Abbey

I fell in love with this dog due to her incredible heart. She just wants to please me and she wants to do it at 10,000 mph. Unfortunately, her body cannot accommodate her desire as she has back problems and had to retire early. I just didn't want to see this vibrant dog crippled as she aged so made the decision to not show her in agility any more. I did try to put her back on sheep but the weakness in her back made her sharp when working the stock. Any turns that she needed to make on her weak side resulted in diving in and scattering the sheep.

She is now a very energetic house pet who loves to play with Greg and Devin when I am away at shows or herding with the boys. It was a struggle to make the decision to retire her, I just loved working with her. She and I were connected in ways that never happened between Ivy and I. I had to learn to appreciate Ivy but I wanted her to be like Abbey and that was never going to happen, nor was it fair. Abbey and Ivy taught me so much more than just how to train fast dogs and how to work sheep. They taught me about perseverance, patience which I still struggle with and how to appreciate what you have.