Samwise Australian Shepherds is a family endeavor that began in College Station Texas thanks to Gail Karamalegos. What started out as a hobby for me when Zoe , our oldest daughter, was an infant has grown, over time, into a passion the entire family participates in. Initially I started off showing in conformation only but with the guidance of other local Aussie people moved into competitive obedience as well.

At this time the family dabbles in agility and has made strides toward learning about stock work however, we primarily compete in conformation, obedience and rally.

Samwise is located on 6 beautiful acres in Northern New Mexico

I picked my kennel name long before breeding dogs was ever even a thought in my head. Samwise Gamgee of The Lord of the Rings embodied all I think these wonderful dogs are. Loyal, kind, funny and above all, unconditional in their love.

My first encounter with an Aussie was in 1997 when I was boarding my horse with my riding instructor. She had a lovely little black tri Aussie named Ona. Ona made such a strong impression on both my husband and myself that when we decided to buy a dog, this is the breed we chose. At the time we also had a border collie x Aussie mix and the Aussie traits were so strong that we knew how wonderful these dogs can be. We bought our first Aussie 2002, after years of rescuing any dog that came across our path. I decided I wanted a hobby that involved dogs and that is how this all started. I will always be thankful for the people who have come before me in the breed. I have been fortunate to have had the guidance of several knowledgeable people along the way. Special thanks to Linda Phillips and her daughter Kate Johnson for the guidance they provided and for breeding the beautiful Jude, the foundation for Samwise.

Dogs are my life. They are my family, they are my friends and have put me in the lives of many other amazing people.

If you have any questions feel free to email samwiseaussies@gmail.com Star, Zoe, Athena, Jerome and Mark The Mathis Clan