Sunrise 6:53 am: Celebrating Aussies

It was a brisk 38 degrees when the Dawn Joggers set out this morning to cross a near deserted Stanford campus due to the Presidents Day holiday. Shortly after crossing the bike bridge over San Francisquito Creek, we ran into a bundled up Paul and his Australian Shepherd, Patches, who looks much like the current Aussie star, Ch. Caitland Isle Take a Chance. This Canadian bred dog, known as Chance, took second place in the Herding Group at the Westminster Kennel Club show, the highest placement ever for an Australian Shepherd. These very active and very intelligent dogs are a breed that started in the American West, not "down under" as their name might imply.