practice to hold their sit every time you get ready to go outside potty or go for a walk. If your dog is extra-impatient, don’t expect too much of him at first. Stick with what he can handle without getting agitated, and call it a success if you can touch the door handle while he holds his sit. At that point, give
him permission to get up as you open the door. In later sessions, slowly build up his ability to hold the sit while you open the door all the way.

Never miss the opportunity to train while you treat

~Anytime You Treat

You can teach self-control each and every time you treat your dog by teaching the command “Leave-It”. The easiest way is to ask your dog to sit and show your dog the treat in your hand. Close your handinto a fist over the treat and present the closed fist to the dog as if the treat were sitting in your open palm and wait. That’s it! You wait until the dog is finished licking, chewing and pawing your fist all the while saying NOTHING! That is the key, the dog must realize on his own that these antics are not going to get the treat. When the dog stops trying to get the treat and moves his nose away from your hand give your
release command (Ok, Free, Yes) open your hand and give him the treat. When your dog gets really good at this you can hold out for additional behavior like wait until the dog looks up at you then give your release, open your hand give the dog the treat.

Training self-control really is that easy and takes only a few minutes a day. There is no excuse for dogs without self-control. Now get out there and teach your dog some self-control.

Happy Training!

Aunt Aussie

Got a question you’d like to ask Aunt Aussie?  Ask her here! 

Travis is a 1 to 2 year old red tri Australian Shepherd. He weighs about 55 lbs. This boy is a typical Aussie with a bobbed tail that wiggles all of the time. Travis is a show stopper with his deep red long coat and amber eyes. He is a higher energy guy with a great personality. Travis never goes out in public without having someone stopping to tell him how beautiful he is. He loves everyone!

Travis’ perfect family would be fairly active because he loves to be outdoors. This boy loves to explore and play. Even though Travis is an active aussie, he does like to snuggle. He likes to sit by someone and be loved too. Due to his energy level, Travis would do best in a home with kids 12 years and older. This guy has not been cat tested. He does not show a high drive to chase any small animals. A fenced in yard would be ideal since Travis isn’t a Velcro dog. This boy likes to be ahead of his family but keep them in his sight.

We do not know much about Travis’ previous life. He was a stray that was turned into a local shelter. Travis is just learning the fun of toys. This dude loves kong toys and puzzle toys. He likes car rides and will sit up and look out the window. Travis is a very smart boy who is learning his basic manners and doing very well. This boy is great on a leash. He is crate trained but he spends his days loose in the house or in the yard under supervision. Travis is currently being fostered with 5 other dogs and is okay with them but this guy focuses on people. He doesn’t like to share food or toys with other dogs and he will bark at them to express his displeasure.

This guy is UTD on vaccinations, neutered, microchipped, and on monthly heartworm and flea preventatives. He is being fostered in Owensboro, KY which is just about 2 hours away from Louisville, KY. If you would want to make Travis a family member, please fill out an ADOPTION APPLICATION

We are excited to introduce Aussie Rescue alumni ‘Belle’, a deaf double merle Australian Shepherd, and her human adoptive mom Roxanne!

“I picked Belle up in January of 2010 at Chicago Midway Airport in the middle of a snow storm. Belle was coming from New York and is a product of Merle to Merle breeding known as a Double Merle or Lethal White. I was to be her foster mom and train her for her forever home but when I looked into those beautiful eyes I knew she was staying with me.

I had never trained a deaf dog before, so I turned to the internet for information and I found out the training really wasn’t that different from training a hearing dog. All her training is done with positive reinforcement combined with an event marker (a flash light pen). Just like you would use a clicker or a verbal “YES” for a hearing dog followed by a treat. Belle sees the light and immediately she is rewarded with a yummy treat! When she does something that I like, I press the light then follow immediately with yummytreat. This is how Belle and I communicate! This method of training is called Classical Conditioning. What this is doing is stimulating the pleasure seeking part of the brain. If I were to force Belle to do something like push her into a sit, I would be stimulating the fear center of the brain. Classical Conditioning works because all animals respond to what feels good and avoid what doesn’t.

Belle knows about 30 cues; some are ASL and others I made up. A few of her cues are:
little bark, big bark, inside, outside, car, walk, catch, settle, eat, and our favorite PLAY.

