Boomer was my first australian shepherd. I got him at 3 months old and he came from a puppy mill. He was extremely unsocialized but he instantly knew that I was there to protect him from all the scary things the world had to offer. I worked tirelessly with him to make him comfortable with his surroundings. I brought him to work, to parks, training classes, where ever I could. He slowly blossomed into a fantastic dog, he was always shy at first, but he was miles away from the way he was day 1. He was extremely soft, I had to remind myself that raising my voice only a little was very scary to him and made him shut down completely. I loved him for that, it made me a better trainer. Everyone who met Boomer loved him; he was an extremely sweet and affectionate boy. 

 

Boomer showed me how rewarding aussies can be. I knew I'd never own another breed of dog. He LOVED agility but we never competed since he just never had enough confidence to move away from me around strangers. That didn't matter to me though, the most important part is that he was having fun and I could see him become more confident with every step. He taught me just as much as I taught him and he will always hold a special place in my heart. The name "Skyquake" is in honor of him.