dogs

[3waycross]

My dog Bo is an Australian Kelpie. I work my cattle by myself and Bo is an extra pair of hands. While most would not rate her as a good cattle dog, she follows my direction, always looking for my lead, she does at times think she knows best but responds to my commands. Her deficits are all due to my bad training, however I am more than happy and would not be without her. We are great mates and comes everywhere with me, she is very content to sit all day in the truck if need be, never impatient or anxious.
We do not hunt pigs, but so far this year she has got 19 pigs (small ones she holds onto large ones she bales up for me to dispatch with a head shot) mostly in thick timbered country. She just loops out in an arc from me, never goes disappearing over the horizon, she is just so smart and smart enough not to get hurt.
I think she is a brilliant allround dog and would highly recommend a Kelpie to anyone with a bit of room to keep one. She does all that I need a dog to do with cattle.
Ken
PS She cost me $50 at 5 wks of age with first vaccination

Great deal, great dog. :tiphat:

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Bud Williams on ranch dogs:

http://www.managingwholes.com/stock-dogs-1.htm

http://www.managingwholes.com/stock-dogs-2.htm

http://www.managingwholes.com/starting-stock-dogs.htm

http://www.managingwholes.com/untrained-stock-dogs.htm

 

[spinandslide]

Ive been told some folks dont want a dog...that an ATV works just as good..an ATV doesnt lay at your feet though. :lol:

I have a dog, a border collie, who found his way into my home through means of the local shelter and a rescue group who pulled him after he spent 6 weeks in there. Hes as fullblood as they come and lives to "work"..he'll even hand me my clothes in the morning when it's time to go feed. Now, looking for a stockdog in a shelter is considered kinda taboo by many a person..you dont know the history, the bad habits,ect. See below why my husband was convinced he had to stay.

I had a heeler before him, who was a really good dog for what I needed at the time, driving steers through the chutes at local ropings. My border collie fits more what I need now..a gather type of dog. Knowing little about training a BC, I enlisted the help of a trainer, whom I go out and work with, in conjunction with training at home. I feel like I have a firmer grasp about how a BC operates now and he is progressing well in his training..can't wait to transistion him to whistles.

I know many a rancher around here prefers heelers..they feel BC's are to soft. Mine isnt, hes not afraid to back up what he's asking "nicely"..In fact, the reason he is still here is due to the fact he chased down a heifer that was making a run for it after busting through the pen while we were loading..he headed her, bit her square in the nose, turned her and brought her back to the pen..we'd had him about 2 weeks when this happened..he did it on his own..coolest thing I'd ever seen.

You will pay for a finished dog though..to train one takes patience and time..even if you buy a pup and send it out for training for afew months, he wont be "finished"..you'll have to still do training and reminding..as was mentioned, some people dont have the time or patience for this..and if thats the case, by all means, train them to come to your horn or bucket. Having a dog as a partner, to me, is worth the extra time spent training him. I know once he's finished and consistent, I'll have one hell of a handling tool..
This is Fletcher in Jan of last year, just abit after I really started working with him.

 

[pdfangus]

here is a breeder in Colorado.

I had a daughter from one of their males (Charlie Glass) once and she was born knowing as much about a cow as i do.

she was my wifes guardian angel as well.

that dog has been gone for 20 years and we miss her still. smartest dog we ever had and we have had soem good ones. One correction for weeing in the house at 8 weeks old and that dog was house broke. Hand to god true story....

http://www.lasrocosa.com/

 

[baleflipper]

There is a long string of dogs I have owned. One I had was half Leopard and half Airedale. Best catch dog I ever owned. She got up in age and fell out while we were penning a bunch of wild cattle.I rode off an left her for dead. Came in three days later she was at the house.Found a note on my door from a friend thats long gone now, Note said"Found Patches Along side the highway headed this way. Stopped and called her ,she hopped on truck.I brought her home.I got out to put this note on the door,she bit me! Tommy." That was about 1972.
Got a queensland heeler now that works with me shes 12.Shes been a good Help in handling cows.Her an grandson fight over seat in pickup.

