15-Year-Old Australian Shepherd Competes as Oldest Dog in AKC Rally Nationals
At first glance,聽 you wouldn鈥檛 be able to tell that Cheyenne is the oldest dog competing at the 2021 AKC Rally National Championship. Lively and energetic, the Australian Shepherd defies her age 鈥� 15 years old.
More impressive, this is the senior dog鈥檚 first AKC Nationals event. But Cheyenne is not at all new to success.
Cindy Franks and her Aussie are one of only 38 dog/handler pairs in (ASCA) history to earn a Supreme Performance Championship (SPCH). More impressive? They are the only team to win the SuperDog Obedience Championship twice 鈥� both in 2014 and 2017.
鈥淭he SPCH involved our WTCH, UD, Elite Regular agility, Elite Gamblers agility, and Elite Regular agility,鈥� Cindy says. 鈥淭he SuperDog Obedience Championship involved one run in UB, one run in OB, and two runs in a combined routine of Utility and Open, all done in four rings in less than six hours, including lunch.鈥�
Bringing Home Cheyenne
After a rescue Australian Shepherd (Callie) and a second Aussie from a breeder (Captain,) Cindy was hooked. 鈥淚 love the Working Aussie!聽 It is truly my breed of choice,鈥� she says.
When she was ready for Aussie no. 3, she reached out to Jamie Burns at Cut鈥檔 Loose Australian Shepherds for a blue merle bitch. At the time, she had Captain, a blue merle male.
But, it turned out, all the merles were spoken for. The only puppy left was one nobody wanted 鈥� a bi-black female.
Cindy and Jamie didn鈥檛 know each other yet, but Cindy knew Jamie bred carefully and had a line of dogs that worked stock, did rescue, agility, and were healthy dogs. So after talking with Jamie, Cindy decided the little bi-black puppy, Cheyenne, was meant to be hers.
鈥淲hen I took Cheyenne from Jamie, held her in my arms, looked into those brown eyes, and got a kiss on my nose, I was in love!鈥�
Cindy鈥檚 first two Aussies were active and titled. Each trained and titled in stock, obedience, agility, and Rally. Both dogs showed well into their double-digits.
Still Competing at 15
Cindy credits dog sports with keeping both Cheyenne and herself moving. 鈥淚 have never been happy with just letting a dog hang out in a crate,鈥� she says.
It鈥檚 no surprise that most people are shocked when they learn Cheyenne鈥檚 age. A 15-year-old Australian Shepherd still competing at the national level?
鈥淚 am very fortunate that Cheyenne is from working lines and so she still wants to do something,鈥� Cindy says. 鈥淚 saw a number of friends put their senior dogs to the side and get a new younger dog; their sporting goals hadn鈥檛 changed as their dogs aged. Dog sports activate the mind as well as the body.鈥�
Cindy鈥檚 11-year-old Shetland Sheepdog, Rider, will also be competing at the AKC Rally National Championship.
While Cheyenne continues to have fun competing in Rally and other dog sports, she is retired from her other favorite activity 鈥� working cattle. When she鈥檚 not competing, Cheyenne loves spending time with Cindy and Rider and eating her favorite snack 鈥� baby carrots.