Welcome to the Puppy Blog and meet Travis the Australian Shepherd.

Struggling with your puppy or just wonder if you’re doing it right?

Raising a puppy is hard work – even for the professionals. You are not alone, we all have problems and expected difficulties and, of course, the ultimate joy in raising a happy, healthy, well-trained dog.

 

Follow this blog as Travis progresses through his puppyhood and why not take advantage of R+ Dog Training courses to help you.

 

The black blobs that you can see in the image above are part of a litter of 8 into which my puppy was born.

But the story starts more than 5 years ago when I first started looking for a puppy. I decided on an Australian Shepherd having researched the breed health and temperament and determined that it was the right dog for my experience and lifestyle. I spoke to the person who first imported the breed into the UK and narrowed down my choice of breeders, eliminating those who were not licensed and/or not using a full panel of health tests or about whom I just did not have a good feeling.

Then began the long wait, initially because of a missed season and a failed mating (more of which followed), and the dreaded Covid-19. I joined the National Australian Shepherd Association and got to know some of the breeders in-person – and of course, they got to know me too. I also had the chance to watch Aussies in action in the show and agility rings whilst swotting up on the finer details of the breed standards in the US and UK (there are variations and, as many textbooks are published in the US, I needed to know where the differences lay). At long last, the wait was over…

Bookmark this page and find out what happened next in the journey of Travis the Australian Shepherd.

Next week: A Puppy Is Born

Meanwhile, why not check out R+Dog Training Puppy Start Right Courses and register for the Puppy Social Walk in Chiswick House grounds.