A 9-year-old Australian Shepherd who guards her family’s Madera ranch animals from predators is the California Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year winner.
Besides the title, the dog named Aussie earns a $1,000 grand prize.
Open to Farm Bureau members, with support from Nationwide and FieldClock, the contest asked entrants to submit photos and answer a few brief questions about their dog.
Aussie’s owners the Erickson family, raises livestock and grows 2,500 acres of almonds, grapes, pistachios and prunes in Madera.
Aussie catches gophers in the orchards and vineyards, helps herd horses and protects pigs, horses, goats and chickens from nighttime predators.
