Tea

Don't follow my advice. I am in a different situation than you and dealing with dogs that I know well, and their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and older siblings. I do not know how to move this......Sorry, my computer skills are very sad! Best bet is ask a good handler/trainer near you.

hum, i think this should be moved to general, this has not much to do with livestock management?

I have some pups right now. I kept back my favorites, sold the rest at 4 months. Now this little group I will keep two and sell the rest to ranchers I know as started dogs. Then I won't be breeding again for a long time. But here is my take. The best of these pups, are keen on stock, want to be with me, and are pleasant to be around. None have worn collars, don't need them. None have been on leashes, except Dark Thirty- super keen big male, I put on collar and rope as he is stubborn. ( Yeah I teach them all about the collar and rope. However I want to know who stays with me naturally. In the beggining I run them together with Mom who is the control dog.) The ones I like best are the ones like these two little bitches that are my favorites. They walk out with me, jump right into truck. Walk into horse corral while I halter the horses they are naturally polite. I move horses. Let the pup circle some ewes, maybe 60 are in there. Then Take them into round pen and let them work young ram flock. And I am not training them, just exposing. They are 6 months, and 7 months. They are easy to be with. I can call them off with one or two calls, these good girls, and believe me they are not light weights. They move the young two year old merino cross horned rams with ease. But the pups are easy. Calm, common sense. We then might walk down to look at the fields, snow covered still. Pups might run off about 4 or 5 hundred yds but as I do my thing they check back with me to see what I am doing. I like that too, checking back in with me. I don't want them to be always close to me, I want them to be able to go search around and check stuff out but check back in. Now Dark thirty, he is not like that. He is not going to check in, but off to try and do stuff on his own. So he is on the rope. So he does not get to practice bad things. everyone i guess does things a bit different, and maybe it depends on where you are, what you do. I do have my dog pens out of sight of my stock, as I agree that could create a problem. But mostly after they are working, the best of mine turn themselves off. Ya know!?

or E net

Hum well if a dog quits with me in the mountains that is one. And for Any reason, Gunshot, thunder storm, range bulls.....people yelling.....whatever.....They cannot ever ever quit. Regroup, yes.....come at situation a different way, yes. But quit and sulk- No. A dog like that I might keep but will never be a first string dog. And chances are he might find himself placed into a situation that suits him better. I have to trust the dog to do his/her work out of my sight, where there are no commands. Dog must be diplomatic or tough depending on situation without being told. Like, rousting out a bull in deep brush on a summer day. Or bringing new ewes and lambs off the hill. The dog must come from lines that have this in them. Loyalty- Dog must stay with me. I cannot look around and find my dog is 1/4 mile away sniffing scat. Must want to partner up and stay with me. Without me doing anything. Stays sound, tough feet, good bone.....general good health- STAMINA- Heat/Cold Tolerance. Ok, now I got that out of my system. I learned this stuff the hard way in real life situations. (The fire) But Every dog has problems.....My Jake and Joe are top of the food chain grand in my work. But Jake can't tolerate cold as well. Joe you gotta watch with tiny lambs, as he can be overly 'pushy' I like a good natured dog too, one that likes people and will work with anyone.

Most good breeders have the work. They need the dogs for the work.

i used one for falconry- he also is a nice work dog

That's cool....love you guys.

most ranchers i know are not on internet

the majority of ranchers i know have unreg. crossbred dogs They are still breeding for reach power cover good feet heat tolerance health good temperment Some breed great dogs -some not so much- some have bred for generations Most have large % of border collie most that I know are running range cattle in the mountains

looks very nice!

wow, you can play titanic on your whistle. thats reall y good!

I use stand instead of liedown- very rarely in my work do I want a dog to lie down- some of my dogs when young offer to lie down- then I teach them to stand instead. Also I do not teach a dog to absolutely lie down and stay lying down, I do not want an absolute for safety.

That is a very good story. I my work I have had a dog at a distance turn and give me a look when I have asked for something the dog thinks might be a mistake in the work. I learned years ago if Sweep did this better think about it a mo!

My Male from Janet And my bitch is from Mary ok to be bred As discussed with both Mary and Janet. I have pups coming end of oct. I do have a criteria I follow you can pm me if you wish these dogs have worked in the selkirk mountains protecting sheep, goats and cattle, NE WA state Bear, wolves, cougars, eagles and numerous small predators

me too SUE! At times it was kinda a circus but we came through it! Yeah we will keep doing it....just have to keep figuring it out. Only way I get to see anyone!

Thank you

Kelly Hill trial was a great success. Sheep were range ewes, challenging and set between ridges it was the terrain that was also interesting. Many great runs, Really nice folks! Gloria Atwater and Ron Green were our judges. Lee Lumb won over all Open and Nursery Combined with Moon Creek trial the weekend before I think Gene Zurcher won the combined. I was on horse back most of sat/sun Had a great time! Looking forward to doing it next year. First two photos are of the course last is me, fuely and Jake, returning a set (photo by Bonnie Block, Field and Farm Photography.)

if you can get on the usbcha web site find and find a trial near you. then quietly ask around for someone who can help you. watch the dogs running.

sadly i do not have $ for go pro or drone. and hard to film with my cell while actually doing something interesting tho i have filmed a tiny bit. someday maybe someone will get interested and come out and film. not necessarily me, tho they are welcome to film what i do, but other ranches that are in even harder territory.

all of the above i would watch.

i would like to see work in the mountains narrated, and shown with drone and go pro

I must add, that in close work on bulls he is very useful. But remember something- during the fire I used Joe and Jake, Kelpie and border collie this was because they could move Any type of stock at distance , out of my sight, with diplomacy and not get them running. You need to always pick a dog that suits your work. Tick suits Some of my work well.

tick