Dog'ged Juniors

My name is Krista, I am 17 years old, and live just north of Buffalo, NY. If you don't know where that is, on a broader scale I'm 45 minutes from the Canadian/American border. I'm a senior in high school, majoring in Graphic Design and moving on to Niagara County Community College in September 2010 to major in Animal Management.. and hopefully finishing somewhere down the road as a Veterinary Technician.

I've been training dogs since I was seven years old, but didn't start competing until I was about twelve years old. Though taking a break from shows now to focus on the last couple months of high school, I train obedience, agility, tricks and freestyle frisbee at leisure. 

I have had American Cocker Spaniels my entire life, until June of 2008 when I was presented with a little blue fuzzball of an early graduation present. The beginning of Starstrukk Kennels, which focuses more on rescue and rehabilitation rather than breeding, she became Remy. I have an exceptional love for Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Finnish Lapphunds and most breeds that herd- but I have to admit I have an even more exceptional love for those who are abandoned.

Hi there, nice to meet you!  I do love those rescued herding dogs myself - they're SO smart  (which, unfortunately, is probably why a lot of people get rid of them in the first place). 

Yup, I think in an average home my three would have been dumped... too smart for their own good sometimes!

I love herding dogs too! I have a Belgian Tervuren and my dad's old sled dogs, who trained me how to mush, were Belgian Sheepdog/Alaskan Huskie crosses.  9 of my 15 dogs were rescued.  8 of those weren't abandoned themselves but their pregnant mothers were and they were born only days after the moms were rescued. It's so sad that there are a lot of abandoned dogs out there.:(I can't see how people could do such a horrible thing.