The faithful companion of West Virginia farrier Wes Fleisher, Lizzy is a 5-year-old Black Lab/Border Collie mix that never says no to Jack Link's on the road.

The Dog of the Year contest is meant to both have a little fun and honor the important bond between farriers and their dogs. Photos of Lizzy and 11 other top dogs are featured monthly in a 2025 calendar, downloadable for free here.

1. What’s the story behind your dog’s name?

She was kinda named after my mother-in-law. Her name is Elaine, but some people in my wife’s family call her Lizzy.

2. When and where did you get the dog?

I had just lost my 12-year-old Border Collie to cancer. About 2 weeks later, I went to a cattle sale in Harrisonburg, Va., and there was a Mennonite lady selling puppies. I looked at them, went on inside, and eventually, I had to go get one. Best $50 I ever spent. 

3. When you’re working, does the dog come into the barn or stay in the truck? Does it vary among barns and specific horses?

At some places, she runs and plays with other dogs, but if I think she and the owner's dog won’t get along, she stays in the truck. I also use a 30-foot leash and keep her tied to the truck. That way she’s out but not loose. 

4. Do you have liability or insurance concerns when taking your dog on the road?

Not really. She’s very friendly, and if I think for a second there will be a problem, she stays inside the truck. 

5. Does your dog help you clean up by eating those extra-nutritious hoof scraps at the stops where you work?

Yes, she loves them. My wife, however, is not too thrilled when she rolls in them and sneaks in the house. 

Food Motivated

West Virginia farrier Wes Fleisher sticks to 2 eggs over medium, bacon, toast and coffee for breakfast. On the other hand, Lizzy prefers Jack Link's as often as possible! Image courtesy of Facebook

6. What’s the craziest thing your dog has ever done while on the road with you?

She really hasn’t done anything too crazy. She fell out the window about 2 years ago. I swerved to miss a deer, and she went out. I was scared to death and feared the worst, but when I got stopped and got out, she was running down the road to me. Only minor cuts and bruises. 

7. If you could have dinner with anybody in the hoof-care world, who would it be and why?

Conrad Trow. I was at a farrier clinic in New Holland, Pa., back in October 2024. I’ve been shoeing for 30 years, and it was nice to watch someone who shoes a completely different type of horse than me. But his theories and concepts were much like mine as far as how to prepare a foot for a shoe.

8. How long have you been shoeing, and how did you get started?

30 years. I had 5 horses, and the older gentleman who shod everyone’s horses in my area was hanging it up, so I asked him to teach me. 

9. What type of shoeing or trimming do you specialize in doing?

From 1994 until 2010 or so, it was mainly Walking horses or gaited horses, but now I do a lot of hunter/jumpers and Standardbreds. 

10. How many different horses have you worked on in the past 12 months?

I have around 145 on a regular schedule and another 40-50 whose owners only call a couple times a year. 

11. Do you normally have another person in the barn when trimming and shoeing?

Most of the time, yes, unless I really know the horses well. 

12. What brand, model and year was your first farrier truck and how many miles and years did you drive it?

1974 Chevy K10. It had 286,000 miles on it, 2 engines and 1 transmission. I drove it from 1998-2022. 

13. What has been the major key to your success as a farrier over the years?

Dependability. I show up when I say I am, and if there’s a situation I don’t feel comfortable with, I will tell the owner and get help. 

14. What one piece of advice would you have for someone just graduating from farrier school?

Don’t criticize someone like myself just because we older farriers don’t use or believe in the latest and greatest things. Be willing to work hard and listen to what an older person may be willing to tell you. 

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