Sawyer Johnson is only 13 years old, but he already has a packed dog show schedule.
A typical show day for the Lubbock, Texas teen starts at 8 a.m. with AKC Rally. The most advanced teams compete first, where Johnson runs Australian Shepherds “Peri” (RACH Rainyday’s Dawntreader CD RM3 RAE2 PT NAJ NF CGC TKN) and “Frankie” (Rainyday’s My Eyes Adored You CD BN RM2 RAE2 RC PT NF).
But sometimes there’s a schedule conflict, and Junior Showmanship starts at the same time. Johnson asks the AKC Rally ring steward if he can run his dogs last, buying time to show “Monty” (CH Rainyday’s Hot Stuff CD BN RA) in Juniors.
It’s tight, but he can pull it off — even if it means sprinting from one building to another, swapping his armband along the way. He’ll have a short respite before helping his mom, Kate, show their Aussies in conformation, and later running Monty or “Dahlia” (Rainyday’s Reminiscing CD BN RE CGC TKN) in obedience.
“It’s crazy!” he laughs, but takes it in stride. Johnson’s a bright, ambitious teen with myriad interests that keep him busy both in and out of the ring. In addition to Juniors, he participates in conformation, AKC Rally, and obedience, and is starting agility. He also plays the clarinet, runs track and field, and earns straight A’s in all honors classes.
“I’m just enjoying doing everything right now,” he says.
Growing Up — and Falling Down — in the Dog World
Johnson is a third-generation fancier, and he’s never known life without dogs. His grandparents raced sled dogs, and his parents have been involved in Australian Shepherds since 1992.
“I just started as soon as I could,” he says. At 3 years old, he was showing his family’s Aussies in Pee Wee classes through another organization, and at 5, he made his debut in AKC’s Pee Wee classes.
But like any kid starting out in dog sports, Johnson had some goofs in the ring. He recalls one of his earliest (and most embarrassing) Pee Wee experiences showing a big, boisterous Aussie named “Mickey” (CH Goldcrest Polaris Start Me Up! RN CGC).
“He was really friendly, and he loved everyone,” he says. “We were in the ring, and he just knocked me flat over in the middle of the down and back, and just sat on me.” Laughter erupted both in and out of the ring, and Johnson couldn’t help but giggle himself. He says the experience was “funny and annoying at the same time.”
Finding His Place in the Dog Fancy
Everyone’s a winner in Pee Wee, and after a few years of racking up participation ribbons, Johnson craved real competition. At 9, he was finally old enough for Juniors, and the challenge of showing against other talented youth revived his love for the sport. He aspired to be like the older kids who were winning Best Junior with their Aussies, and dreamed of someday being like them — and maybe even beating them.
“Once I started learning more about how showing actually worked, I got a lot more into it,” he says.
He also became more involved in his family’s breeding program. He helps teach their puppies foundation skills for the show ring, such as walking on a lead, stacking, and gaiting. He also learned how to evaluate a puppy’s conformation and temperament, and enjoys observing each stage of development.
“I really like seeing how they evolve,” Johnson says. “I started taking a picture of a couple puppies every couple days when they’re growing up, and the jumps were really cool to see. It was just fun to watch them grow up from ‘little worms’ to growing puppies.”
Friendly Competition in the AKC Rally Ring
The Johnson family strives to produce intelligent, structurally sound Australian Shepherds who excel in conformation or a companion sport, depending on their individual strengths. “We try to give every dog something to do at least some time in their life,” Johnson says. “They have something to do, something to practice and have fun doing.”
In 2024, Johnson was inspired to try AKC Rally after years of watching his dad, Derek, compete in the sport with their Aussies. But he was hesitant — AKC Rally is a game of precision and teamwork, and to new exhibitors, the signs can seem like a tangle of arrows and symbols.
“I was really scared to start, because I thought it would go horribly,” he says. He took the leap with “Zumba” (Rainyday’s Shut Up And Dance CD BN RAE NAJ NF), who had already earned several titles with his parents. “I just did it. And then after that, it was so much easier on me,” Johnson says. “After the first time, I felt like I could do it a hundred more times.”
And now, he’s close on his dad’s heels — the two often go head-to-head in the Advanced and Excellent classes with their dogs in pursuit of AKC Rally Championships (RACHs). It’s all in good fun, but the prospect of beating his dad gives him an added incentive to score high.
“I was showing Zumba, and my dad was showing one of his dogs that is, like, perfect — has a RACH and all that stuff,” Johnson says. “But I ended up getting a 99, and I think he got 98, and I beat him on Father’s Day! Everyone was joking about it.”
Celebrating Small Victories
Recently, Johnson has added agility to his repertoire, which he finds “the most exciting” of the sports. “We’re running, and we’re just loud and fun, and dogs love it,” he says. He also hopes to start herding in the next few years, when he’s “a little bit older and taller.”
At 13, he’s open-minded about his possibilities in dogdom and beyond. His ultimate goal in each sport is to earn a Championship title and to win Best Junior at larger shows. In the meantime, Johnson celebrates small victories every time he competes — whether beating his dad in AKC Rally, earning a higher placement in a class than before, or improving an issue that had been a struggle.
“Every time I show, I try to do a little thing better,” he says, “Because I’ve had plenty of shows where I just get destroyed — like, blown out of the water. So every little bit better is such a big accomplishment for me.”