Working dogs

[Oldtimer]

[Soapweed]

[CattleRMe]

I have been to two of Gary Ericson's work dog clinics. The man knows dogs and how to get them to work. His tapes are good information but in person is much better. They are a great resource for a handler and his dog.

The Hanging Tree dogs I was around his and a friend had one......are tough yes but seemed rather hard headed to me. Wouldn't back down from a cow but at times also seemed hard to call off. Plus they come with a very high price tag.

Myself I prefer a border collie. However I've been around a real nice Austrailian Shepard. The ones I was around tended to be very tough and prefer to work the back.

Half of making a really good dog is a handler that knows what he is doing. Dog broke cows really help the situation too.

[Charlie]

I have also been around some good Austrailian Shepards. Had some Good border collies too. I hadn't watched Gary's tapes until I got my catahoula. I learned a lot from him. Will probably watch them again when I get another pup. I hope people don't misunderstand me. I don't want a mean dog chewing up our livestock every time I go out there. I was trying to make a joke in the previous post about the mineral feeder and getting pushed in while bending over filling it by a nosey steer. Some are pretty curious. We also buy bred weigh up cows in late fall and early spring to calve out since we run grass that is in a restoration project. Burned in april, pairs in early may and pulled off and sold mid to end of June depending on rain. Tend to get a few cows with some attitude. With our business, one of us is usually gone so I am calving or checking cattle alone. That's why I also want the grit in the dog. We have those cull cows in lots for quite a while too. I check everything and pull anything that needs to be pulled and treated cow or calf.

[Northern Rancher]

Jinglebob did you ever have one of Paul Schultes's border collies that sounds like his breeding philosophy.

[Jinglebob]

[Ranchy]

Hubby had a Hangin Tree Border Collie for a while, back in the mid-90s. Al and I got it for him, for Christmas one year. He was smart as a whip, but had a stubborn streak in him a country mile wide, too.

I was really sad when he started attacking the critters every time he got turned loose........Hubby's dad even took him and tried to get that worked out of him, but couldn't either. Guess ole Freckles has gone on to his reward.........

Then, we had a son of Freckles, and Hubby had to get rid of him while we were at Encino, NM. He was bad to chase the sheep there, and you couldn't get him to stop, either........so Spanky got what-for, too.

We have a good Cur, now........Ole Snip can hunt up cows and push em.........just about whatever you need to have done. Not sure what my little Rebel pup will end up being best at, since he's Cur and Blue Lacey......maybe he'll be a good, all-around dog, too! Got my fingers crossed, cause I've gotten kinda attached to that little rascal.......

[greg]