Need trained cattle dog....

[angus9259]

So it seems I'm getting a little old to chase my own cattle. It also seems I'm not interested in getting a 4 wheeler. I'm considering getting a herding dog for sorting, vaccinating, and the like. I have no idea nor the time to train a dog so would be interested in buying a trained dog.

Does anyone sell trained dogs? Seems like there are plenty of puppies for sale, but the last thing I need is another mouth to feed that I can't make work. Feel free to PM me on the subject as well if you know anyone - especially in Midwest. Thanks.

 

[HOSS]

So it seems I'm getting a little old to chase my own cattle. It also seems I'm not interested in getting a 4 wheeler. I'm considering getting a herding dog for sorting, vaccinating, and the like. I have no idea nor the time to train a dog so would be interested in buying a trained dog.

Does anyone sell trained dogs? Seems like there are plenty of puppies for sale, but the last thing I need is another mouth to feed that I can't make work. Feel free to PM me on the subject as well if you know anyone - especially in Midwest. Thanks.

Good luck. I looked for one myself but a trained cattle dog is very expensive. I wound up buying a pup and working with him myself. He is doing a pretty good job of picking it up so far.

 

[cross_7]

So it seems I'm getting a little old to chase my own cattle. It also seems I'm not interested in getting a 4 wheeler. I'm considering getting a herding dog for sorting, vaccinating, and the like. I have no idea nor the time to train a dog so would be interested in buying a trained dog.

Does anyone sell trained dogs? Seems like there are plenty of puppies for sale, but the last thing I need is another mouth to feed that I can't make work. Feel free to PM me on the subject as well if you know anyone - especially in Midwest. Thanks.

As Hoss said a finished dog is going to cost you around 5k if he's sure enough good, but if you don't have experience handling a dog he probably won't help you much.
There are some trainers that will train you and sell you a dog, but it aint cheap.
I'd find someone local that could help you decide what type of dog you need

 

[Howdyjabo]

A trained dog will quickly go to the level of the handler- so figure you need training too and you have to be pretty good with training animals and have good stock sense to catch on fast enough.

Then there is that rare "one in a hundred dog" that takes over and can teach you how to handle stock.

Its tough to get going with dogs, but once you get over the initial hump they are worth their weight in gold. Problem is most people don't get over the hump, and blame the dog or trainer.

 

[Runaway Deere]

Best investment we ever made is a dog, right up there with a front end loader. Find a good trainer and jump in we are lucky to have red bluff bull and gelding sale in January, lots of sharp dogs

 

[CKC1586]

hillsdown would be a good person to ask this question of. She has had / has some exceptional cattle dogs. :nod:

 

[HDRider]

So it seems I'm getting a little old to chase my own cattle. It also seems I'm not interested in getting a 4 wheeler. I'm considering getting a herding dog for sorting, vaccinating, and the like. I have no idea nor the time to train a dog so would be interested in buying a trained dog.

Does anyone sell trained dogs? Seems like there are plenty of puppies for sale, but the last thing I need is another mouth to feed that I can't make work. Feel free to PM me on the subject as well if you know anyone - especially in Midwest. Thanks.

Might this be a good opportunity to find some youngster who wants to learn and earn. I would have given my you know what for a chance like that when I was young. Might be good for both of you... And you could still get you a dog....

 

[bigbull338]

just an 8wk old puppy bred to work cattle an out of working dogs will cost you $500.an to get a working dog with any level of training will be $2000 or more.so cost wise youd be better off getting a 4 wheeler.

 

[cross_7]

If you can find someone local that has and trains dogs that could help you get started, it wouldn't be too tough to train one for what you wanting, If your dedicated

Ben Means has a good video that can get you started
http://www.theperfectstockdog.com/Videos.htm

 

[tnwalkingred]

I just priced one myself. I was really interested until I saw the 5000 dollar price tag on something that could die or get run over. Think i will continue to break mine to a feed bucket!

 

[BRYANT]

][ns has a quote="tnwalkingred"]Think i will continue to break mine to a feed bucket![/quote]
Same here I can take a bag of cubes and make my ol cows follow me all around ,and they are all Brahman or Brahman cross.

Ben Means has a good video that can get you started

I have not seen this video so it may not be the case here . but a lot of these videos the cattle are more trained to do what they are doing than the dog and that makes the dog look better. I watched a man try to pen 2 longhorn cows that had gotten out with some so called cattle dogs and when she had ,had enough she made dogs scatter and they were catahulas [may not be spelled right] H e kept saying he had some meaner dogs at home that could hold them ????? maybe ??? if it had been my cows I would have just needed a feed bag not a meaner dog

 

[mwj]

Always remember that a working dog needs a full time job. You can not expect them to lay around and wait for you to do some work as they are usually very high energy types.

 

[angus9259]

After sifting through all this, I'll be giving up on the dog idea. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[boondocks]

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Dog-Story-Or ... 0812971493

If you hadn't already changed your mind, the above story would.

 

[Howdyjabo]

He is the idiot of the Border collie world.

Yes a dog is alot of trouble-- but I have never seen my four wheeler or horse back cattle(and a pack of wild dogs) off to save me. My dogs have done it several times over the years. I won't be around cattle without one now.

 

[cross_7]

True story
I used to work in town and my pasture was between work and home so lots of evenings I'd stop on my way home and check cattle
At this time I was running yearlings( never got gains on grass like I've heard others say)
I'd get the 4 wheeler and ride out around them and if I needed to pen them it was tough cause they didn't respect the machine and They could out maneuver it
I could get them to he gate and they'd stop and mill try to break away, but they we're dog broke and I could holler " get ahead" as I would if they tried to break and get away when I had the dogs with me
When they heard me holler they'd turn and run in the pen.( although I didn't have the dogs with me)
With the dogs I could take them to cattle( never did teach them to find cattle if they couldnt see them) and head to the pens and they'd bring them in without any trouble

If a guy is dedicated and gets a good dog it ain't tough get a dog to do what you need and the cattle learn pretty quick to respect the dog and aren't near as flighty cause they learn real quick getting loose for a minute aint worth a nose bite.

Just my opinion( I'm sure some will disagree) but I like the McCallum line of dogs
They're like everything else some are good and some not but I've been pleased with the ones I've owned
They have lots of bite but as they mature and learn to handle cattle they don't bite unless they have to.
I like to have good hard quick clean bite on command, sure cuts down on the flighty one that leads the rest

Another bit of advice
I'd buy from someone that ranches and not a breeder that has few head of dairy calves to train them on but that's just me