Who are you?
My name is Maggie, I'm 24 and a full time social media content creator and small business owner! I live In Vancouver, Washington with my boyfriend Cameron and our two Aussies!
Can you present your Aussie?
Finley and Sadie are both standard Australian Shepherds, although they are both on the smaller side! Finley is a blue merle and turns 3 in August! Sadie is a red merle and is 7 months younger than Finn! They both have huge and very different personalities! Finn is more reserved and snuggly, as he is a service dog for my anxiety disorder. He acts like a human and likes to do things on his own terms. Sadie on the other hand is a lot more wild and motivated to work! She's not nearly as snuggly but she gets more and more cuddly the older she gets!
Why did you choose the Australian Shepherd?
I chose Australian Shepherds because I believe my favorite childhood dog was part Aussie. I don't even know that for sure but she had blue merle type markings and it made me want to research the breed further! I started following other Aussies on Instagram, watching videos online and doing research! When I met Cameron, I told him our first two dogs would definitely have to be Aussies and he was happy with that! After many many many years, my dream came true!
What is your favorite thing to do with your Aussie?
Honestly my favorite thing is just watching them be dogs. It doesn't matter where we are, but just watching them run around and explore makes me so happy to see how happy they are! I also love our weekend mornings snuggling in bed together!
Do you have a funny anecdote to share with us?
Finley and Sadie have lots of funny quirks! Sadie smiles anytime she greets someone she really loves or if she's feeling guilty! Finley loves to kick out his back legs and sploot in any mud puddle available to him.
Did you encounter any difficulties with the education of Finley & Sadie?
Yes definitely! We have worked with a team of trainers on multiple behaviors that needed to be corrected with them! Mostly professional training has taught me it's more about teaching the humans than teaching the dogs! Once we learn, we are able to apply our knowledge to any other future behaviors we need to correct. We have gone through manners training as well as earning their CGCs (Canine Good Citizen), and a few trick dog titles!
Was there anything you weren't prepared for before they arrived?
Although I did so much research, nothing prepared me for how much mental stimulation an Aussie needs as well as physical. It's not just about enough exercise, they also need to be mentally stimulated every single day! I didn't realize just how much of my days with them would be spent this way, but I do love every second of it!
What advice would you give to a future Aussie owner?
I would like for them to know that their life is about to change forever in the best way! It is probably going to be harder than they are imagining, but getting any dog is a major commitment. If someone gets an Aussie I want them to know it is the best commitment they will ever make, and it is one they must follow through with. If they do, their Aussie will love them right back, the most unconditional love they could ever imagine.
Do you have any #aussie Instagram accounts that you particularly like to follow?
sooooo many! Some of my favorites include @justbeingfarley, @murphythelady @wigglebuttmochi @mocha_the_aussie and sooooo many more!