Alyse: If I were a dog, I would definitely be a mini Australian Shepherd, and I’m not at all biased by having had six of them throughout my life. As an athlete I relate to their boundless energy and agility, and as a goofball I relate to their silly and distinct personalities and ridiculous antics. One particular trait I love about Aussies and strongly relate to is their unwavering loyalty and empathy. I have two nearly identical photos taken three years apart, one of my mom and one of me. In both, we’re recovering from knee and ankle surgery, respectively, as also in both, our red tri mini Aussies are curled up right next to our injured legs. Aussies seem to always know when something is up, and are always there for comfort as well as for joy. And as far as their loyalty goes, it’s easy to hurt their feelings by not allowing them to follow you into the bathroom.
