G'Day!

Thank you stopping by Trail's End! We are Steve and Julie Waltenburg. Our ranch is located in Phelan, CA, which is in the beautiful High Desert, just downslope of the San Gabriel Mountains. We live here with our dogs, sheep, cattle, ducks and geese.

Our passion is preserving the herding heritage of the herding breeds that we own. We hope that in some small way that our breeding program and our herding training and trialing programs work toward that end. Steve has had continued success throughout the years in trialing our dogs and those of others. There have been multiple high in trial wins, National Specialty wins and many breed “firsts” for the ACDs.

Although Steve’s time is limited, he does give herding instruction when he can. We feel it is important to give back to a community that has given us so much. We do take an occasional dog in for training and have for sale a started dog now and then. We also offer our dogs at stud to approved bitches. Steve is a licensed AKC and AHBA herding judge. We have both served as chairs for the Australian Cattle Dog Club of America, and I, Julie, continue to serve as a member. I have served as trial chair for two National herding trials. We are also members of the Australian Cattle Dog Club of Greater Los Angeles for which I have chaired three herding trials and have served as an officer in several capacities.

Steve is a licensed AKC and AHBA herding judge, as well.

As mentioned we breed only occasionally, considering it to be a very weighty endeavor. We seriously consider each breeding prospect's possible contribution to the breed. To that end we genetically test our breeding stock, including the new DNA test for PRCD, CERF, OFA, and BAER. Our litters are in-home raised, as we place great importance on socialization in starting a happy, sound ACD. We make careful consideration in puppy placement, be it a working, companion or show home. We encourage potential buyers to ask many questions. We in turn will have many for them!

But enough about us! In the end it is about the dogs! Our dogs and those that come in for training are treated as family members. Each is a unique individual in our small kennel, and we love them all! They are workmates, friends, kids, characters and sources of joy in our lives!

Please, come share with us who we are, what we do, and why we love these uniquely intelligent, loyal and courageous dogs!