Owners: Ed St. John and Julie Pedroncelli St. John
Affiliated Winery: Pedroncelli Winery, Sonoma County
Dog Name: Jasper
Age: 2.5 years
Breed: Australian Shepherd. He was a rescue, and a DNA check showed that he turned out to be 100 percent purebred, with a close relative who was a 2016 Best of Breed at the Westminster Dog Show. He overdelivered!
In a Word: Engaging
Job Title: Chief Fun and Entertainment Officer
Star Quality: Jasper has never met someone he couldn't cozy up to, never met a person or a dog he didn't like (except the two pit bulls that attacked him the day before quarantine day).
Favorite Activity: The dog "bark"—he starts whining and whimpering and wiggling when we turn onto the street toward the park. He can't sit still. It really is kind of annoying.
Favorite Possession: His squeaky Monkey. He tells it all about his time at the dog "bark" every time he gets back in the truck.
Favorite Getaway: Under Julie's feet at her desk, or in the snow or river in Truckee.
Forgivable Flaw: You don't want to let him eat the sawdust at the dog park.
Backstory: Jasper is our fourth rescue dog, all of which were shepherds. He came to us, completely untrained, just a short time after we lost our beloved #DirktheDog. He was absolutely out of control, 60 pounds of unbridled enthusiasm at the end of a leash. The silver lining of the pandemic has been working from home, being able to work with him several hours a day (read 5-9 miles a day) and watching him mature into the amazing dog he is—well behaved (most times), sharp, engaging and incredibly loveable. We are so thankful to Dogwood Rescue and the friends who tagged us on Facebook when his picture appeared.