Belle and I have also been training in agility and we recently made our debut at a
Canine Performance Events (CPE) agility trial in March. We qualified in 6 out of 8
events entered. Belle is also training in K9 Scent Work and will be competing in her first
trail in May.

The behaviors I feel that are a must train for a deaf dog are:

Auto Check-In. This is basically what it says. The dog comes and checks in. I ALWAYS
reinforce this either with a treat, play or petting. I like when my dogs seek me out, even
more so with my deaf dog.

Hand Target. This is her “COME” cue and I ALWAYS reinforce this with play, treat, or
petting. I want this to be a very reliable behavior. I never call her for something she
doesn’t like.

When on leash if in front of me I need a cue to get her attention. I jiggle the leash.
When she looks at me I reinforce this with play, treat, or petting.

Teaching a deaf dog not to startle or react when they are awakened or when touched
from behind is also on my list of must teach. They can’t hear our approach, so I want

her comfortable if anyone, person or dog bumps into her. How I taught this was when
Belle was asleep and I needed to wake her I tap the floor or put my hand or bring a treat
to her nose to smell and then she got the treat. I sure wish my alarm clock would give
coffee or chocolate instead of screaming at me.

A vibrating collar is a training option but this too will require the same classic
conditioning as outlined above – positive reinforcement combined with an event marker
(the vibration of the collar) then reinforce with play, treat, or petting. I will caution that
vibrating collars can be very helpful, but they are very expensive will ruin if in rain, also
there is a specific range that they work within.

Belle and I are still learning from each other and it has been a wonderful journey. The
best advice I can give if you have or are considering a deaf dog is to seek out a good
positive reinforcement trainer. The bond that you will build using this method of training
is immeasurable.

Don’t pity a deaf dog – adopt one. With understanding, communication and positive
reinforcement there is nothing a deaf dog can’t be taught to do.”

Happy Training!

Roxanne & Belle Tapaninen.

A beautiful black tri Australian Shepherd named Logan is lost in the Benson/Minonk, IL area. He is neutered and almost 4 years old. He weigh approx 50-55 lbs. Last seen around the 251/116 intersection between Minonk and Benson. Missing since 11 am on 3-17-13. If he is seen or anyone has any info they can message me on here. Thank you!

Franko is a 7 month old black tri Australian Shepherd puppy that is full of endless energy. He is also very intelligent! He is excellent around children and does not have an aggressive bone in his little body. This boy is the perfect family dog but he needs somebody that will be able to spend lots of time with him.

The foster home he is in has 5 children that range from 5-17 that he loves very much. The children spoil Franko as if he were the king of the castle. He also loves other animals. Franco’s foster home has two goats that he likes to herd around, 6 hens, one rooster, two farm cats and lab mix named Junior. Franco enjoys teasing the hens, he is timid around the rooster and he plays non stop with canine buddy Junior.

Franko needs a place with plenty of room to play outside but he needs to be closely monitored because he is very curious and can get himself into trouble. He is very high energy and would do best with a home where he will be able to run and play outside for hours at a time. Exercise for this very active high energy boy is a must!

He is a very obedient and is crate trained. Franco is rarely in his crate but he goes in without hesitation when its time for a break. He also loves to play with his toys. Toilet paper is his best friend so you will have to make sure that your bathroom doors are closed. Franco is a very fast learner, but toilet paper is his cryptonite! This guy learned how to shake in about 5 minutes and he is also a very curious little guy. He is a very loyal dog and tends to shadow the male in the family.

Franco is completely house broken, neutered, micro chipped and current on all his vaccinations. He is being fostered in Central IL. If you would like to make this dude a part of your family, please fill out the ADOPTION APPLICATION and reference Franco!

Gizmo is a typical velcro Aussie and loves to be with people as long as they play, play, play because she is a very busy girl. She is a rough and tumble tomboy who loves to chase and wrestle with her foster canine siblings and is very vocal in her play. This pup plays fetch and tug. Gizmo loves to play with squeaky toys. She loves to chew antlers, Kong’s and bully sticks. This smart darling likes to take all the toys out of the toy box and lay them out on the floor so she can choose just the right toy. Gizmo also is infatuated with with family cat. This girl doesn’t try to hurt him but she has an extremely high prey drive and will chase anything that moves.

