How the Australian Shepherd came about in the UK

Introduction to the Aussie in the UK.

Since arriving in the U.K. in 1985, the Aussie’s have certainly made their mark in the breed ring and all aspects of work. The Australian Shepherd is a breed that is extremely versatile and can be taught almost anything with patience and reward training, they are slower to mature than the Border Collie but once taught they do not forget. They can be trained in all aspects of working activities with excellent results. Aussies are also used as registered PAT dogs, search and rescue, and there are also fully qualified Aussie guide dogs. They will still give you the love, devotion, strength and protection of a German Shepherd.

ASCUK. Australian Shepherd Club of the United Kingdom, was formed in 1986 and since that time, we have seen several changes in the officers and committee over the years whilst retaining some founder members.

ASCUK’s honorary president is Mrs Christina Chapman with the Vice President being Georjean Busha Hertwig (USA) All committee members can be contacted for information and assistance when required and a list of their contact details are included in the newsletter and on the contacts page of this website.

For the first ten years in the UK, Aussie’s could only be shown in breed at Exemption Shows although if they were registered on the KC working register they were allowed to compete in Working Trials, Agility and Obedience.

Until the last couple of years the majority of judges at Exemption Shows did not know what an Aussie was and we were constantly asked to stand with the Border Collies or asked what had happened to our poor Border Collies tail ! Despite this several of us managed to win Best in Show at Exemption Shows under judges who had noticed our breed and read the standard. The Kennel Club at last gave way to allowing the imported breeds to attend Discover Dogs, where we were able to let our dogs meet the general public and to explain what it is like to live with an Aussie. They were told the good and bad points and they got to see the type of dogs that were out in force now that we had been given our freedom from the Import Register.

Prior to being given Import Register status, ASCUK held a Rally each year with breed classes and competitions in obedience, agility and working trials. When Aussies were accepted onto the Import Register, the club was then restricted by the KC rules to only holding a yearly club breed match and working competitions plus invitation breed matches with other clubs.

In September 1999, the club was invited by the Hovawart Club to their Annual Fun Day taking part in breed, obedience and agility classes. In October 1999, the Canaan Dog Club organised an inter-club rare breed match and invited ASCUK along with the Eskimo Dogs, Finnish Lapphunds and Hovawarts. This resulted in a win for the Aussies with Annie Claringbold and Glarenmoss Razz ‘n’ Jazz.

The Australian Shepherd came off the Import Register on 1st January 2000, and this was celebrated each day at Discover Dogs that year with the cutting of a cake and a glass of wine.

In October 2000, ASCUK held their first Open Breed Show at Ryton On Dunsmore Coventry, and Best in Show was awarded to Marleen and Maynard Collins with their Irish Champion Accra Limited Edition. The judge was Meg Purnell-Carpenter (Overhill).

The Aussie’s outstanding movement, sound conformation and flashy looks stand out in the show ring. They are a natural show off and love to strut their stuff. Although they look glamorous in the show ring, it is wise to remember that first and foremost these are working dogs and should be judged accordingly with conformation and movement taking precedence over the eye’s attraction to colour and coat.

There are approximately 2000 Aussies in the country as of 2009, with show entries increasing as owners are bringing out their young dogs and imports in to the breed ring.

The breed also saw the first Irish Champions, they were Glynis and Colin Dowson’s Kapia Robin at Ozzypool (red tri dog) and Penny and Don Richards Sweet Thunder at Accra (blue merle bitch).

    Ir.Ch Kapia Robin at Ozzypool                           Ir.Ch Sweet Thunder at Accra

 

Since leaving the import register, Aussies have again made their presence felt in their own breed classes, they have also competed well in A.V. Pastoral and AVNSC to win against all different breeds. Zoe Finlay with Accra Whybe Doodle in Overdrive CDex, UDex, WDex, TD  took the first B.I.S. award for an Aussie at Peterborough, judge Jeff Luscott. How fitting that the same judge gave him the Veteran class at Crufts in 2004 on the day he retired from the breed ring.

