The Dogs

Meet the Your Best Behavior Dogs!

Taylor

Australian Shepherd, 2015

Taylor came to us through the Aussie Rescue and Placement Helpline organization. We were part of the transport team that helped him get to a foster home, and not long after that he came to live with us. Taylor loves to hunt for squirrels, and his favorite sport is (naturally) Barn Hunt, where he has a Senior title and a Gold Crazy Eights title. He is a Canine Good Citizen, and he has an Intermediate Trick Dog title. He loves to play with Mirabel, loves snuggling with his people, and can't get enough brushing or belly rubs. He loves hiking, taking walks, training, and treats. One of my favorite things about Taylor is that he will find a "thing" (could be a stick, a cherry tomato from the garden, or a pine cone) and he'll entertain himself tossing it in the air, and bouncing around with his treasure.

Mirabel

Australian Shepherd, 2023

Mirabel (nicknames Silly Pants and Mira-belly) is the Your Best Behavior demo dog. She joined our family when she was 8 weeks old and started training on Day 1. Her favorite pastime is putting her back paws up on things. She has her AKC FIT Dog bronze and silver titles, her AKC Farm Dog certification, her Canine Good Citizen title (plus Advanced and Urban), and her Advanced Tricks title. Mirabel passed her Pet Dog Ambassador Level 2 evaluation. She's earned the first leg of her Novice Barn Hunt title and the first two legs of her C-WAGS Patrol 1 scent work title. She loves playing with Taylor and Arthur, snuggling with her people, and getting me to chase her when she has a toy.

Arthur

Australian Shepherd, 2026

Arthur was born in March, 2026 and came to live with us at 10 weeks of age. He fits right in and has won over Mirabel (his favorite playmate), and Taylor (who he follows around like any little kid brother does with his cool older brother). He loves belly rubs and snuggling, and sometimes he'd rather just sit quietly and observe than participate in the action. At this age (almost 4 months as of mid-June, 2026), he ALWAYS has something in his mouth (see photo). I've got big plans for this little boy, starting with his AKC STAR Puppy title, which he should receive by the end of July 2026, and his AKC Virtual Home Manners title, which we're practicing for now.

Odin

Australian Shepherd, 2012-2025

Odin was our first Australian Shepherd. He joined our family at 8 weeks old. His goal in life was to have fun and make a little mischief. He was exuberant and delightful, and he was the smartest dog I've ever known. He lived for training, and loved to make up his own tricks. He is the reason I became a dog trainer, and he taught me more about human and dog behavior than any book or teacher ever could. He was a Canine Good Citizen, he had a Rally Novice title, an Advanced Trick Dog title, and a couple of legs of Novice Barn Hunt to his name. Odin will forever occupy a special place in our hearts, and we miss him every day.

Granite

Australian Shepherd, 2013-2022

Granite joined our family at 10 months of age. He was Odin's half-brother (they shared a mother). I've never known a dog who found so much joy in simply being alive, and he shared that joy with everyone he knew. He was an athlete, and he loved every ball he ever met. I liked to joke that I was his emotional support person because he had a sweet and very strong attachment to me. Granite was a Canine Good Citizen (Advanced), he had a Rally Novice title, an Advanced Tricks title, a couple of legs of Novice Barn Hunt. For a short time, he was a certified therapy dog. Granite left us far too early. The loss of his irrepressible joy left a giant hole in our hearts, and we miss him every day.