Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine - Issue 12, May 2020

The Australian

WORKING

STOCK DOG

JAKE NOWLAN: Australia to New Zealand and back again

COVID-19 KEEP BUSY AT HOME

Magazine

BREED BREED PROFILE PROFILE Lost Lost working working dogs dogs of of Tasmania Tasmania

A DOG’S LIFE:

Sunraysia George RRP $10.00 (incl. GST)

872003

9 772205 May 2020

ISSN 2205-8729

12

Issue 12

Breeding Feature! Including a Sire Directory

AUSTRALIA STOCK DOG REGISTRY Including Hunting Dogs

Introducing the first Australian Registry for preserving the history and future of non-breed specific Australian stock dogs and hunting dogs.

• • • • • • • •

Stud Book Now Open What the ASDR can do for you:

Affordable rates Choice of membership Historical record of dogs breeding Registration and transfer of dogs Photo ID included on printable registration certificate Record DNA and Microchip details View and research bloodlines of dogs on our online stud book Submit and view videos of dogs working abilities

www.australiastockdogregistry.com.au

From the Editor Well – We are living in a vastly different world now than we were at the release of the last issue! Thankfully, for most on the land it is business as usual, isolation is the status quo, though the economic devastation will likely have a flow on effect. Thankfully, the world always needs sources of clean, healthy protein which we are in a strong position to supply.

Of course, the current pandemic comes on the heels of an unprecedented bushfire season, which followed a prolonged period of crippling drought – so those on the land are surely due for a good break soon.

Issue 11 was my first since taking the reins and from all reports, it was a success. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic we had to make the difficult decision to limit our print run to subscribers, to prevent excess stock wastage in the event of downturn in trading through newsagents. We have mitigated this issue by making the magazine available for purchase online at a reduced cost. I apologise if any nonsubscribers were impacted by this decision. You can look out for our magazine back on the shelves in September, when we hope business will be back to usual.

We are committed to ensuring we include a range of content that is relevant to people in all facets of the working dog and agricultural industry. There are so many unsung heroes tucked away in isolated parts of Australia and we so appreciate the opportunity to hear from them and tell their stories. We do, however, rely on suggestions and submissions from our readers so I encourage you to get in contact if you or someone you know would like to share an

experience or story. We value feedback from our readers on all our content, so please, don’t be shy and get in touch if you have something to say!

Logan whistles have been selling like hotcakes, it appears a lot of people have committed to improving their own skills and the training of their dogs while we have more spare time, which is great to see. In this time of increased e-commerce due to disrupted trading it is timely to inform you that our new website is under construction and will be live before the next issue comes out. We hope this will provide a better user experience when you are getting in contact with us or purchasing merchandise. As always, we continue to do phone sales if you are unable to access a reliable internet connection. We are also on social media - follow our pages on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with our latest news and competitions.

Thanks for your continuing support!

Kind Regards, Lauren Vest Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine Email: lauren@stockdogs.com.au

www.facebook.com/WorkingStockDogMagazine

All material in this magazine is protected by copyright laws and may not be reproduced in part or full without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher and contributors does / do not accept liability for any opinions or techniques described within The Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine.

Printed in Australia by Bluestar Pty Ltd.

Design Director: Kasie LoSurdo Chief Designer: Annette Ross Advertising Designer: Kerri Hill Contributors: Lauren Vest, Suzi Northcott, Trevor and Alison Matheson, Sally Purbrick-Illek, Margo Hogan, Danny Ruben, Peri Chappell, Amy Cutler, Michael Grant, Ken Sykes, Daniel Watson, MichaellLee Freeman, Lauryn Stewart, Tully Williams, Jasmin Hyatt, Sarah Henney, Peri Chappell, Alison Burrell Publisher and Editor: Lauren Vest Email: lauren@stockdogs.com.au Phone: 0431299186 Mail: 571 Kangaroo Mt Rd, Coolac NSW 2727

Front Cover Credit: Stock Journal S.A www.stockjournal.com.au Advertising, Articles & Stories Email: lauren@stockdogs.com.au

www.stockdogs.com.au

CONTENTS MAY 2020

On the Cover

26.

Stockman Profile: Jake Nowlan

32.

Lost Working Dogs of Tasmania

14.

A Dog’s Life: Sunraysia George

22.

What to do during Lock-down

45.

Breeding Feature

62.

Sire Directory

14.

Sunraysia George

41

Photo Essay

16

Preparing for Winter

62

Sire Directory

22

Things to do in Lockdown

58 Artificial Insemination

8

The Way We Were: Trevor & Alison Matheson

11

Volunteering with your Working Dog

16

Preparing for Winter

18

A Dog’s Life: Sunraysia George

20

Rising Stars: Bree Cudmore

22

Things to do during Lock-down

26

Stockman Profile: Jake Nowlan

32

Lost Dogs of Tasmania

36

Training Pen: Instinct Training Conditioning

37

Training Pen: Reward and Punishment

41

Photo Essay: Michaell-Lee Freeman

46

Vet Check- Health Issues in Entire Dogs

50

Training Pen: the Progeny Test

54

Canine Frozen Semen

58

Canine Artificial Insemination

62

Sire Directory

64

2019 Australian Yard Dog Championship

65

2020 Australian Yard Dog Championship

68

50th National Kelpie Field Trial

70

Jerilderie Working Dog Auction

72

2019 Wayleggo Cup

78

Breeders Directory

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

5

THE WAY WE WERE Trevor & Alison Matheson

Story Suzi Northcott, Photos Trevor and Alison Matheson

A

mark of a successful breeder of working dogs is the influence their dogs have on pedigrees generations after the dogs have passed away. In this respect, the Mathesons have been very successful. Dogs the Mathesons owned like Rojon Doc, Princes Turbo, Princes Dubbo, Kip (Imported United Kingdom) and many more under their prefix of Crowsdale, have become household names in the Queensland workingdog community.

