Meet the Breeder
Hi! 👋🏻 I'm Hannah, and I'm the breeder behind the scenes at Aurorealis Border Collies!
I've been in herding breeds for 15 years, and specifically Border Collies, for 12. I previously bred and showed Pembrokes for about 7 years.
I actively participate in dog sports such as conformation, fastCAT, dock diving, agility, and dabbling in some herding work for fun.
Being working breeds, we like to keep our dogs as fit and as active as possible, and we work to keep their bodies and minds in tip-top shape. We love to go on long walks, and hiking at our local state park, and at our favorite creek spot, and have daily training sessions.
When I'm not out working with our dogs, you can find me at home watching true crime shows, crocheting, or doing something with the family!
How we began
I've loved dogs my whole life, and have always thrived in jobs that allow me to work with them. I've worked at boarding kennels, humane societies, and independent rescues, and I've even volunteered to foster. I've also been a professional groomer and hobby trainer, for 17 years.
My very first dog was a rescue - a mutt named Sasha - and she was the greatest dog I've ever known. She was the puppy that kick-started my love for all things dog. She is the one who sparked my passion for helping dogs in need, and in my early 20s, I founded and ran a totally non-profit dog rescue right out of my home - successfully rehabilitating, and rehoming over 100 dogs in just a few years. To this day, even as a breeder, I am still a huge advocate for rescuing, fostering, and adopting.
In early 2010, I brought home my first corgi - a redheaded tri that I named Murray. In 2012, I brought home our first Border Collie, Zuko, who was straight off of a farm - born a true working dog. It didn't take long for me to realize that herding breeds were the dogs for me.
Having the opportunity to get into dog shows and dog sports, begin a breeding program, and create my own lines of beautifully, well-bred, healthy, versatile dogs has been something I have always wished to do, ever since I was young - so I am quite literally living my dream... and I am thrilled to get to share that dream, with you.
Who we are today
For 7 years I raised and showed Pembroke Welsh Corgis. I was content with where I was, what I was accomplishing with my dogs, and the puppies I was producing. However in mid-2022, I started to feel that things were becoming a bit stagnant, and I began to re-evaluate my breeding program. For a long time, a big decision weighed heavily on my shoulders, as there were certain aspects that held me back from moving forward to where I really wanted to be...
It was then that I decided to take that leap, and started the process of switching breeds for my program. There were a lot of unknowns in the months ahead. But I quickly found that this switch was the best thing I could have ever done - for myself, my program, my dogs, my future puppies, and their future families.
Today- while I still may be just as awkward of a person as I ever was- the person I am as a breeder and a handler, and the breeding program I am building, now known as Aurorealis Border Collies, has all grown into something that I feel I can really, truly feel proud of!