Shady Acres selling at this year’s auction

“I was impressed with how well the sale was run and the money the dogs made,” Mr Johnston said.

Current and former Australian working cattle dog champion title holder, Mr Johnson has 17 pure bred Border Collies in his Shady Acre stud from 10-months-old and above with five pups coming through. He has been in the dog trialling game for 12 years, but only started selling working dogs in the last three years.

Shady Acres Jimmy, a rising four-year-old (pictured right), is the current Australian working cattle dog champion. His mother, Shady Acres Pattie, has won the Australian working dog championship twice and the Australian point score champion dog once. 

Mr Johnston will be selling two working dogs at the Dundee Dog Auction on November 19, one being a commercial rising two-year-old Border Collie Kelpie cross named Maggie. “Maggie originally came from my son-in-law, but I have been working her for the last 12 months,” Mr Johnston said. “She kicks out nice and wide, she is a quiet working dog.”

The other dog being sold, Shady Acres Ruby, is a rising two-year-old with 10 to 12 trials under her belt. Shady Acres Ruby is out of the former Australian champion, Shady Acres Pattie.

“I believe Ruby would be ideal for somebody mustering goats or sheep, she is still a little soft with cattle, but can get the job done,” Mr Johnston said. 

“I can guarantee to anybody that Ruby, as long as they listen to what I tell them she is good for and can do, would suit whoever wants that particular type of dog.” 

Mr Johnston said when it comes to deciding what dogs he keeps, he has pretty high expectations.

“Each year I keeps about two pups from each litter,” he said. “But when I do sell one I want to make sure that it is not one of the best pups that is going to put me on top for the Australian competition. 

“That’s why I like to take them up to about 20-months-old. I have the bar set fairly high as to what I keep.”