quality string of horses, which were a big factor in keeping the horse-mad Trevor around. Biloela was a bad tick area; cattle had to be dipped every 21-28 days, which meant a lot of horse and dog work shifting stock. Trevor met his wife Alison when he was 17, and they have been happily married for 46 years.

He proudly says they have been backing each other for 100 years between the two of them, sharing a love for good horses and good dogs.

Trevor has had working dogs his whole life, beginning in his childhood which was spent around Biloela, Queensland. His father was the head stockman on the 37,000-acre ‘Triesdale’.

The station included a Hereford stud as well as having a good-

Growing up, Trevor worked Kelpies, Collies, and various crossbreds. However, that soon changed when he came across John Greenwood and Greg Prince. From then on, he was all Border Collies, and he says he owes everything he knows to

8

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

these two great dogmen. What better mentors could you find?

Trevor cautions against having too many mentors, it can be easy to get confused by different advice and approaches. It’s far better to find someone whom you like, with handling you admire, and stick with them. Take their methods and make them work for you and your dogs. This approach has served both Trevor and Alison well as reflected by their results over the years.

Trevor was lucky enough to have more than one exceptional dog throughout his life. Princes Dubbo was one, sired by Rosedale Turbo and out of a Sevils Bill bitch, Princes Sally, Dubbo was a consistent trialler as well as a capable work dog.

He ran Trevor’s first 100-point run in a trial, and won three Open trials at Roma in four years, as well as his Open Dog of the Year and Australian Championship in 1997. He was a dog with a lot of style and biddability, paired with good force.

Trevor started trialling in 1995 with a bitch called Greenwoods Anna at Rolleston, and recalls winning his class. He was hooked from then on. Alison and Trevor were also camp drafting full time, so trialling didn’t ramp up until 1997 when he had a few more dogs. By this time Trevor had Princes Dubbo, and Alison had Rojon Joz. Trevor and Dubbo proved their mettle winning the Roma Trial, the Australian Championships, and the Open Dog of the Year, all in ’97. Alison also loved trialling, but she was a camp drafter through and through, so it often took precedence. Trevor recalls one weekend at Gympie in the State of Origin test, he and Alison ended up in a run-off between Kip and Joz. Trevor and Kip ran a 99 and Alison and Joz ran a 98. That event is his most treasured memory of his trialling years, himself and his beloved wife right at the top of the board together.

Rojon Doc was another memorable dog the Mathesons owned.

Sired by Sevils Bill and out of Alphadale Treasure, Doc, along with Princes Turbo, were the best pair of paddock dogs Trevor ever had. Doc would back cattle into a truck. He would bite, and bite hard, and would often walk his cattle backwards. He excelled at handling the wild cattle Trever often had coming in from various places throughout his cattle trading days.

When Trevor was 26, he broke his back lifting a 500-gallon molasses tub onto a truck. He crushed his T10, T11 and T12 vertebrae, requiring surgery to repair. After his surgery, being a typical active young bloke, he didn’t rest as he should have. He ended up rebreaking vertebrae above and below the original injury. He continued riding as long as he could but eventually had to step back, which allowed his cattle trialling to take a front seat.

One of his most influential dogs was the United Kingdom import Kip. Kip was sired by Nap ISDS 188631 and out of Nell ISDS 177305. He was initially imported by John Turner with the intention of breeding show collies! However they soon found he threw too much white for that purpose, and so he was passed to John’s nephew Lead Morgan, who happened to be Trevor’s business partner. Trever ended up with the dog as a 3.5yo who had never even seen stock. The first time they showed him sheep, it took two men to catch him again. Four months after his first exposure to livestock, he competed at the Australian Championships. Kip went on to win several trials, scoring two perfect 100-point runs, and was unplaced only four times over his whole career. He represented Queensland five times in the State of Origin tests, and twice won the Queensland Open Dog of the Year, in 1999 and 2000.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

9

spending more time training their dogs.

Kip was the most biddable yet strong dog Trevor had seen. He was a dog that would give his all and had a huge amount of heart. One weekend, he was trialling and went out for a run off when he was rolled by his cattle. Kip shook it off and finished his run to score an 87. He didn’t show much lameness, but Trevor was worried so he took him to the vet for a check-up the next day. The vet found Kip had sustained a broken pelvis during his run and yet had continued on, putting his cattle around the course with a very respectable score!

