My name is Willis, and my love for Australian Shepherds started back in grade school. Our neighbor owned a Blue Merle female he had trained to help with his deer farm and livestock. I spent countless hours with his son, my friend Lance, and got to see firsthand the intelligence and loyalty these dogs bring to a working environment. That early experience planted the seed for a lifelong connection with the breed.

At age 15, I brought home my very first Australian Shepherd, a Red Merle named Sandy. I’ll never forget how she’d curl up beside me when I sat on the ground or run alongside us during chores on the farm. She was more than a companion; she was part of the family. We raised a litter of puppies together, and my brother Mike kept one of her pups on the farm, continuing the legacy.