This gal is crate trained. Because she is a puppy, she should be crated whenever she is not being supervised until she matures. Like most young Aussies, Gizmo would do best in an a home with another dog for guidance but it is not a requirement. Gizmo is such an active, busy girl that she will not do well in home with small children. Gizmo is a sweet girl who needs to be kept mentally and physically engaged. This doll needs a very active home with plenty of structured exercise. A simple walk is not going to be enough exercise for her. Like any puppy, letting her out in a backyard without any supervision will result in digging holes and chewing on anything she can get into her mouth.

She is learning basic house and leash manners. At this time, Gizmo is not completely housebroken. She doesn’t quite have it all figured out yet so you need to be very aware of her subtle hints. Gizmo is still young and can’t always hold her bladder for long periods of time. Like a young child, she forgets to tell you she needs to go out when she is busy playing sometimes. When she matures a bit, this will not be a problem.

Gizmo is up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and spayed. She is being fostered in Northern IL. If you would like to add this adorable puppy to your family, please fill out an ADOPTION APPLICATION.

Gabe is a 1 year old blue merle Smooth Coat or Short-Haired Collie with a tail. This boy has beautiful blue eyes and a very soft coat. He is 45 pounds of pure sweetness. Gabe loves to cuddle with his people. He is a perfect gentleman on the leash, always seeking to be in step with his walker and/or jogger.

Gabe is fully house trained and is also crate trained. In fact, his crate tends to be his favorite place to lounge. Gabe would like a fenced yard, he also would be just fine without a yard as long as his new people take him on walks (his tail never goes higher than for a walk!). While he loves to be active, Gabe definitely has an “off” switch and will adjust his energy to match his peoples’.

After a rough start in life and a long stay in a shelter, Gabe slowly and calmly warms to new people but once he does, he loves to cuddle and give kisses. He especially loves to be petted between the ears. This guy is somewhat reserved around other dogs especially if they are dominant. Gabe would do well with another dog, as long as the dog was friendly and Gabe had time to warm up. This sweet boy has not been cat tested.

For right now, Gabe would probably do best in a home with older children or no children, since he is still learning to gain his confidence. Gabe just needs someone who can love him and teach him that life is good. After this, Gabe will flourish into a loving, playful, and loyal companion.

Gabe is microchipped, vaccinated, neutered and current on monthly preventatives.

Abby Gail is a beautiful female red tri Australian Shepherd and at just over 1 year old she is all puppy. She is red and white with copper points. This girl is great around everyone. She is a high energy girl that loves to play.

Abby is a very active little girl! She loves to play with her foster buddy Max. They chase each other around non-stop and like to try and steal toys from each other. If Max doesn’t pay attention to her (he’s a little older and tires quicker), she will bark and jump at him to get him going again. Abby’s favorite toy is a plastic watering can from the garden. She will pick it up and throw it around the yard. You do have to watch what you leave out around her though. If she is not kept active she will find something play with. Unfortunately, it may be a pair of your favorite jeans that end up with a big rip in the butt!

The thing that will make you smile and laugh the most about this curious girl is her love for watching tv. Her favorites are the Meow Mix and Beggin’Strips commercials. If she hears something that interests her, she will go right up to the tv and sit there and watch it. Along with watching tv she loves to be talked to. Abby will sit and listen to you and just keeping twisting her head back and forth.

She is house trained for the most part but still young enough where she can’t make it long periods of time being left uncrated without an accident. Abby has learned sit and lay down and has great leash manners. We are working on getting her to sit whenever we stop on a walk and she is slowly catching on. We were told that Abby gets car sick and while she is leery of getting in a vehicle by herself, but once led to it she jumps right in. She has been on road trips about ½ hour at a time and is making it without getting sick.

Abby is spayed, current on her vaccinations and micro chipped.

Maggie is 3 yr. old full blooded female Australian Shepherd. Already spayed& microchipped. Her Rabies is also current. Maggie Needs a Quality Lifetime Home with someone willing to be dedicated to caring for her. Her previous owner lost child support and had to take on extra hours leaving her inside alone all the time. She is temporarily back with us, HOWEVER my private rescue/foster has been closed down due to lack of funding, bad health and caring for family members in even worse shape physically. If you can provide a quality home please contact me for more information on her. Email jwhitedove64@myway.com Please put WHITE DOVE RESCUE in the subject line. Thank You

Abby Rose is a red tri Australian Shepherd. This delightful gal, thought to be around 3 years old and weighing in at only 40 pounds, She is a very smart girl who is eager to please. She LOVES squeaky toys and will do anything for a treat!