Trevor’s philosophy on breeding is all about the importance of bloodlines. He says you must base your dogs on quality bloodlines, and then stick with them. Once you know what you like, the educated use of line breeding allows you to cement the type and ability in your dogs. If you breed a litter and only three out of six pups work, then you haven’t got quality, consistent lines. You want six out of six to work, otherwise, you need to find the weak link in the lines. Trevor used lines of Sevils Bill, Serrigo Joe, and Rosedale Turbo. He crossed and stayed within these lines for 20 years. He was then able to use Kip as an outcross, as well as some other quality UK dogs. He is a big proponent of the indepth study of a line before bringing it into your dogs. He once studied a bloodline for seven years before deciding to use it. When deciding to use a new line as an outcross, he advocates only using it for one season over a variety of bitches, before returning to your original lines to cement the type. His dogs had a reputation for being tough, good searching dogs, and would always bring the stock back if they got away.

Nowadays, more people are paying attention to bloodlines.

Still, too many people see a good dog and automatically want a pup by that dog. The pup could be out of anything! There needs to be in-depth research to see what is behind that good dog and whether it will cross well with your own lines of dogs. You need to stick with proven, purebred lines so you don’t get surprises. Another change is in handling methods.

People used to be a lot harsher in their handling and training.

Thankfully it has been stopped, particularly in trialling via rule changes and significant penalties for rough handling.

Nine times out of ten, the problem is the handler’s fault, so there is no sense in taking it out on the dog. Handlers now are

10

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Trevor remembers watching a video from the United Kingdom, and one section stuck with him. The video said that dogs are bred to walk. The dog that walks straight into its stock is the strongest type you will find. You must always teach the dog to walk and stay steady. You can always move them about if the position is wrong, but walk means walk. He has always liked a stylish dog, to him, style means working with the front end down low. This translates into power, and stock moving before the dog gets there. He likes a dog with force, but it must be a controllable force. Often, force can override biddability. The dog that you can control and have a good amount of handle on often won’t have to use force, where as a pushier dog can create more problems for himself. You must still have enough force when needed though. Trevor also loved a good type of dog, big framed with good bone.

Another point Trevor made is that he never trialled young dogs. He believes it fries their brains. Trialling an older, more experienced dog means you can move through the ranks much quicker than starting with a young, inexperienced dog.

His dogs were often well over two years of age or even older before he started trialling with them.

Trevor and Alison are topclass stockmen and dog handlers and together have had a great influence on the Border Collie breed. A large percentage of todays top dogs trace back to one or more of the Crowsdale dogs or their founding sires.

These handlers and breeders of the previous generations have created a foundation of top-quality dogs, with top quality breeding. These bloodlines will see us into the future, if we can carry on their good work.

Volunteering With Your

WORKING DOG Story & Photo’s Sally Purbrick-Illek

A

s a townie and owner of three working border collies, I have had to be creative to keep my active dogs mentally and physically fit. In addition to training and trialling in sheep and duck herding, I have added other dog sports and volunteering to our repertoire. If you have a calm dog that is good with people, you may consider volunteering in your local community. I have a very mellow eight-year-old border collie, “Champ” who is excellent with people of all ages. We volunteer two to three days a week with four different programs: Reading Dogs There are several organisations that aim to motivate and encourage students with reading difficulties. We are involved with the Animal Welfare League Queensland SHARE Reading Dogs program – which stands for ‘Special Human-Animal Relationships in Education’. This involves a dog and its handler working with students who need a little extra help with their reading in class. The program provides students with the opportunity to read aloud to the ‘reading dog’ for a set amount of time each week. Reading aloud to a ‘non-judgemental’ audience such as a dog has shown to give students extra confidence and motivation, especially those who struggle with reading. A bond is encouraged between the child and the dog by having the same child read to the same dog each week.

The dog allows children to gain confidence and self-esteem by providing his or her attention in an atmosphere free of criticism.

Such an environment allows children to feel less self-conscious, as dogs don’t worry if a child stutters or mispronounces a word. Similar programs have been implemented in schools in the United States, New Zealand and Europe and have shown to be very effective in improving students’ negative associations with reading, increasing motivation levels, improving confidence and self-esteem, as well as improving skill levels in reading aloud. See www.awlqld.com.au/ education/outreach-programs/share-reading-dogs-program/

Therapy Dogs at Assisted Care Facilities Many assisted care facilities are open to visits by well-mannered dogs. Champ is a therapy dog at one of our local facilities and our volunteer work involves us going around the common areas and visiting the residents in their rooms when invited to do so. Many of these people have been dog owners in the past and talking about dogs is a great way to involve them in conversation. Even residents who don’t speak can’t resist stroking Champ’s soft, luxurious coat. It has also been shown that interacting with dogs has many benefits for elderly people. See

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=855866931419290 Pet Education We are also involved with the Australian Veterinary Association’s Pets and People Education Program. AVA PetPEP teaches children and the community about responsible pet ownership, safety around animals, healthy living (pets and people), and promoting the welfare of animals. In Queensland, AVA PetPEP works with AVA member veterinarians and a range of animal industry professionals to deliver interactive, highly visual and age-appropriate educational visits to primary schools across the state. Visits are free of charge and fully coordinated by the AVA PetPEP team. The AVA PetPEP team arranges all aspects of a PetPEP school visit. They coordinate visit requests from schools, organise presenters, and provide volunteers with presentation outlines, resources and full coordination of the visit program. If you are interested in being part of AVA PetPEP in your local area, please contact the AVA PetPEP team: https://www.ava.com.au/contact-us/ Overcoming Dog Phobia Specific phobias affect approximately 10% of children, adolescents, and adults. They are among the earliest disorders to onset, occurring in children as young as three years. Children with specific phobias are excessively afraid of certain situations or objects such as dogs, which can significantly interfere with their own lives and those of their families. Champ and I are part of a research team at Griffith University that offers free assessment and treatment for young children with dog phobia. The program, Pre-schoolers Overcoming Phobias (POP!) is part of a nationally funded treatment study being run by a team of international experts in child anxiety. The program aims to learn more about the course of childhood fears in young children, and involves testing a novel, brief intervention for childhood phobias, which has proven effective in older children and with adults. See: www.griffith. edu.au/griffith-health/school-applied-psychology/research/ pre-schoolers-overcoming-phobias If volunteering with your dog sounds like something for you, contact your local community volunteer coordinator to see what opportunities are available. Volunteering can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated and provide a sense of purpose. Giving in even simple ways can help those in need and improve your and your dog’s health and happiness!

