President's Message
“I am very proud to be a part of
bringing together breeders, owners and fanciers of these wonderful dogs,
Miniature American Shepherds. This is an
exciting time to make new strides and new beginnings. Many of us are no stranger to the past
ridicule and unacceptance of the Mini Aussie as a size variety of the
Australian Shepherd. Over the years, we
have fought hard, spending countless volunteer hours, with the goal to gain
recognition as Miniature sized Australian Shepherds in Canada with CKC.
Through that dedication and passion
brought us to the conclusion that our goal was not likely reachable without a
majority of support from the Australian Shepherd community. Therefore, in order for our smaller Aussies
to be accepted and recognized as they truly deserve, along with other purebred
dogs, was to take a different route, perhaps a little challenging at times, but
that would take the Mini Aussie into a new era as a new breed now called
Miniature American Shepherd.
As we move forward together as a group of MAS enthusiasts, our goals
should be to promote the breed, share information, and hold MAS related
events. One of our goals of this club is to
gain recognition by our own country’s kennel club, the CKC (Canadian Kennel
Club.) As we make this transition, I
would also expect us to treat those that do not wish to follow this path but
to stay 'breed club-registered as Mini Aussies' with respect.
My personal goal as President is to
see this club function as a team with honest and open communication with its
members. To provide a gathering place
for discussions regarding health, breeding, events, etc. Within this role, I plan to foster
non-judgemental discussions about new or different ideas in regards to all
aspects of breeding, owning, and promoting this breed. I hope together we grow as a group by
learning from each other. Whether you
are just starting out, or whether you have 20 years plus of experience, each
person may have something valuable to contribute and are entitled to their
opinion.
Welcome to everyone who has joined
us on this journey."
Lisa Hartjes
President, MASCAN