Sit, down, and shake are all skills Abby has learned. She is working on stay and not jumping up when loved ones return home. She loves running and has an impressive vertical leap. Abby Rose loves to go on walks, and would probably make a good running partner too. Abby was evaluated to be an excellent candidate for agility.

Abby Rose is a perfect lady in the house. She will crate, but prefers to be loose. Abby has never had an accident in the house, and has never chewed or bothered anything that isn’t hers. She has been allowed to lay on the couch in the past, but could be trained not to.

Abby loves her foster brother, and is not interested in the barn cat. She needs a family to give her lots of belly rubs, exercise, and patience while introducing her to new people and situations. She needs a dog-savvy home that can be firm and not let her get her way!

Abby Rose is a delight! She is shy at first meeting and takes a while to warm up to people but will be very velcro once she gets to know and trust you. She would benefit from obedience or other classes to boost her confidence around strangers. Abby Rose is good with older kids, 12 years old and up.

Abby is vaccinated, spayed, microchipped, and on monthly heartworm preventative.

Rosie is a 4 month old golden red tri Australian Shepherd mix with a tail. We are not sure what her other half is but she is a terrific girl! Rosie has the prettiest green eyes. When this gal is fully grown, she will probably weigh around 60 lbs or so. She is very friendly with everyone she meets. Rosie loves to play with her foster canine siblings and cats. She is just an all around good family dog in the making.

This girl walks very well on a lead which is very unusual for such a young puppy. She even walks with the other dogs in the household. Rosie is crate trained and never messes in her cage.

Rosie is a snuggler. She loves pets and attention. Of course, her endearing personality will cause you to fall in love with her if you meet her.

Rosie is vaccinated, spayed and microchipped.

Max went missing around 5 pm on Tuesday, March 5. He was around Ursa Park in Quincy IL. Max was wearing a blue bone id tag at that time but may not have it on now. If you see him call 217-440-7769.

Belle is black, white, and gray. She is 1 yr old and very friendly. She has been missing since 1/31/13. She was last seen at the Henning and rt 150 intersection in Danvlle, IL. Belle is not micro chipped and was not wear her collar or tags at the time she went missing. There is a reward for her safe return to us. Please help, our three children miss her dearly. More pictures and information can be given if needed. Call (217) 799-0490 Aaron and Shauna with information.

Bindi is a sweet 6 year old double merle (as known as lethal white) Australian Shepherd. She’s what we call a ‘Tweenie’ Aussie, she’s larger than a Mini but smaller than a standard. At 35lbs, she’s just the perfect size! Bindi has starburst pupils in her blue eyes, but she seems to see normally. We thought she was completely deaf, however she seems to hear some specific ranges. For instance, she can occasionally pick up Mariah Carey’s whistle register!

Bindi gets along fantastically with other dogs of all sizes, ages and genders. Both her temp and long term foster homes have 4+ resident dogs in the home and Bindi just loves having so many playmates! She seems to watch and learn from the other dogs in the home so we would like for her to be adopted into a home with at least one other friendly canine for her to hang with. She also gets along just fine with cats! Her favorite toys are the kind that bounce funny, such as Kongs or tennis balls, but she also loves a good game of tug or Frisbee.

This little darling naps…a lot! When she’s not running around and playing, she’s zonked out in the middle of the living room and she is more than willing to share the couch with you for a cozy movie night. She has wonderful house manners and is totally housebroken. She is even learned how to use the doggy door. Bindi is not a big fan of being crated. Being confined seems to make her very anxious and she will make a stink about being in a crate. This has not been an issue though, as Bindi has proven herself loose in the house and is not destructive when left to her own devices. She does not counter surf or dumpster dive (though a dog-proofed house is recommended so she’s not tempted!)