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

11

Contact: Janelle 0407759338 Email: nelscartage@bigpond.com Fairdinkum Kelpies dogs bred to think for themselves with a good work ethic in all situations

A DOG’S LIFE Sunraysia George

Story & Photos by Lauren Vest Cover photo Henty Machinery Field Days

S

unraysia George has been a well known dog in the trialling world. He has been one of the most consistent performers in the yard trial circuit over the last few years. When George is entered, competitors know he always has a chance to take the top spot, no matter the stock or the judge. In addition to his trialling career, George has been a work dog, doing regular shifts at the sale yards as well as general station work. A good grounding in practical work often gives dogs an edge when it comes to the competition ring.

Justin Tombs picked George up as a young pup from Rick

14

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Story Lauren Vest Photos Stock Journal, Margo Hogan

Jones. Justin mainly worked Border Collies before he purchased George, so didn’t have much experience to draw on when it came to selecting Kelpie lines that might suit him.

He had been mates with Rick for a while and really liked his dogs Harley and Rowdy (Farmcote Harley and Silvercity Asset [Rowdy] – Rowdy being the father of Harley). He particularly liked the good heading ability, cover and hold, and grit that Rick’s dogs showed. After a long wait for a pup by Harley, he was rewarded with George. George was sired by Harley and out of a bitch called Tumutvalley Keira, who traced back to Capree Claw and Capree Chief.

A young starter on stock, George showed natural ability to rate and read his stock right from the beginning. He was nice on the head, very correct, and excellent at finding and holding the correct position and weight of his stock. However, he was also a very determined pup. Justin says he has never had a dog as skilled at tuning him out and doing his own thing as George - they butted heads nearly every day until he hit 18 months old. This willfulness probably wasn’t a bad thing, since Justin says he has always struggled to get along with pups who aren’t strong in the mind. George had a lot of natural instinct, so

A DOG’S LIFE Sunraysia George

training was more about both handler and dog learning how to compromise and work together, instead of both thinking they knew best!

George started going to work at ten months of age, doing both station and sale yard work. Throughout the years he has done a bit of everything, working trade cattle, mustering goats, station work with sheep, and plenty of long days at the sale yards.

George is a dog who just loves to work, and he doesn’t care what the job is, he is ready to jump in and give it his all. One of his strengths is his intelligence. He is one of those dogs who can read a job and understand what needs to be done without being told. In the sale yards, he can always pick which sheep need some encouragement to free up the flow to the draft, without being told.

A dog with that kind of intelligence is an asset in whatever work situation you might come across though it does translate into the dog sometimes thinking he knows best! George has a huge heart, and he’s proven his grit and determination many times over. Since starting work at a young age, George has been Justin’s main work dog, always there to do whatever job is required of him. Even nowadays, suffering from bad arthritis, he would still be the first dog to front up if he was called upon. Always consistent, George turns up when you need him.

knocking him about. In fact, Justin nearly decided to scratch him from the competition before his first run, as George was moving stiffly. True to his nature though George showed up and proved his heart and his grit as he competed over three rounds to come out on top. His crowning achievement, a national title, arrived on the same day as his retirement.

Though he has now stepped back from working and trialling, George has his progeny out there to carry his good traits forward. He has proven a popular sire for obvious reasons. He seems to be passing on his intelligence, along with the occasional dose of his arrogance! His progeny are showing they have his natural ability to read and rate their stock, and some of their father’s grit as well. Some of his progeny to watch are litter siblings Capree Kate and Capree Donald who are just starting to hit their strides, and Culgoa Dash who has already won a New South Wales State Yard Championship.

George now has the all important job of looking after the house, though I’m sure he would rather be jumping on the ute to tackle the day’s work. He has been a consistent, quality performer his whole career, and now we get to watch what his progeny will go on to achieve. You couldn’t ask for a more fitting end to a dog’s career than the one George has found.

His trialling career has been another display of his consistency. As well as winning multiple open yard trials, George is an Open cattle dog and has even won a Novice three sheep trial.

In 2017 he won the Ultimate Stock Dog Trial. This competition tests the dogs over three rounds: sheep in the paddock, sheep in the yards, and a final round on cattle. He also won two State Yard Dog Championships in New South Wales. His crowning achievement though came at the perfect time when Justin and George made the journey to South Australia for the Australian Yard Dog Championships. Justin had decided that this would be George’s last trial, as his arthritis was really www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

15

PREPARING FOR WINTER Story Lauren Vest

A

s I write this, the weather is already turning chilly. By the time it hits publication, it will be nearly winter, and our cold-weather gear will be back in use! As the temperatures drop, it’s essential to ensure our dogs are protected from the elements. Working dogs are athletes, and for them to perform at their peak, we need to make sure they are healthy and happy. A dog that is cold or wet won’t get adequate sleep, will burn energy heating itself, recover slower, and hold less condition through winter. There are some simple ways to ensure your dogs have a warm and dry place to sleep, which benefits everyone.

Kennels Cool room panels – Cool room panelling can often be picked up cheaply at clearing sales and is light to handle. It can be easily secured to the outside of tin or steel kennels to keep the worst of the cold from getting inside.

Insulated sheeting – A more expensive but better-looking option is to make your kennels out of prefabricated insulated sheeting.

Plywood – Plywood is another way to insulate your kennels.

It can be used to create an air gap between the wood itself and the steel or to decrease the interior size of the kennel area.

16

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Plywood needs to be treated for longevity in wet conditions.

Air gap – When insulating your kennels, leaving an air gap between an inner and outer layer increases the insulation. Better insulation makes it easier for the dog’s body heat to maintain the warmth inside the kennel.

Cover the entrance hole to block any wind – Creating a makeshift curtain across the entrance to the kennel helps block cold winds from blowing into the kennel, assisting the dog to maintain the inner temperature. Covers can be made of jute, shade cloth, carpet, or plastic (but beware if your dog likes to chew). It can be one solid flap or several strips.

Kennel positioning – Consider moving kennels to a position where they get more sun throughout the day but are protected from the wind. Undercover is beneficial in wet climates but also limits the heat gained from the sun.

Heat lamps/mats – If you have power to your kennel area, heat lamps or heat mats can be beneficial for older dogs or young pups. Both groups are especially susceptible to cold. If using either, make sure you install a thermostat to ensure they don’t overheat, an emergency shut off, and regularly check all components for wear and tear.

Kennel size – A smaller, enclosed kennel area is better in winter, as it’s less space the dog must heat up using their body

heat. They must still be able to stand up and turn around.

Fix drafts and leaks in kennels Use non-toxic expanda foam to fill gaps in kennels – such as those left when using corrugated iron. Foam is best for kennels of dogs that aren’t known chewers.

Reinforce the roof – If there are leaks in the roof, extra tin, cool room panels, or other materials can be secured on top as a quick fix.

Seal it - Silicone can be used to seal joins and seams that may leak in prolonged wet weather.

Bedding Blankets and towels - easy and cheap to come by at op shops or family hand me downs and dogs enjoy being able to nest in them. Ensure dog doesn’t eat them and regularly check that they aren’t damp.

Wool packs - another option, either on their own or stuffed with straw or wool. These are slightly more chew resistant than normal blankets. Check regularly for dampness.

Straw - a good option for dogs that chew or pull out other bedding. Ensure it is clean, not too dusty, and doesn’t have burrs or prickles. One biscuit fluffs up to fill an average-sized kennel, however it does break down over time, so will need replenishing throughout winter. If there is no lip at the kennel entrance, a piece of board secured across the threshold will help retain the straw. Check regularly for dampness or mould.

Shavings - another option for chewers, though they are easier to inhale or eat than straw, and will easily soak up water.

Carpet - can be nailed down or placed in kennels, though if secured down remember it will need to be pulled up if it gets wet or mouldy. Marine carpet is a good choice but doesn’t offer much warmth or nesting ability.

Check bedding regularly - this ensures it is dry and adequate.

Mouldy bedding can cause respiratory issues as well as negat-

ing your efforts to keep your dog warm and comfortable.

Body Condition/Feeding BCS System - we should all be familiar with the Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system – a dog with a low BCS will not have adequate fat cover to keep itself warm. Winter is a time to let your dogs hold a bit more condition to help insulate themselves.

Food = Energy - Dogs use energy to warm themselves in addition to what is used for work. Extra food is often required to cover this energy expenditure through winter.

Fats - including high-quality fats or oils into their diet can help with holding condition, as well as being beneficial to their health. Look for oils high in Omega 3. Sardines are an inexpensive way to get some healthy oils into their diet.

Older Dogs Elderly Canines - older dogs often feel the effects of cold weather much more than younger dogs.

Joint Supplements - consider putting your older dogs onto a joint supplement to help them as they get stiffer through the colder months. Your vet is a good sounding board for options, but some that are readily available are Antinol and 4cyte (oral supplements) or Cartrophen (Injectable).

Jackets and rugs - are another option for older dogs or dogs that won’t chew them. Pop jackets on before bed and remove when they get out for their morning run. There are lots of affordable and heavy-duty options available.

TLC - Bringing older dogs onto the verandah, the shed, or indoors can help keep them comfortable.

Keep water from freezing Heated water containers - are an option if frozen water is a big issue where you live. They can, however, be costly, require power, and need regular checking. Floating a ball in the water bucket is an alternative to help stop solid ice forming on top.

Checking - check water containers regularly for ice and ensure dogs are drinking adequately for their workload. Water consumption can drop dramatically when the water is very cold.

The main objective is to make sure dogs are dry before putting them away into dry kennels of a night. A good tip is to keep a stack of old towels near the kennels to dry off any wet or muddy dogs before they enter the kennel.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

17

Full of real meat, full of protein and full of nutrition High energy food for your working dog

Enduro Plus is a premium dry food made with the highest quality Australian ingredients and is rich in animal based proteins. No colours, flavours or preservatives and no fillers, only the best to fuel your working dog.

For more information please call 0402 850 372 or email sales@carapet.com.au

Elfinvale Stud Kelpies Ad.pdf

Est 1956.

1

18/10/2018

3:02 pm

“Continuing to breed strong, intelligent and forceful working dogs for the yard and paddock” GUARANTEED TO WORK! WKC eligible Including half day training @ Elfin with all pups sold

(Melville Forest, Victoria)

Tom Austin: 0407 656 341

E: elfinpastoral1@bigpond.com FIND US ON FACEBOOK

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

ARTWORK BY: PEEK GRAPHICS

ELFINVALE STUD KELPIES

19

Story Lauren Vest, Photos Danny Ruben & Peri Chappell

RISING STAR

BREE CUDMORE B

ree Cudmore is a young stockwoman and dog handler from Victoria. Her promising trial career began in 2018, and soon after she won the Victorian Encourage Handler of the Year. This was followed by winning her first Improver and Open trials in 2019 and reaching the finals at the Australian Championships in 2020. Bree was kind enough to share her story and some advice for other young people interested in entering the world of agriculture and working dogs.

business lamb marking, drenching, crutching and so on. It interested me to see what happens on the other side of the shed and I asked to join his team. I soon found I had an interest in his team of working dogs and the way a good dog could make stock work so easy. Working with him and his dogs, I gained the skills and education I needed to get my own dog. In 2018 I brought my first dog (Marista Zoe) who was just over a year old and perfect for me to start working with.

Bree: I’m 25, and I work as a station hand at Chrome Sheep Studs just outside of Hamilton, Victoria. I have five working dogs ranging in age from eight months to six years. They work on the farm with me doing all the jobs required, from paddock work to shed and yard work. I’m originally from Gippsland, where I worked for shearing and stock contractors. My job, with the dog, was to pen up in the sheds and push up to contracting equipment.

In 2014 I started as a rouseabout in the shearing sheds when I was about 19. From there, I learnt how to press wool and pen up without dogs. In 2016 I met Travis Scott on a shearing job. He told me about the work he did with his contracting

I never knew exactly what I wanted to do for a career, other than knowing I wanted to work with animals. I just followed my interest and was always willing to try something new.

Once I got started with the dogs, I couldn’t stop. My obsession started with the first trial I ran with Zoe and ever since my mind has been on dogs.

20

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Travis Scott has been my mentor. He gave me my first go at working his dogs on the crutching trailer, answered my neverending stream of questions, and enthusiastically supported my trialling achievements. He helped me find the perfect first dog who has turned out to be more then I could ever have hoped for. The hours of conversations about trial and work

My ambition is to build up a team of dogs that are capable of handling any job put in front of us. I want to be someone people think of as owning and breeding good, honest dogs.

My goal in the trials isn’t necessarily to be winning all the time but to have a range of dogs that are consistently in the finals.

My favourite thing about the Agricultural industry is the diversity of the job. One day you’re feeding sheep, the next you’re working up ground in the tractor. I love how someone such as myself, with no farming background or knowledge, can come in and work under some great operators. These people help you develop the skills that can make you a valuable worker. The dogs have really set me apart from other potential workers, giving me a foot in the door for jobs that I would have been overlooked for otherwise.

situations, free training advice and opportunities, along with his honest opinion are what have gotten me to where I am today. There are not enough thanks I could give him for the help he’s given me with my dogs and also in helping me become a more confident handler.

There are countless others out there too who have answered my endless questions at trials. It’s been from all these different people’s knowledge and experiences that I have been able to fast track my trailing skills; I haven’t had to learn it all the hard way. I’m still fairly new to working dogs since I’ve only had my dogs for two years now. At the moment, I’m trying out different bloodlines and work styles to find what I get along with, as well as what can get the job done for me at work. They have to be primarily working dogs and trial dog second.

My advice for others coming into the dog world is to ask all the older, successful and experienced handlers as many questions you can. Really listen to what they say. Set yourself goals with your dogs, whether it be work or trialling, but make sure they are achievable. When I started trialling, I used to set myself the goal of completing the course. Once that became something I was regularly doing, I set the goal of reaching a particular score. Then the goal became making the top 10 of my class, then to make finals etc. When you set these goals and are unable to achieve them, analyse what’s going wrong.

Take that home and work on it. If you’re unable to work it out yourself, ask someone more knowledgeable for help. Be open to other people’s opinions because they might have an idea you’ve never considered. I believe your attitude dictates your success. An open, enthusiastic mind with a drive to learn and grow will get you a long way.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

21

THINGS TO DO DURING LOCKDOWN

Story Lauren Vest

T

he COVID-19 virus has drastically changed life in Australia over the last few months. While most agricultural workers are able to carry on with business (almost) as usual, a lot of people are out of work, and nearly all of us have a lot more spare time on our hands with the cancellation of all events and gatherings. This is a convenient time to be learning new skills and training.

With all dog trialling on hold, we are all missing out on the chance to catch up with our mates and test our dogs. However, it can be a great opportunity to work on things with our dogs that we often don’t have time for. Here are some ideas of things you can do with your dogs while we wait out the lockdowns!

