Gottabe Miniature American Shepherds  (formerly mini aussie) & STANDARD MANCHESTER TERRIERS  -   Established in 1994 

May, 2020: 

My first litter of Mini Aussies (their name at the time) was in 2000, and every year brings more emails, letters & pictures of Gottabe dogs who have crossed over the rainbow bridge.  Its both sad and with appreciation that I read the emails & letters telling how much their Gottabe dogs enriched their lives - I am truly blessed to have been a part of it.

Linda Sue lost her "Gottabe's Bailey Bear" a few years ago, and last month lost "Gottabe's Max" also.

Jennifer & her family lost Zhade, (a special needs girl who was deaf) @ 14 this past year.  Zhade is in front.

Gary & Tina sent their "Gottabe's Gracie" over the rainbow bridge in March, 2020 September, 2017 -

I have been contacted by 5 Gottabe owners in the past month or 2 with the passing of their loved furry family member.  I am so glad to know my dogs have been such a blessings.(still under construction)

Nash, Emma, Lady , Angel, Stormie

Mult. BIS/MASCA GR/NAMASCUSA GR/UKC/NAKC Amer. & Canadian/Int./Nat'l CH Hthrlz GB A'spots Highlander, "Conner"          12/9/2002-6/28/2013Conner is a Freckles son and the first Gottabe dog to earn a Best in Show.  He went on to garner many Best in Show and Reserve Best in Show during the short time I specialled him. (I was too afraid to ship & so we stayed on the west coast.)  Conner had beautiful movement, awesome structure and a sweet soul and we logged many miles together.   I had no intentions of placing Conner but when Ian & Margaret contacted me about a dog, something in me insisted they were the ones who could give Conner the one thing he wanted that I could not - a home where he did not have to share.  He hated coming home to being one of the pack.  Although I did what I believed was best for Conner and I don't regret it, I loved and missed him dearly.  He went to work with Ian regularly & enjoyed staying home at times with Margaret.  They loved him & I knew he was happy.  This month he fell ill and was diagnosed with lymphoma.  He was taken to UC Davis but the illness took its toll.  

RBIS MASCA GR/NAMASCUSA GR/ARBA/Rarities/Nat'l/Int/UKC Champion, Gottabe's Spot The Winner, "Freckles"

3/2000 - 5/2012

We miss you so much Frecklie-boy!

Freckles was the dog that started Gottabe. He was my first homebred Mult. CH from Sam and Scotty.  He & I started out showing on rocky ground - he thinking he was master, & I determined to prove him wrong!  Things evened out after he hit his 2nd birthday and he went on to garner 1St UKC mini CH, 1st MASCA GR. CH., and many other  "first" awards in the mini ring.  I retired him at 8 years and he was my daughter's constant companion for the last years of his life.   I am so glad to have had Freckles and we miss him so much!  This is how I always want to remember him - smiling!

Gottabe's Hurricane @ Blackbriar, "Duster "

4/21/03 - 10/27/12

Duster was out of my Emma/Cruz litter, Gottabe's Ima Mak'n U C Red and Heatherly's Cruzin to Victory Lane.  She was one of 5 blue merle girls we dubbed the "butt sisters", and one of 4 blue merles.  My friend Cyndi was going to take one of the girls and really wanted the puppy we called "Inky".  Unfortunately Inky did not puzzle out and she went home with "Copper".  If you love dogs you know that sometimes our husbands have a lower threshold than we do.    In Duster's case, he just could not resist this cute bundle and she immediately bonded to him, becoming his dog.  Kenneth took her everywhere in his truck and when he was parked, Duster would sit on his dash - that is how she came to be known as "Dash Duster" and then Duster.  Duster became quite protective of her daddy; he had to start leaving her home more when she decided to try & bite the hand of the fast-food employee @ the drive thru window.  She also tried very hard to push Cyndi away from Kenneth and out of their bed.  Eventually they came to an agreement.  Cyndi agreed not to throw her out of the bedroom and Duster agreed not to try and push her out of bed! 

Duster became ill quite quickly  with pancreatic insulinoma (tumor of the pancreas) ,  and it became clear that she was suffering.  Ken and Cyndi made the difficult decision to let her go.  

UKC CH. Sunshines Let's Tri Sum Action, "Sam"

AKC Major Pointed Windfall's Going Cadillac Style, "Katie"





One of my Gottabe puppies - now @  15 years of age, Gottabe's Sparkling Cider, OTCH, MACH7. Owned & loved by Kay G.

August, 2015 - Just 3 weeks from a long awaited re-union with Cider, @ 15 she passed on to the rainbow bridge.  Gottabe's Sparkling Cider retired from agility at the ripe age of 12 with her MACH 7.  She was the first Miniature Australian Shepherd to have completed both the highest obedience title of OTCH, AND a MACH in agility 7 times.  Although I was unable to see Cider, I was able to finally meet Kay @ the MASCUSA Nationals in St. Louis, MO, September 17, 2015

Gottabe's Try'n Catch theWind,  "Zephyr", July 2013

Zephyr passed away suddenly in July, 2013.  Our hearts still ache, but we will cherish his memory forever.  He taught me a lot - Zephyr was like an "old soul" and he took care of all of us.  He was always there for me.  I want to dedicate the following anonymous saying to him:  "It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them and every new dog who comes into my life gives me a piece of their heart."  Rest well sweet boy - you are always in my heart! - Joan Irwin

Int. Ch. Heatherly's Cranberry

Kiss, "Sweetie"

12/4/1997-11/08/2012

This year has been a rough one for us.  In May we lost Freckles, October Duster, and this month Sweetie.  Sweetie was our first mini aussie and my daughter's shadow until she moved out while in college.  She then became my husband's quiet shadow.  Last year when Cloe came to live with us, she accepted her and tolerated her antics, often requiring us to "save" her and  she was a great mom though she really did not care for puppies.  Heather Pozzi of Heatherly Mini Aussies bred her and though she did not turn out as a show dog, she graced our lives with her sweet, calm temperament and love of tennis balls.  Sweetie never knew when to quit when it came to fetching.  Even when very pregnant we were forced to call it quits worrying about her going into labor.  In the last 6 months of her life she lost most of her hearing, slowed down considerably, and last week she let me know it was time.  We let her go in the sunshine of our back door, one of her favorite places to sun.  The picture above was taken last summer at the ripe age of 13.  

Ch. Gottabe's Go To Your

 Destiny,

"Cedar"

7//01-12/16/2010

1 of the low points of 2010 for me was the loss of Cedar, Ch. Gottabe's Go To Your Destiny.

I saw Cedar when he was 5 weeks old at Reggie Palm's house.  Kathy Munson had asked if I would come take pictures of the litter.  Both Reggie & Kathy said he was not taken & they were looking for a show home.  I was not in the market, and told them so.  If I remember correctly I said, "I need another male like I need a hole in the head."  Well, 3 weeks later I came back to take updated pics.  Again they let me know he was still available.  He was a beautifyl puppy, all fuzzy and he crawled into my lap - I caved.  Cedar came home with me that day and has been with us ever since.

2 wks before Christmas (at 8.5 years of age) he was diagnosed with rectal cancer. Within 48 hours he stopped eating and told us it was time. We said goodbye December 16th. It has taken me this long to be able to even talk about it and I am crying now. He was such a happy, goofy guy, who never missed a meal (or he'd let you know!), and he was my sons best friend.