New Here

[denice.r]

Hey there - I am now here so thought I would say HI. I am member of the New Ag Talk forum and a few folks suggested I check out this out and gave it two thumbs up. Not a total greenhorn to ranch country, I lived in SD at the edge of sandhills for 8 years. Absolutely loved that country and people there.
I am doing some freelance writing for agricultural magazine, I am a regular contributor Acres USA and Sheep!Magazine.

I would enjoy writing an article about ranching in western US. I would like to focus on the traditions of ranching you have grown up using, how those traditions have changed and what remains the same. I want to include the challenges you and your family have faced, those you have overcome and challenges you see in the future. I want to write the Whole story, only those who have lived it can really give me the insights I am looking for. “Ranching – a Foot in the Past, an Eye to the Future”

This is where you come in - I would like an over the phone interview to be able to write the story, possibly a follow up call or email may be needed to clarify points. I will write the article then email your portion or the entire article to you so you can correct any errors before I submit the article to an editor.

I am hoping to speak with folks from different parts of the west that have multi generation ranches. If you would like to read some of the other articles first, I can email you a copy of them.

My email is denice.r@lycos.com. or you can write your email in a post here if you wish
I appreciate your willingness to contribute
Thanks - Denice Rackley

[Big Muddy rancher]

Hi Denice, hope you get some good replies, It's been pretty quiet on ranchers as of late so it might take some time,
I ranch in southern Saskatchewan but have found over my years on ranchers.net that we have more in common with our neighbors to the south than differences. Plus I married a Montana girl.

[Big Muddy rancher]

You could also post some pictures of your dogs, most of us are dog lovers here.

Except maybe Soapweed.

George that posts here raises German Shepard's in Indiana.

[denice.r]

Here is some of the working crew -

[Big Muddy rancher]

That's a sharp looking dog in the bottom pic.

I looked at your web site and saw lots of fine looking BC's

[George]

How would the border collies deal with Coyotes and "pet dogs" from town? The pets from town will form packs and run cattle if not kept at bay. You can take video and show to the owners and will hear " The dogs are not hurting the cattle they are just running with them!" On rare occasions I will have to drop a dog but normally if my German Shepherds get a hold of them once they give my place a wide berth after that.

I'm sure my dogs are not as proficient at herding as a border collie but they work them calmly under voice commands and they will run off any coyote or stray dog around.



This is them bringing me a young bull I need to check out.



In this picture I am moving my 18 head herd to another pasture - - - I can do it without other people and just my dogs much easier that I can with "Help". Most of the time I am on foot and the dogs will respond to me if they can hear me.

[4Diamond]

She knows her dogs, I follow her posts on NAT

[Big Muddy rancher]

George, I know of a few people that have used GS for herding dogs, were they not first bred for herding?
I'm sure Border collies aren't going to do real well chasing off town dogs and coyotes but they shouldn't be left to wander around the cattle looking for predators as they would be working the cattle on their own.

[Faster horses]

Aren't dogs just wonderful helpers?

Years back (surprised I can remember that far) an Ohio hunter sent us a purebred German Shepherd. He looked amazingly like a
wolf. I'll see if I can find a picture as I have to look for some old photos for someone else. He was a year old and had been tied
up all of his life. Mr. FH, who loves dogs, turned him loose. That dog ran for a full day. After that, he was fine. He and Mr. FH
really formed a bond. He turned out to be a wonderful cattle dog and great grounds protector. I think we called him 'Duke.'

My dad had a German Shepherd in the war. He called him "Four Ton" and he was a gorgeous dog. Gosh, I think I will look for
that photo too, long as I am searching through old stuff. That dog and our German Shepherd looked nothing alike in stature.
I wondered about that and seemed like at the time I did some research and there were two types of GS. One was a Police Dog and the other a heavier herding type. Not sure if that is accurate tho, and if so, our dog looked way more like a Police Dog and dad's
a herding dog.

I have been telling Mr. FH I would like to get a German Shepherd, but he's not wanting to deal with a pup, which surprises me, because we have always had dogs, and usually more than one at a time. Maybe when the weather is nicer.........

[Big Muddy rancher]

Gee I bet I know a guy that could fix you up with a nice GS pup.

[George]

I raise mostly " Silver Gray" German Shepherds - - - my Grand daughter and her aunt ( my daughter ) wanted some whites.

This is what I raise the most of - - - All of them are great dogs but while some people prefer blonds or brunets I like my silver gray. This is a typical 6 month old female in my coloring.



This is her grand mother who has passed on.

[denice.r]

Herding dogs be they Border Collies, Aussies, Cattle Dogs, Shepherds it does not matter - they should be raised and trained to be responding to commands and only work With you to move stock. While good lines and natural dogs have the capability to work without commands they should only be in with stock / allowed to work when asked. Left to their own often their instinct and desire to work is so great they get themselves and sometimes the stock in trouble. You have to be there to channel that drive and energy. My dogs are not allowed to go to sheep without me. The pups can and do figure out how to wiggle through the square mesh fence at times but at that size/age they are not capable of much.
As far as protection of the stock goes those dogs bred for that are Livestock Guardian dogs like Maremmas, Great Pyrenees, Akbash, Anatolian Shepherds... They are bred and trained to be out with stock 24x7. With the right genetics and raised right they are great dogs and do their job well. As you can imagine not all of them make the grade. Leaving a canine out with prey species can have its draw backs. I raise mine in the pasture with sheep where I can keep on eye on things and correct them for any unwanted behavior.

Dogs doing the job they are bred to do from parents that excel at that work are amazing. Does not matter if those are hunting dogs, protection dogs or herding dogs. I have been using BCs for 17 years and they are always teaching something new - about myself, about stock, about them. I have tried to learn from the best - offering training clinics here with great stockmen/dog handlers from the US, UK, and Canada. Aled Owen, Kevin Evans, Jack Knox ... all have spent a lifetime with stock and dogs. If those guys are still learning and changing the way they do things I figure I have lots yet to learn.
They are dedicated to me and their job, couldn't manage the sheep without them but with them they make sure we get it done. They sure make it more enjoyable, gone are the days I go into pastures without at least one. The stock have great respect for me with a dog next to me, the change in attitude is immediate.
Denice