Stock Dog Training

[kolanuraven]

That's why I said I re-hab . I get the ones that are bought for pets and the people soon find out that was the wrong move. So I get all kinds in all states of mental/physical distress.

Some dogs I actively go and get & save....others get brought to me. Some re-hab quickly and I find quick good homes for, others I end up keeping because they have ' problems'.


I guess it's what ever works for you and your situation.

[Mort]

Nicky, I'm up past Willow Creek, up the John Day Hwy, but I go over to Crane, Princeton, Burns Junction that direction quiete often. The boards are fun really enjoy them.

[Kato]

My stock dog is a purebred German Shepherd.

We don't ever have to worry about freelance cattle chasing, because if she's alone, and I'm not there to need 'protecting', the work ethic is just not there. Most of the time she's a gate dog. With her typical German attention to detail and requirement for everything to be IN IT'S PLACE, nothing comes out a gate that's not supposed to!

When we need to move cattle out of a pen, I tell her it's time for "work", and she lights up like she's going to Disneyland. She knows she is going to get to clean the pen out. Nine times out of ten when I'm checking a pen, I don't need her, and she stays at the gate, but you just say that magic word, and she's ready to go.

She works slow and easy, and only barks when an animal comes back. It's funny to watch her when the last animal goes through the gate. She comes to me for a pat, and then she's gone! Back to the house, job done. Chute work bores her.

She generally just works with feeders and calves though. Cows only on occasions when the donkeys aren't with them. She's the perfect dog for us, because with the donkeys we have, an eager border collie would get itself into a world of trouble around here. You don't chase donkeys with a dog, and the donkeys are usually with the cows.

[skidboots]

Sure glad I started this thread. It gave me a new insight to the interesting connection between cattlemen and their working dogs, and it gave some of us a chance to show pride in ours four legged partners!
Thought you might be interested in this, I stopped for a cup of coffee in Tilden ,Texas yesterday, and picked up a big game magazine laying in the window for patrons to read. I happend to open it to an article on "Deer Dogs" . Now Tilden is smack dab in South Texas, one of the best deer and hog, and turkey hunting spots in the nation. Here was an article describing those old Cow Dogs (mixed breeds) catching wounded deer and knocking them down in mid flight. Grabbing the flanks, ears, whatever. It had pictures also of this action.
Now here is the part you cattlemen are gonna love. When you can't find the wounded deer, you get out your cell phone and call one of these ranchers, he get $500 to show up at the place, and $750 if the dog gets your deer for you. It said "Tips" include Benjamins, and even pairs of binoculars!
Pretty good sideline, huh?

[IL Rancher]

Funny, we have deer dogs in Illinois too and mot of the time the service is free excet maybe the hunter paying for gas and a meal for the search guy... Oh well...

[Big Muddy rancher]

[IL Rancher]

It is to track dead/wounded deer and they have to stay on a leash.. Blood tracking..

Dogs chasing deer is a no no and grounds for a lot of bad things.. All though shooting a dog can also get you in some trouble..

[Jerry H]

Tilden
thats a favorite spot of mine i consider south TEXAS home to me
i think the part not mentioned about the deer dogs is they are tracking a deer that a hunter paid between 6 and 10k to shoot at and then gut shot him so now it costs him more
i have hunted wounded deer down there and the pay is very good when you find them big throphy deer that they might not have found otherwise
until later
jerry