Madera ranch dog wins Farm Dog of the Year award

MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A nine-year-old Australian shepherd from a Madera household has won the California Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year and a $1,000 currency prize.

The California Farm Bureau announced Tuesday that Aussie, who guards her family's Madera ranch animals against predators, won the bureau's Dog of the Year contest.

Aussie belongs to the Erickson family, who raises livestock and grows 2,500 acres of almonds, grapes, pistachios and prunes successful Madera.

Kaydance Erickson, 1 of Aussie's owners, says thing tin travel betwixt her and the livestock.

The Erickson household of Madera poses with their Australian shepherd Aussie, the California Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year. The Ericksons, from left, are Kaydence, Henry, Stacy, James and Jason.

“She is wholeheartedly devoted to protecting the farm, and thing stops her,” Erickson said. “She is 1 of the champion dogs you tin get.”

The California Farm Bureau says Aussie's enthusiasm has travel with its challenges: erstwhile she was six years old, she broke her close limb portion chasing a canine disconnected the property. Aussie had her limb amputated, but she eagerly got close backmost to enactment aft her surgery.