Hi All,

My name is Michelle and I'm from the Chicago area originally, but living in Europe. I have a 1 year old Australian Shepherd, blue merle named Spirit (Aussieligaen Street Spirit...quite a mouthful I know). Her father is from U.S. lines...Pincie Creek, both mother and father are from Pincie Creek, and Spirit's father is the first "Aussie" with herding tests in Denmark and first "Aussie" to win a herding title in Denmark.

She is a wonderful dog and the first one I've had on my own without living at home with my parents. I've previously had a Dobie and my parents still have our nearly 13 year old Golden.

Anyway, Spirit and I go to obedience training twice a week and hope to someday compete in obedience trials. We also go to herding clinics, though there are not many in the vicinity so it is not too often, though we have "homework" we can practice at home....yes, even without our own sheep. She also helps us keep the ferrets in line which she picked up on all on her own..not aggressively, just a herding-type behavior rounding them up. She's very smart, food and toy driven, has strong prey drive, yet is a soft dog. She's also very smart, sometimes too smart <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> But she's an all-round good dog, worker, easy to train and very willing to please though sometimes she needs a confidence boost and herding is definately helping to improve that aspect as is group obedience training more often...at the same time as training a lot at home.

Photobucket - picture of Spirit at 1 year of age

Photobucket - Trying cattle herding for the first time this July with a trainer from the US (but I'm the one with Spirit down in the hay, just so you don't think that's the trainer)

For further pictures or info PM me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />