O pie was a "keeper" from the moment the sac came off. Something told me he was IT....mostly a gut feeling. I didn't plan to keep a male pup out of that litter but I have never wavered in the confidence that I made a good choice. He is a blend of his parents in many ways. He's exactly what we had in mind when we started planning this breeding 5 years before. He has the quirky temperament of his father, the "eye" of his mother, he has confidence oozing out his ears, a keen desire to get to stock, and a great willingness to be my dog and work with me. He's a beautiful dog inside and out, very agile and athletic, quick as his mama, nicely built and extremely intelligent and creative.

Opie is a strong dog and has inherited his parents' savvy to work cattle. He's an all around chore type dog and learns the ropes quickly. He is naturally square off the stock, a bit pushy but responds very well to correction. He's strong on both ends and reads cattle exceptionally well. He heels low and bites hard, yet like his father, he only bites when necessary, using a force bark or presence more often than not. He's become invaluable on the place, taking over the jobs his dad used to do.

I am taking him slowly through the trial program, developing his skills as a chore dog at home first while maintaining a level of precision for trialing. It is important to us that we retain the qualities that make an Aussie useful on the farm....ability to group and read stock, the ability to think independently, and the ability to learn a task quickly.

Every time I work Opie it is an adventure, we always have fun and I always have a smile in my heart. He's a great joy to be with and work with...we're a team. He truly is "Taylor Mayd" for me.