Some would say it runs in the family... While my desire to participate in dog sports was one of my own calling as a child, as I grew older, it was discovered that it was really just in my DNA. After beginning my journey into the dog world, I had heard the comment from my grandmother that my young Australian Shepherd looked much like her dad's sheep herding dogs of the past. After finding an old black & white photo of my great grandfather on horseback surrounded by four dogs, there was no doubt that this photo taken in the early 1970's featured his Australian Shepherds. More photos were discovered over the years, featuring an array of different collie-type dogs used to move sheep across Colorado and New Mexico.

​

As far as the name goes... Palomino has very little to do with actual horses but more to do with me. Palomino was an accidental nickname I acquired while working at the Disneyland Resort that stuck. For a Frontierland immersive experience, I was set with the task of coming up with a creative, themed nickname. While drinking a Palomino Pale Ale by Bootlegger's Brewery, I came up with the nickname Palomino because of my "tan hide and blonde mane." By the end of the experience, the nickname had stuck with Cast Members and Guests alike. When thinking of potential kennel names, Palomino just made sense. It fit with the western theme I so loved, it came from a brewery in California which is the state which the Australian Shepherd was crafted, and it incorporated myself in a creative way. 

​

When venturing into the breed, I was always inspired by their versatility. Whether herding stock or floating across the show ring, the Australian Shepherd could do anything they put their minds to. Being an active person myself, the Australian Shepherd fit the bill not only in the amount of dog sports I wanted to dabble in but also the amount of other activities that I wanted to do with my dogs. As a natural explorer, I am often outdoors. Camping, hiking, paddle boarding, and enjoying outdoor patios are just some of the things that are enjoyed by me and my wife Jamie, while accompanied by our Aussies. I love the "all in" disposition they carry and jokingly say that our Aussies keep us moving.

​

Agility is the favorite activity of the Palomino household. This was the dog sport that I had fallen in love with as a teenager and the hold it's had on me hasn't let up. Each Aussie that comes into our household is selected with the hope that they will also enjoy the sport. All of our dogs have also worked in Rally, advancing to the Masters level and competing at Australian Shepherd Club of America's National Specialty. Scent Work has become a popular game in our home after I've experienced how enriching it is for dogs. Obedience trials are a new addition into our competition circuit but it's been fun to work toward the competition level of these behaviors. All of our dogs have also dabbled in the training for tracking and dock diving as well, giving a well rounded experience in dog sports. Conformation is always seen as important as well to evaluate our dogs' structure to the breed standard. We believe that form allows function and testing this in the show ring is important to adhering to breed type. 

​

Herding has been on the list and while each dog has been tested on sheep, the availability of stock has been limited for one reason or another. It is my goal to find a place to allow our dogs to have this natural outlet not only so we can give them a shot to display their natural instincts, but also to nod to my family's heritage in sheep herding. As we look for our way to get more access to stock, we will continue admiring watching dogs perform at our national speciality.