Accra Whybe Doodle in Overdrive CDex UDex WDex TD

Championship Status for breed showing was granted to the Australian Shepherd in 2006 and this has caused a massive interest in the breed with new faces coming into it all the time. A dog to be mentioned has to be Am.Ch Thornapple Climate Controlled (Imp USA) Owned by Jayne & Wally Holligan and campaigned by Jayne, he was and still is the breed record holder with over 50 Best of Breeds at Championship Shows and over 30 Group wins and placings. He was also in the Top Ten rankings for All Breeds two years in a row and was a Championship Show Best In Show & Reserve Best In Show winner. He won Best In Speciality Show 5 times and perhaps his greatest accolade was winning Best of Breed at Crufts 2002 before going on to win Pastoral Group 2 under Stuart Mallard. Lorenzo retired before CC status was given to the Australian Shepherd.

Am.Ch Thornapple Climate Controlled (Imp USA)

The breeds first UK Champion was crowned at Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show in May 2006. Ch.Armatan Dancing Queen. Judge on the day was breed specialist Mr Alf Down (Freespirit). J-Lo won a succession of CC's and a Pastoral Group before taking some time out to have a litter of puppies.

Ch. Armatan Dancing Queen

                                                                                                         photo by Alan V Walker

Several others have since followed in her footsteps and to date there are 2 dog Champions and 3 bitch Champions here in the UK with young and upcoming dogs doing well. There has also been an influx of foreign exhibitors trying to gain the three CC's needed to gain a UK Championship title.

 

Aussies have a strong herding instinct and several are used for working sheep, cattle and ducks.

Shown here is Shepalian Starlite who works cattle at home on a daily basis.

 

Jean and Bruce Hellingsworth do carting with their two Aussies and Bernese Mountain Dogs (BMD’s). Jay shown below was introduced to carting when she was just over a year old,

The first problem was finding her a suitable small cart. Friends rallied round and a small antique cart was found and beautifully restored. Other friends made the harness and a few months later Jay was pulling the cart and attending carting parade events all over the country. She is now highly competent and carries out many advanced manoeuvres required for the draught tests, including reversing. Rio started training a couple of years later and being a larger dog he could not fit into Jay’s cart so needed one of his own. He now has an original hand cart that has been restored with shafts made to fit his size, this will enable him to compete in the BMD’s draught tests as his cart is within regulation size.

Nicola Hall and her Aussie Shepalian Ashtral Rose competed at Crufts two years running in the North West Flyball team. Nicola and Fidget attended KCJO camps and trained in agility, obedience and working trials. They also managed to attend a few breed shows and have several places to their credit.

Another young lady Roxanne McDonald progressed up the ladder of success in KCJO handling classes with her Aussie bitch Cagasa Bell Air at Heibri who was in partnership with her grandparents. Roxanne then handed the reins over to her younger brother Joe and he handled Cagasa Red Red Wine at Heibri and his parents Irish Red and White Setters. Many other Junior handlers are now forging successful partnerships with their Aussies and we have qualifiers for Crufts Junior Handling, YKC, Grooming, Flyball, Agility, Heelwork to Music and Conformation.

There are now a considerable number of Aussies competing in agility, running from Grade 1 to Grade 7 at the minute. They are fast, accurate, powerful and can turn instantly. Gerry and Sheila Eckersley have competed successfully with their Aussies in agility for a number of years, Denise Moon, Catherine Fuller, Mark Douglas and their Aussies are currently making their mark on the agility circuit along with many others with their up and coming young dogs.

Dogs are not allowed to compete in agility until they are eighteen months old, this allows the dog’s bones to develop naturally and prevents shoulder problems from jumping and weaving to early. This rule hopefully allows puppies to lead a normal puppy life before the working activities take over. Patience, control and reward in training Aussies for agility will reap its reward in future success

 

Obedience is another working discipline that Aussies have adapted to with ease and success. They did not appear to be as quick to learn as a collie, but brought along slowly and once something is properly taught they never forget. Aussies have represented the South East Regional Obedience Team at Crufts on several occasions. Janet Bates worked Championship “C” with Accra Coffee Cobbler  also Championship “C “ with Accra Uncle Bulgaria.