Bindi walks well on a leash, but she’s very strong if she decides that she needs to go see something. She rides very nicely in a vehicle and will sit and look out the window. Bindi doesn’t know many strangers, but if she sees somebody (human or 4-legged) outside of the house, she will alert bark as most Aussies do. Occasionally she will pop up from a nap and bark a few times if she thinks she felt a door close or something. Overall, Bindi will make a fantastic family member for a family who is willing to continue her training and keep her socialized.

Bindi is spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and tested for heartworm.

I have an Aussie that is a little over a year old. He does naughty things right in front of me because he thinks that it’s okay. i.e.: puts his feet up on the counter, gets in the trash, etc. He also doesn’t listen to me when I call him AT ALL. He doesn’t think he has a boss. I know it’s my fault because I didn’t train him correctly. What can I do?

Signed, Disrespected
Dear Disrespected,

Humans can ignore certain behaviors and have the dog work for privileges to teach the dog that humans are in charge. Do you do things like leave food down all day for your dog? Give in and play when he jumps on you and then get frustrated when he jumps on you just before you go out for dinner? Do you allow your dog to get away with undesired habits like barking for attention or acting up when it is time to go for walks? Does your dog run roughshod over you? Not good. It is time to get serious and begin Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF).

NILIF operates on the basic principle that before a dog is granted anything that he wants in life – treats, petting, to go outside, to come inside, etc. – he must first do something for his human, like perform a sit/ stay.

Dogs do what works. If a particular behavior in a particular situation tends to result in Good Things For Dogs, then the dog will probably stick to that behavior. If it doesn’t, the dog will probably abandon the behavior. Set up your dog’s life so that good behavior consistently pays off for the dog and bad behavior does not, and you should have a delightfully obedient and well-mannered pet. Your dog learns that the best way to get what he wants is to look at you and offer the canine version of saying please. Dogs excel at consistency. If something works, they tend to stick with it.

To implement NILIF, all we have to do is ask our dog to do something for us first, before giving him something in return. For example,

**If our dog wants to go out to the backyard, ask him for a sit first, before opening the door.
**When you feed your dog, he must sit and stay until you’ve put the bowl on the floor.
**Play a game of fetch after work and make your dog sit and “shake hands” each time you throw the toy.
**Rub your dog’s belly while watching TV, but make him lie down and roll over before being petted.

The Nothing in Life Is Free program is not a command or a single technique; rather it is a general strategy for dog behavior control.

With NILIF we teach our dog -
*To work for the things that he wants most.
*That people are the source of food, toys, play, and many other good things.
*That he gets the most resources by working together with us, staying calm, and following house rules.

This method only works when you are CONSISTANT, FIRM and FAIR. It is an effective and non-confrontational way to achieve control.

You will have to tailor your NILIF program to your dog’s unique needs and health. Obviously a dog with hip problems should be made to sit and a sick dog should not be deprived of food or medication if she doesn’t feel up to obeying. Use common sense with this program and you’ll soon see a happier, more obedient and easier to get along with dog.

Tanner is a 3 year old Blue Merle Australian Shepherd female. She is being fostered in St Louis MO. We are evaluating her so stay tuned.

Bucko (aka Bucky) ASRM 0151 is a 1 year old Red Tri Male who weighs 36 lbs. He came to us as a stray but has quickly realized how wonderful family life is! This adorable little guy will stick to you like velcro. He loves to be by your side, ready for the next new adventure–whether it be a weekend hike or fishing trip or a quick car ride to the pet store! Bucky is naturally very gentle and well mannered. He has a strong desire to please and is very smart and perceptive.

He currently knows all the basic obedience commands, as well as how to “shake” and “high five”. Bucky walks nicely on the leash, without pulling, and is also crate trained. Bucky came to us fairly shy, but over the past few weeks, he has gained a lot of confidence. He is still a little hesitant meeting new people, mainly men due to their size and deep voice, but that passes quickly with soft encouragement and a gentle hand.

Bucky is a medium energy dog. He loves to run laps around the backyard and play chase with the other dogs. And boy is he fast! He might come in a compact package, but he is quick and agile and gives the bigger dogs a run for their money! He would easily excel as a jogging partner or agility dog. Bucky is very sweet and affectionate and has recently become a great cuddle buddy! It’s like snuggling with a teddy bear, he’s so fluffy! He does well around dogs, cats, and has been introduced to horses and cows.

At this time, we have not had the opportunity to introduce him to small children. He does not jump on people or herd strongly so we believe he will do well with kids over 6 years old.

