By Candace T. Botha
ON OUR COVER
W ith names like “Shamrock”
and “Clover,” you
would think that the human companion of the
two handsome Australian Shepherds featured
November/December issue
of Suncoast Pet, would hail from Irish ancestry.
age in March 2018 on
names for the puppies,
‘Shamrock’ and ‘Clover’ came to mind because of the
holiday,” Irene remembers. “I decided that would work!”
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Irene also lived in Oregon
also raised and showed dogs as a hobby for many years.
one,” she says. “So, I decided to adopt a St. Bernard puppy.”
“Truthfully, showing dogs wasn’t something I planned on doing,”
Irene remembers. “In fact, my boss, whose daughter showed dogs,
Irene both trained
and learned how to
show her own dogs.
“I was right in the
ring with the pups,
because I wanted to
show them myself,”
she says.
Irene’s dogs won
in CD (Companion
Dog Obedience) and
CDX (Companion Dog
Excellent).
“My dogs learned
all of their obedience
skills in response to
hand signals,” Irene
says. “The judges never
Photo by Sherri Krams of h
expected that St. Bernards would respond to hand signals or take top
awards in obedience.”
In the years that followed, Irene and her husband took a liking to
now 8 years old.
“Australian Shepherds are one of the three most intelligent dog
breeds,” Irene says. “Research from top veterinary schools have shown
they can memorize—and know the meaning of—more than 200
words; they are unbelievably smart.”
ing, and Irene knew that she needed another companion…or two!
became part of Irene’s family in March 2018.
“I was looking for an Aussie in rescue, but didn’t have any luck,”
Irene says. “I then searched online and found the boys, who were
“They were darling puppies; they really were very kind and gentle,
raised as part of a family on the ranch, and I truly believe that, along
with good breeding, contributed to their good nature.”
“Misty is very much a part of our family,” Irene comments. “Every
evening, she joins the pups and me out on the back veranda to watch
the sunset, or she walks with us around the property.”
up in Misty’s face and then lined up the boys and barked at them, and
everyone has been well behaved ever since.
them,” she adds.
she got behind on their training, in part because of last year’s Red
Irene and her “pack” live in a charming home on a piece of property
that overlooks the water’s edge on Siesta Key.
Siesta Key on which a home was built.
the dogs outdoors when the Red Tide bloom was at its worst,” Irene
strong, they would back away from the door and stay inside.”
It was earlier this year that a local computer expert that Irene
had hired told her that he has friends who teach dog agility, and he
suggested that she sign Shamrock and Clover up for classes.
would human
Sh
on the cover of this, our Novembe
Irish
adopted the pups at 7 weeks of age
St. Patrick’s Day.
“As I was trying to think of names
m
Irene decide
a
Photo by Sherri Krams of
Moments Unleashed Photography
32 | November/December 2019 | www.SuncoastPet.com
/www.SuncoastPet.com