Pausha

Sometimes to tell a good story you need to start long before the first chapter ever begins. Such is the case with Diva and I. This is the story of Pausha, who had no titles or fancy kennel name but was the best friend I could have asked for.

I met my first Australian Shepherd in the fall of 1995 when I went off to college at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio. When you are 18 you see all of the possibilities ahead of you and think you know it all. The freedom, the fun, and the independence of college. This was me as I set of from my hometown of Watkins Glen, NY with my horse Shadeau. Shadeau was stabled at a barn off campus and this is where I met a fellow UF student who had 1 purebred Aussie and an Aussie/BC mix (I know, I know...*gasp*). Taura and Molly opened my eyes to the wonderful world of herding dogs and how great they could be. They were regulars around the barn, sweet with their friends, and always willing to lend a hand if needed. The girls owner, Amanda, and I quickly became friends and come the spring semester Amanda found an ad in the local paper for a litter of Aussie puppies. "Let's just go look", she said. Hmmm, famous last words!

I'm pretty sure that most everyone who reads this will have seen a litter of Aussie puppies but if you haven't well let me tell you, there isn't much cuter! Pausha's litter was a big one (10) and from the moment I walked in that horse stall I was smitten :-). The little blue eyed blue merle ball of fluff picked me from the get go and before I knew it I was writing a check and walking away with my puppy. Remember that part about not thinking of much other than fun when you start college? Yes, so here I am with a puppy in my car and I am driving back to the dorm I live in. Problem, of course...no pets in the dorm! Pausha lead to a lot of changes in a hurry. I got my first apartment and I had to break it to my family. It wasn't a hard sell since Pausha was such a wonderful puppy. She did everything right from the get go and she was my constant shadow. I never did any formal competitions with Pausha but she was as obedient an helpful as any good barn dog and house pet could be.

When I started looking for another Aussie to add to my family in 2007 it was my intention to let Pausha help me "raise" this new member. In my opinion there is nothing better that an experienced older dog to lay down the ground rules for a youngster and to teach them the routine. However my plans did not work out because just 2 weeks before Diva was arrive Pausha suddenly got very ill and I had to let her go. I will never forget holding my sweet girl while she took her last breath or that terrible drive home with an empty truck. One of the greats was laid to rest that day and she took a piece of my heart with her.



RIP Pausha 1/23/1996-3/13/2008