FOCUS ON TRAINING If you have stock: •Go back to basics and work on things you neglect during work or trials. Often when we are busy, we let small things slide. These can then turn into problems when we are at a critical point at work or in a trial, and we don’t get the immediate response we need. Now is a great opportunity to practice those simple things so that when we can start trials again, you will be spot on. For example, ensuring your dogs will stop on the first command without creeping, ensuring they have a clear understanding of their side commands, and working off-balance.

•Take advantage of one of the trainers offering video lessons.

Clinics and lessons are one of the best ways to learn more about handling our dogs or work on specific issues. Now that we can’t do these in person, some of our top trainers are offering virtual lessons! This means videoing yourself and your dog, showing what you would like help with, and sending it to the trainer. They will then give you feedback and ideas on how you can work on issues and improve your weaknesses.

This is a great chance to continue receiving top-level advice and is also an excellent opportunity for people living far away from the trainers they would like to learn from. Some trainers offering this service are Tully Williams and Gary White, with Mick Hudson launching his soon.

If you don’t have stock: •Work on training that helps the dog understand your body language and deepens your bond. That will translate to working stock once you have the opportunity again.

•You can work on recall, stop, stop at a distance, etc. without stock.

•Teaching tricks can improve your relationship and communication.

•Teaching your dog to jump up onto tree stumps and other obstacles can translate to jumping up on the ute or into backing sheep. Handlers can use a fleece placed over drums or

22

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

crates for a more realistic simulation.

•Exercise to keep yourself and the dogs fit for when you can train, work or trial again.

•Teach your dogs to tolerate a stockwhip cracking or other loud noises.

•Bark on command can be a handy tool you can teach away from stock.

Focus on your own education: •Try a new book or DVD. This is a great chance to improve on knowledge that you can then take to the training paddock.

Why not pick up a new DVD or book on working dog training, or even try someone you may not have come across before?

There is something to be learnt from every method, and it’s a resource you can go back to again and again.

•Call a mentor and ask for their advice. There are a vast number

of experienced dog trainers and handlers who are more than willing to pass on their knowledge. Pick up the phone and call someone you admire and ask their opinions or advice on issues you might be struggling with. This has a double benefit; you get to learn from someone with more experience, and it helps both of you feel less isolated during this time of limited social interaction.

•Check out online training courses. There are more and more people offering online courses now in the working sheepdog world. These are often video-based but include more interactive content than a DVD. The Kaden Way is one offering from Australia, while the McCrae Way is an option from the UK. •Use online forums to learn more about breeding, training, and bloodlines. If you are smart about who you take advice from, there is a lot to be discovered. Some pages encourage people to post footage of current or historical dogs working stock to discuss.

•Read books or magazines that are educational or show you different opinions or ways of doing things.

•Use the time to learn how to whistle, using your fingers or with a shepherd’s whistle. Once you have mastered it (away from your dogs while learning!) put together a set of commands that make sense to you and how you work.

•Learn about the health risks and genetic diseases that are relevant to your breed so you know how to avoid or mitigate them.

•Learn about first-aid techniques suitable for dogs and the common injuries they might experience while working (staking, snake bite, trampled by stock, run over, etc.).

•Lastly, keep in touch with all your mates. A lot of people are struggling in different ways due to the current situation, and a friendly chat or listening ear goes a long way.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

23

Books and DVD’s Available for Purchase!

Greg Prince – My Way, Firm but Fair The Kelpie Dog – Selecting and Training Kingdom of The Collie Kelpie – The Legend Training and Working Dogs – Scott Lithgow

BUY NOW at www.stockdogs.com.au

Breeding and training quality

WORKING KELPIES for sheep and cattle work

WORKING DOG SCHOOLS Come to us or host one of your own

Pups, Started and Going dogs regularly available. www.lokabedogs.com lokabedogs@outlook.com

 

@LokabeWorkingDogs

STOCKMAN PROFILE

JAKE NOWLAN Story Article Lauren Vest, Photos Amy Cutler

26

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Y

oung stockman Jake Nowlan has a rare dedication to improving his dog handling and training skills and becoming the best handler he can be. Jake is well known around New South Wales (and further afield) for his expertise, as well as his generosity in running training days to help others improve their dog handling. He handles and works dogs from several different breeds and backgrounds. Jake has just returned to Australia from some time working in New Zealand and was kind enough to sit down with me for a chat.

Jake grew up on a family farm that ran both sheep and cattle, in the Grenfell area of NSW. When he was 11 years old the family travelled to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. This trip turned into a pivotal event when he came across a working sheepdog demonstration given by Jim Luce and his wife Jan. Jim was working his dogs Capree Punch and Capree Minute, with commentary by Jan explaining what was happening between the dog, the sheep, and the handler. Jake was mesmerized. He knew right away that this was what he wanted to do with his life. Jan mentioned that Punch had won the Australian Yard Dog title and that Minute had won the National Kelpie Field Trial twice. Jake clearly remembers saying to himself that day that one day he would win the Australian Yard Trial and the National Kelpie Trial.

Jake introduced himself to Jim and Jan, and that was the start of a fantastic friendship. Jake visited whenever he could to learn from Jim, often staying at their home for up to a few weeks at a time. For the next five years, Jake would travel with Jim and Jan to the Royal Easter Show to help handle the dogs, all while learning as much as he could. Over the years, Jim has been a hugely successful dog trialler and an accomplished stockman. The dogs he handled and owned have since become almost household names, the bloodlines are still sought after today. There was no better environment for a dog mad young stockman to learn the ropes.

