Linda considers Awesome to be her once-in-a-lifetime dog. She says that while she has been blessed with many wonderful dogs over the years, they are still "dogs". To Linda, Awesome is more than a dog. Anyone that knows Awesome would agree, there is something magical about him. Retrieving and swimming are his two favorite pastimes. 

A mere 18" tall, Awesome never let small stature stand in his way. He was USDAA World Champion in 2000, 2nd in 02 and 3rd in 04 and 05. He was a member of the winning team at the USDAA National Championship DAM Team Tournament in both 04 and 05. Awesome finished his USDAA career just shy of achieving the "Triple Crown" having placed multiple times in the USDAA Steeplechase National Championships with his highest placement being 2nd in 99. In AKC competition he is one of the most highly titled Border Collies, he was Top MACH Dog of the Year in 03 and 04 and was invited to the AKC Agility Invitational in 06 and 07. Awesome won both the ISC Sweepstakes and the Challenge Round at AKC National Championships. In 2004 he won the AKC World Team Tryouts. He represented the USA at the FCI Agility World Championships on three occasions. 

Awesome is probably best remembered for being a member of the USA Large Dog Team that won a gold medal at the FCI Agility World Championships in Portugal in 2001. That year Awesome also placed 8th individually. With four clean runs to his credit, along with a team gold medal and top ten individual placement, his performance bested all dogs at the event that year. 

"Awesome Paws" is of course named in honor of Awesome. While there will never be another dog like him, his influence will enable many dogs in agility to run with awesome paws in the future.