 

[LutherC]

There are several breeds of dog that are potentially good for cattle, but like people have said above having the right breed won't do it by itself, each dog is an individual and the training is important. But anyway, there are basically two kinds of herding behavior, the kind the BC uses which, as dun says above, usually doesn't involve biting, and the kind used by Australian cattle dogs which does involve nipping. But there are lots of breeds that can be trained for herding animals, not just those two.

 

[cross_7]

Ive been told some folks dont want a dog...that an ATV works just as good..an ATV doesnt lay at your feet though. :lol:

I have a dog, a border collie, who found his way into my home through means of the local shelter and a rescue group who pulled him after he spent 6 weeks in there. Hes as fullblood as they come and lives to "work"..he'll even hand me my clothes in the morning when it's time to go feed. Now, looking for a stockdog in a shelter is considered kinda taboo by many a person..you dont know the history, the bad habits,ect. See below why my husband was convinced he had to stay.

I had a heeler before him, who was a really good dog for what I needed at the time, driving steers through the chutes at local ropings. My border collie fits more what I need now..a gather type of dog. Knowing little about training a BC, I enlisted the help of a trainer, whom I go out and work with, in conjunction with training at home. I feel like I have a firmer grasp about how a BC operates now and he is progressing well in his training..can't wait to transistion him to whistles.

I know many a rancher around here prefers heelers..they feel BC's are to soft. Mine isnt, hes not afraid to back up what he's asking "nicely"..In fact, the reason he is still here is due to the fact he chased down a heifer that was making a run for it after busting through the pen while we were loading..he headed her, bit her square in the nose, turned her and brought her back to the pen..we'd had him about 2 weeks when this happened..he did it on his own..coolest thing I'd ever seen.

You will pay for a finished dog though..to train one takes patience and time..even if you buy a pup and send it out for training for afew months, he wont be "finished"..you'll have to still do training and reminding..as was mentioned, some people dont have the time or patience for this..and if thats the case, by all means, train them to come to your horn or bucket. Having a dog as a partner, to me, is worth the extra time spent training him. I know once he's finished and consistent, I'll have one be nice of a handling tool..
This is Fletcher in Jan of last year, just abit after I really started working with him.

good looking dog
sounds like a good one

 

[cross_7]

There are several breeds of dog that are potentially good for cattle, but like people have said above having the right breed won't do it by itself, each dog is an individual and the training is important. But anyway, there are basically two kinds of herding behavior, the kind the BC uses which, as dun says above, usually doesn't involve biting, and the kind used by Australian cattle dogs which does involve nipping. But there are lots of breeds that can be trained for herding animals, not just those two.

really depends on what they have been bred to do.
i'm sure the sheep bred dogs are selected for getting the job done without biting.
cattle people select for a hard clean bite.
the two i have really wanted to bite when they were young and learning.
now they seldom bite unless challenged or if given a the command to.

 

[spinandslide]

thanks cross..he's a stellar dog..I lucked out with him. Can also take him anywhere..he gets along with other dogs and people..including kids.

He knows when it's time to feed the cows and will go into the pasture and bring them all together up to the feed troughs..one bull calf likes to mess with him and hide in the trees..Fletcher knows this and once he has the others grouped at the trough, he'll go up and bring the little bastard down for me.

We still have green dog moments, but they are becoming less frequent, so I know we are making progress!

and regarding bite..you can train a BC to bite..it shouldnt be their "default" mode like with a heeler..but it's helpful to teach them to "back up" the eye with a bite or nip, should the situation arise..espc when working cattle. I have a big cow who bristles when Fletcher gives her eye..alittle physical "convincing" and she is right back in line and listening..same with our ram. I agree biting is more common when they are young or green..the good ones, as they get more confident, stop it.