Bucky is up to date on his vaccines, has been micro-chipped, and neutered.

Louie is a moderate energy guy who would really love a fenced yard to play and rumble in! He likes to chase and play with other dogs that he knows, but is apprehensive with strange dogs and will bark at them. Louie lives with a cat and a duck. This guy makes lungy type moves at the cat, but has never harmed him. Possibly just to play!

Louie is crate trained, neutered, UTD on vaccinations, microchipped, and is on monthly HW preventatives.

Louie is fostering in Champlin, Minnesota. If you are interested in bringing this big, handsome Aussie into your family, please complete an ADOPTION APPLICATION

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Blue, a 2 year old Blue Merle male Australian Shepherd, is an awesome dog just waiting for the right person to make him a star. He is a super smart dog (possibly dog genius material) and has not had the right kind of attention in his past. This boy was a stray that we found in a Kentucky shelter. Blue needs a handler who is experienced with very smart, herding dogs. In the right home, this guy should excel, be a great pet and even be an agility or flyball dog. He needs a strong, Aussie savvy leader who will guide him. Obedience classes are a must so that you and Blue can establish that lifelong bond that comes from working so closely together. He is a fast learner. Blue already knows basic commands and walks well on a leash.

Left alone during the day or without sufficient challenges or exercise, he will get up to mischief like a lot of Aussies. Blue needs daily physical stimulation and would be very poorly suited to a family who lives in an apartment and does not exercise. Blue needs a secure fenced yard because he is an athlete and can jump barriers. If you live where he can run and you are willing to keep him stimulated with games and training, he will thrive. His forever family will be rewarded with a truly great companion.

Blue is still young so he is high energy and has a bit of puppy left in him. Some of his energy will wane as he matures. This is a gorgeous Aussie, black and white with those beautiful blue eyes. Blue would be best in a home with no young children because he is just too active for young kids. He likes to be around female dogs. He loves to play tug with his foster sister. Blue is not good with cats. He does not like water which is not surprising because he was a stray.

Blue is neutered, UTD on vaccinations, microchipped and is up to date on monthly Heartworm preventatives.
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This cute puppy faced Blue Merle Australian Shepherd, Levi, is 6 years old, but he still acts like a puppy! He walks well on a leash and rides well in the car. Levi is a reactive dog; he needs work on his manners and his self-control. He knows all of the basic commands. He listens very well to his name and has a good “come” command. With some time and training, this boy could SHINE!!!

Levi is a huge cuddle bug and a typical Aussie when it comes to being a Velcro dog. He wants to be around people ALL the time. He gets along well with most dogs, but is reactive to some dogs. This boy would do well in a home with no dogs and older children (late teens) or in a home with a dog that does not care about his needy tendencies. He is very, very food motivated, but also has no self-control when it comes to food. Levi will snatch anything up that falls on the ground or is at eye level. He could stand to lose a few pounds and we are working with him on that.

Levi is protective of his home and will bark and alert you when someone is at the door. This boy is a medium to high energy dog and likes to play, needs his daily exercise but he definitely has an Off switch and knows when to settle down.

Levi is up to date on all his shots, neutered, crate trained, and house broken. This sweet boy is available for adoption in the Northern Illinois area. If you would like to adopt Levi, please fill out an ADOPTION APPLICATION.

Lucille is a 4 month old Australian Shepherd puppy who weighs around 10 lbs right now but she is a growing girl. She is considered a Double Merle (better known as a Lethal White). This little darling has a visual impairment of 30-45% and a hearing impairment of 50-60%. Lucille is medium high energy now. Of course as a puppy, this girl loves to play and chase anything around. But Lucille is also content to settle down with a bone. One of her favorite things is snuggling with her family. She is a typical puppy still learning commands and housetraining.

This little girl does not like to be completely in dark so like a small child Lucille prefers a night light otherwise she’ll let you know she’s not happy. Lucille is a pretty quiet pup and hardly barks at all. Though she does make cute little grunting noises like a small piglet.

Lucille is great with adults. She would be best in a family with children 6 years or older. Lucille likes having another dog around like any puppy though she can be a little bossy sometimes. She has not been cat tested.

She is UTD on vaccinations, spayed, microchipped and uses HW preventative.