Sandra has been raising AKC/ASCA registered Australian Shepherds since 1994, when she purchased a young male, pet quality Aussie. She carefully planned and thought she had done all of her homework on the breed. This dog was to be part of her family and he would be used to help chase geese off of some local public properties where droppings had become a problem. This dog did not work out as a pet due to temperament problems and our town found that they did not want to be liable for this dog on public property. She decided to learn a great deal more about the breed before purchasing another dog. It became clear that this was the right breed for her but even more clear that not all Aussies had the correct temperament to be a family pet. She found the right breeders to deal with and she is now hooked on the beauty, brains and athletic ability of the Australian Shepherd.

Amy Johanson, Sandra’s daughter, is the newest member of Vinelake after growing up raising Aussies and attending shows alongside her mom. Her knowledge of the breed and her skills as a professional photographer have allowed her to become a valuable asset to Vinelake. She can schedule travel to dog shows and offer her photography services as well as ad design to breeders and competitors.

Currently we show our dogs in both ASCA and AKC conformation rings but our future plans include Agility and Obedience. Knowing now what we did not know in 1994, we are careful about where we get our dogs, who we breed our dogs to and even more thorough about placing them in the correct homes. We take pride in raising healthy Aussies with wonderful temperaments, brains and correct conformation that helps us do well in the show ring.