Border Collies

[Z&J Cattle]

How many of you use border collies to help with your cattle? Do they usually require a lot of training or is most of their ability instinct? I would like to get a puppy and raise him to help me handle the cows when I don't have anyone else to help. I have been told that with a good dog, one person can work cows very easily, but I have not seen a dog in action doing this so I don't have any idea. If anyone could shed some light on this I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks,

Zach

 

[Caustic Burno]

How many of you use border collies to help with your cattle? Do they usually require a lot of training or is most of their ability instinct? I would like to get a puppy and raise him to help me handle the cows when I don't have anyone else to help. I have been told that with a good dog, one person can work cows very easily, but I have not seen a dog in action doing this so I don't have any idea. If anyone could shed some light on this I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks,

Zach

Get you an ACD or Catahula Cur someting that can get kicked knocked around and continue working. BC's are not tough dogs.

 

[andybob]

I must agree with Caustic, my wife and I bred and trained Border collies for sheep work, I only ever used one for cattle, my choice now would be an Australian cattle dog,they are really good but do need to be properly trained to get the full benefit,

 

[TnWI]

I have had both Borders and ACD's (Blue Heelers) and I have found that the Borders are a bit more timid then the ACD's. However, as they mature, my Borders are showing some promise as far as being cattle dogs.

IF I had to make a choice over what kind of dog to recommend it would be the ACD. If you have never seen one in action, its a treat to watch. When I had ACD's (which I got pups from the local pound, and yes, they were purebreds), they turned out to be my right hand in the field. As you work together, the dogs can almost sense what your next thought would be -- plus, they will watch the cattle to protect you. Be forewarned tho, they like to work, and they are always thinking.

There is a great book about how to train the Herding dogs - ACD's, Borders, etc called Heeler Power. It sounds like its mainly for ACD's but its not -- it provides some very good common sense thinking about training your dog.

I hope, which ever breen you choose, you will find a great partner!

 

[Stocker Steve]

I must agree with Caustic, my wife and I bred and trained Border collies for sheep work, I only ever used one for cattle, my choice now would be an Australian cattle dog,they are really good but do need to be properly trained to get the full benefit,

What do you consider "properly trained?"

 

[polledbull]

I recently bought 2 border collies. They were breed from a kennel that speciliazes in cattle dogs only and his 2 original collies were from 2 ranches in Australia . I must say he had over 50 head of border collie and we saw alot of cattle worked and they were tough. He could actually sic the dogs onto the head of a mature cow. He however has culled very hard over the last 40 years for the gritty instinct. This man is legendary on the East Coast for his line of collies. They however are not cheap with good started dogs going for 1500$ and up to $5000 for a broke dog.Another thing is getting your cattle acustomed to being worked by dogs. You cant just take the dog to a herd of cattle that has never been worked by a dog before . They will scatter and run everywhere.

 

[longhorn314]

I have raised and bred ACD's for 11 years now and I wouldn't take nothing in the world for them and with the right training (yes they will need training)they aren't afraid to work anything all day long.I had a border collie but he was bred more for sheep.Just my opinion.

 

[Tom D]

I use a border collie named Cody. He is a pet first and a cow dog second. He has no formal training and so he can't do a lot of fine work. However he has the instinct. You can sic him on the cows or a particular cow. He will round them up into a group and send them in the direction opposite of you. 99% of the time, I am getting the cattle away from where I don't want them, so this works fine. If I want the cattle to go in a pen, I just bring out the cubes.

I don't know about other breeds, but he is amazing to watch. When a cow challenges or kicks at him he can duck away or change direction so fast it could give you whiplash to watch. He'll even growl and snap at the cow's hind end to speed them up (he never really bites, but he makes them think he is about to).

If a cow isn't going anywhere, he'll run to its back end and grab the hair of its tail and let go, by the time the cow turns he is behind it again and does the same until he gets them to run.

 

[andybob]

Even before a stock dog is introduced to cattle, it needs to be trained to come immediately, stay, and move left or right on command. Remember, the dog's herding instinct is part of its overall hunting instinct and needs to be controlled or the stock,dog or both, will end up injured. A dog is better trained on a herd that is usd to being worked by dogs untill it has the confidence to handle non dogged cattle. A good dog is worth the effort and will invaluable to you in stock handling.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I had a year old Cat Cur baying my cows this afternoon went to introduce it to a model 62 Winchester seen the collar. Number on the collar was no good somebody lost a young stock dog 1 to 1 1/2 years old. He is kenneled right now only thing that saved his life was the breed and he minded me. Some hog hunter is wondering what happened to him.

 

[TK Ranch]

have 2 BC's a red and white and black and white. The black and white is by far a better herd dog. She was born blind in one eye and was going to be put down so we took her in. works cattle and sheep pretty good for no formal training. the red and white is an idiot most of the time but he will put himself between you and an angry mama in a heart beat and turn her around. he is just 3 now so his brain is beginning to kick in now. The only thing is that they don't chase off the coyotes like our old dog used to.

 

[CattleAnnie]

My border collie 'Kate' is a big help. She was a bit of a pain to train, as she was very 'sticky' with the stock, and required a lot of patience to get her to the point she is at...three years of age now and I wouldn't trade her for love nor money.

She would have made a terrible sheep dog though, as she is very aggresive when it comes to gripping the cattle (a big no-no with sheep).

Currently when I chore the cows, she keeps the cows back from the hay yard when I drive in and out, then she rides shotgun with me to where I unload the hay and unroll it. While I'm doing that, she keeps the cattle back about fifty feet from myself and the hay (much safer for me...don't have to worry about getting in the middle of a fight between two dominant cows or bulls). Once the bale is unrolled to my satisfaction, I send her back to the Haymobile and call the cows in.

Works well, and enables me to chore the livestock without an additional person watching gates.


Take care.

 

[glover36]

the yare a great help we use ours to bring in some calves to get bottle fed and when shes bored she usually juts herds around some ducks they are smart enough to know were to go and the limits of the cows and not to get kicked

 

[cmjust0]

I have a Border Collie, and she's by far the most awesome dog I've ever owned.. That's exactly why I wouldn't train her on cattle -- I like having her around! :lol: Granted, she's big for a BC at about 50lbs, but she's built for speed and agility and not to take the kind of shots that cattle can dish out -- in my opinion, anyway.. Though she's purely a pet at the moment, I might train her to watch gates and stuff like that just to give me an excuse to take her out with me...

She does have a strong herding instinct, though... She herds me, my girlfriend, the cats, and the other dogs all over the place.. :lol:

 

[jbar]

if you want a dog to help with moving cattle, loading in trailer out in the pasture,sorting ect. get a border collie or a kelpie buy from a breeder that has trained dogs so he can help with the training . training the dog is only part of it,you also have to train your cattle. if your working cattle make sure you get a dog bred to work cattle. here is a web site that might help http://www.perfectstockdog.com or http://www.cowdog.com. :cboy:

if you like to fix fence get a acd!!!!!! :shock:

 

[jbar]

sorry acd fans,acd are though dogs and can be a big help on a ranch. i just get quicker and better results with border collies bred to work cattle.everybody likes there breed better than any other such as it should be :cboy: