HOF CH Shercrest Zomething Different
STDd, NA, NAJ, JS-N, DNA-CP, FEMA ADV. SAR DOG

Black Tri female, 19", spayed, Scissors, Full Dentition, OFA-Good, CERF #:  AS6379/2004--105, Clear 3/2005 (at 9 years old),
MDR-I:  Mutant/Normal,  Allergy free, DOB 5/2/96

The Grand Dam of Roanoak!

Ever have that once in a lifetime dog that just fits you like a glove?  That one dog that becomes your soul mate and best pal?  That's Zima & I!  I purchased Zima from Shercrest kennels when she was 8 weeks old.  She finished her ASCA Championship at a year of age and finished her AKC Championship at 18 months.  Zima has always been full of life (some would call it piss and vinegar) and it showed every time she stepped into the show ring.  She was a very showy dog and a blast to handle!  

During our campaign for her Championships, Zima and I began training for FEMA disaster Search and Rescue work.  She took to it like a duck to water, possessing the confidence, agility, hunt drive and social ness it took to become a certified disaster SAR dog. This is where we spend the majority of our time and its where our partnership truly flourished.  

Zima earned 2 legs towards her ASCA CD and then we just never finished it...due to my dislike for the structure and rigidity of the obedience programs.  She earned her Novice Agility and Novice Agility Jumpers in AKC and earned a couple of open legs.  We enjoy agility and, true to her breed, she is lightning fast on course.  

Zima suffered a back injury of some sort during her early years and because I did not catch it early enough, she has developed some arthritis in her back and has a difficult time flexing through the weave  poles, so I have stopped running her in agility.  I still hope that some day she'll be able to return to the agility ring as it was something she and I both truly enjoyed!  

Zima earned her Started duck title in ASCA and if I had more time, I might pursue more herding titles with her, but, as with agility, she is also lightning fast on stock!  Not so good for stock work.  I'm afraid she'd run the sheep into the ground and that the cattle'd kill her due to her lack of control.  She shows a beautiful sense of balance and a pretty nice fetch, but she never stops.  That's her nature:  two speeds, 150 mph and stop!  I love my girl!  She fits me quite well!

  

Zima is a people lover.  She's gotten overly pushy and demanding with her search and rescue training over the years.  After her initial face licking and mauling, she will immediately start "rooting" at people's pockets for treats.  If nothing appears quickly, she'll launch into her "bark" alert that I worked so hard to instill as her default behavior in our SAR training.  I've seen a few folks taken aback by her forceful and demanding bark.  I guess it can be a little upsetting, but if you know dogs, it's pretty obvious she's just demanding that someone hand over all their treats...NOW!  Yeah, I guess she'd be a robber in human form...but she IS truly a very kind hearted dog! 

I bred Zima one time, to WTCH Crown Point Stonewall Jackson and she had a wonderful litter of babies for us.  I kept her red tri daughter, much to my annoyance as red is my LEAST favorite Aussie color!  However, Ally has turned out to be a dream dog for me.  Probably as close to my ideal Aussie as I've ever met.  Zima's daughters vary in personality...some taking after their father with a softer, more self serving temperament, others very much like Zima with her drive and intensity.

About two years after Zima's fist litter, the 9/11 Terrorist attacks struck our country.  Zima and I were attending nationals in Colorado shortly after the attacks and were on "stand-by" to return home for deployment to the World Trade Center.  We were called home at the end of nationals and as I loaded my gear and headed in to meet the rest of our FEMA team, I was nervous, but excited to finally put to use the past 5 years we'd spent training for this.  We attended the mandatory weigh ins, check ins, health checks, etc and then it was time.  Our team met in a large facility where we had a big send off from our city Mayor.  As he finished his well wishes to us, we stood up to board the bus to take us to our chartered plane...and I happened to look down as Zima stood up and saw a spot of blood on the floor.  My heart sank.  I considered my options of not telling my team and heading to NY with them and doing our job with my girl being in season or telling my team my dog was in season and having to stay home.  Of course, I turned to my team-mate and said, "Zima's in season" and that was the end for me.  As I sadly bid my teammates goodbye and wished them the best of efforts in NY, Zima and I made what seemed like a very long drive to pick up our bags that had been removed from the airplane prior to take off.  Needless to say, Zima was spayed immediately after her heat cycle ended.  It was a bitter sweet end for me.  Exciting as I knew I wouldn't have to worry about her heat cycles anymore, or her health and yet sad as I knew it meant the end of my soul mate's future generations in my life.  

Zima in harness training.  Notice her "stress licking" in the picture on the left...after some encouragement and praise, she's just hangin' out in the picture on the right.  Good dog!

Zima had one litter, but her puppies went to outstanding homes with dedicated and loving owners who trained and competed and enjoyed their dogs, gaining the necessary titles it took to make Zima a Hall of Fame dam in ASCA.  It was an award I was proud of mostly because she was my best friend and deserved some recognition for what she gave back to the breed.  I am very proud to have her daughter and proud of all that she and I have accomplished.  Every time I look at Zima, I realize that it was truly her that brought me fully into the world of the Australian Shepherd and what an incredibly amazing breed they are.  

MY "HEART" DOG!!!