Accra Coffee Cobbler

Sue Gale worked Accra Sharky Punch in Open “ C “ Sue also represented the South East at Crufts on Saturday 11th March 2000 with Accra Joker in the Pack, Sue was part of the winning team. There were more Aussies competing in the Inter-Regional teams at Crufts 2008. These included Sue Wall with Moortime Silent Night and Lisa Pugh with Trijem All American Hot Rod at Shloyan who represented Wales and Louise Spenceley with Quilters Anomander Rake who represented the South, and worked 'A'.

Susanne Jaffa and Ob Ch Cagasa Dark ‘N’ Delicious have made breed history on becoming the first, and to date only Aussie Obedience Champion. Dee was taken on as a rehome by Sue when she was only eight months old, Sue has spent a lot of time with Dee and has been repaid with loyalty, devotion and success.

Let’s not forget all those Aussie owners who regularly compete in the lower classes and will be working their way through the classes and enjoying the sport, after all, that’s what it should be about and that’s enjoying working your dog.

  Ob Ch Cagasa Dark 'N' Delicious OW CDex UDex WDex

Aussies have excelled in Working Trials particularly through the “Mareith” line of breeding with dogs such as Gefion Dancing Master of Mareith CDex UDex WDex TD, Mareith Balynterrie CDex UDex WDex TDex and Mareith Daquohnesta of Shepalian CDex UDex WDex TD making her the first Aussie bitch to work Ticket

  Mareith Daquohnesta of Shepalian CDex UDex WDex TD

Other Aussies who have top qualifications in Working Trials are Accra Whybe Doodle in Overdrive CDex UDex WDex TD  and Glarenmoss Twistte ‘N’ Shout of Moortime CDex UDex WDex TD

Glarenmoss Twistte 'n' Shout of Moortime CDex UDex WDex TD

Other dogs that have done well over the years are Glarenmoss Grin ‘N’ Bareit CDex UDex WDex TDex, Shepalian Acountry Cousin of Moortime CDex UDex WDex and Moortime Forest Fern CDex UDex WDex TD.

The Aussie seems to have a natural aptitude for the working disciplines, they also enjoy the tracking side immensely. Early mornings out training and tracking in all weathers can be a very demanding activity, because of the physical exercises involved in working trials this is another working discipline that prohibits dogs competing until there are eighteen months of age. The drop from the 6ft scale could seriously damage a young dogs shoulders if taught to young and incorrectly, the first year can be spent with basic heelwork and control, speaking on command, down stays and learning to track and search.

 Jacqui O’Brien was involved in Search and Rescue work with her previous Aussie Gefion Fire Dandy and she also used to train her now veteran Aussie bitch Shepalian Asweet Mellow Dee at Abodandy for search and rescue as well.

Shepalian Asweet Mellow Dee at Abodandy

Aussie size, character, temperament, physical and mental abilities make them an ideal breed for this type of work. They are a robust medium size dog with an all weather coat that is easy to maintain. They have a strong character and are game for anything. Although some may show the typical shepherd dog reserve of strangers, it does not out weigh their basic love of humans.

The work is often demanding both physical, and mentally requires great powers of concentration. Searching allows the dog a greater amount of freedom and independence to work which the Aussie enjoys.

Because of their balance and physical adeptness they can cope with any terrain, being agile and sure of foot like a goat.

Jim Greenwood also took part in search, disaster and rescue work with his Aussie- Accra Silver Swizzle. Jim and his dog were called upon to help locate a body amongst the rubble of a building, the dog located the body and duly alerted his handler. 

                    Accra Silver Swizzle                      

 

 

Back