Chantal Gagnon and five year-old Australian Shepherd rescue Ding Ding have been with American Idogs since the very beginning. Ding was adopted because of his breed%u2019s ability and desire to learn. He is Chantal%u2019s first real dog to call her own, even though her husband Dan had Tango, a Flatcoat Retriever, for fifteen years. Their favorite moment of the day is when Chantal is waking up and Ding Ding cuddles up on the bed. Also, they enjoy practicing training while they go for walks. The Spanish dance, and having Ding Ding weave between her legs are the two tricks Chantal likes to practice most with her dog. The most challenging part about working with Ding Ding is that he is a herding dog, so Chantal has to make an effort to always be in control of the situation. Ding Ding shares his home with the family cat Garfield, who he likes to play hide and seek with. At first Chantal was afraid he was chasing the cat, but then she realized it was the cat who was in charge of the game. Chantal and Ding Ding enjoy being a part of the American Idogs team because they play fun games and learn new tricks in a noncompetitive environment that other dog clubs don%u2019t offer. Also, she likes the training methods used because they are with positive reinforcement, no violence. It is a good way to meet new people who share the same interests as she does, and Ding can socialize with other well-behaved dogs. The best part is being able to share with the spectators at a show how much fun that she can have with her dog.