The first dog Jake bought for himself was a Kelpie bred by Steve Condell – Condover Fonzie (yes, named after the character from Happy Days!). He bought him as a pup, rearing and training him using the techniques he was learning from Jim and others. He first trialled Fonzie when he was only 12 months old. While he was still at school, Jake began building a small team of dogs for work on the farm. He would get up early and train his dogs before school, then head back out to the paddock to train after school. Dedication and consistency in training is a habit that has stuck with him ever since.

After completing school, Jake had a break from dogs while he moved to Sydney and then Newcastle to play football.

However, a severe neck injury ended his footy career, and at 25 Jake moved to the Monaro region in NSW to get back to station work. He then started building up a team of dogs again. He went through a lot of dogs in this time buying whatever came up for sale, starting them and finding what he liked and what suited the work. It was a great way to work on his training and handling over a wide range of dogs. Two dogs that stood out during this period were a border collie called

Wilbo Hank (Ryans Splash x Kurrabi Libby) and a kelpie called Democa Louie (Democa Punk x Basalt Dana). He then went on to work for a few years contracting throughout the area mustering, pushing up for crutching and shearing, putting big numbers through various setups. While he was contracting, he also picked up a pup in exchange for a breeding service from Louie – Amos Zone (Democa Louie x Barclays Annie).

Later, Jake took a manager’s position at Bigga Station. This proved to be a great opportunity to work on his own skills as well as test his dogs in some big rough country. He stayed here until his move to New Zealand.

Jake says his best dog has been Amos Zone. This dog has so much desire to work, will keep going through pain, exhaustion, injury, and any obstacle. He also has total versatility, working Angus cows and calves, mustering in rough, hilly country, then firing up and back and barking in the yards. Amos Zone has put in the hard slog with big numbers in yards all day, repeatedly. Jake admits he has had dogs better in other areas, but none have the same all round ability or as big a heart.

Other great dogs have been Democa Louie and Gilescreek RM (Woodridge Lucky x Brokenriver Alley). Louie was an exceptional mustering dog with a tremendous amount of intelligence. He won the Ultimate Stock Dog trial in 2015, which tests the dogs on cattle as well as sheep. In 2018 Louie died in a work accident, but his legacy lives on in Jake’s team.

He passed on his intelligence to his progeny. They are dogs that can be left alone with a mob; they will take responsibility, stay with them, and still be doing the right thing half a day later.

They understand the job. Louie also had a lot of grunt in the yards. RM is a very dedicated, tough, hardworking sheepdog.

He is about ready to retire at only four years of age due to various injuries. His pedigree follows the same breeding Jake has found suits him, old Capree lines, Minute/Watch/Boss/ Blue.

Jake has found a lot of success with Capree lines in his dogs.

While he hasn’t had a lot to do with Capree founder Chris

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

27

Stapleton, he owes him a lot of gratitude. He is one of the only people who has managed to successfully breed good, practical station dogs over an extended period. His early dogs were exceptional and have proven that by their influence on the Kelpie breed. Few top dogs have a pedigree without some Capree influence. Chris has contributed considerably to both the dog world and the agricultural industry.

Jake headed to the South Island, working in a few different places, and found that he loved it. At his first trial in New Zealand, his proven, capable, high-level Australian dogs bombed out. RM couldn’t even locate the sheep, and while Zone completed the trial, it wasn’t pretty. He drove out of the gate realising he was the worst handler there which was exactly what he wanted. He was in the perfect place to push himself.

As far as mentors go, the obvious one is Jim Luce, and Jake will still call him up and talk dogs or ask for advice. Bill Luff is another. Bill has property at Adjungbilly in the Riverina, New South Wales. He has competed in three sheep and yard trials, though mostly yard trials now. Bill is known throughout the area for having good dogs, being a top handler, and for his genuine helpfulness. The most recent of Jake’s mentors is Roger Tweed from New Zealand, whom Jake credits as the greatest dog man he has come across in his life.

In New Zealand, handlers mainly work two types of dogs Heading dogs and Huntaways. Heading dogs resemble the border collie and are used for casting and gathering scattered stock, while Huntaways are a heavier dog that uses their bark to mob sheep up in order to shift them. Competitions consist of four types of trials, two for each type of dog. Heading dogs compete in the long head and short head. These trials test their casting, ability to find and steer sheep, and return them to the handler. Huntaways compete in the straight hunt and the zigzag hunt, where they use their bark and steering to drive sheep to a prescribed location.

Time in New Zealand In February 2019, Jake took his best dogs and family and moved to New Zealand. He felt he was stagnating in Australia, struggling to continue to challenge himself as a handler.

Jake wanted to go somewhere completely different, way out of his comfort zone. It was a chance to learn a completely different way of training and working dogs, from people he now considers the best dog trainers in the world. While there are great dog trainers found everywhere, New Zealand has a unique combination of unbelievable terrain and huge stock numbers. Some places run 30,000 ewes. While Australian farms run these numbers, they have more accessible territory.

In the United Kingdom, challenging terrain is present, but the stock numbers are lower.

Jake tried all the types of trialling and had intended to focus on the heading dogs, which are most like the dogs he was used to in Australia. However, he soon realised they didn’t suit him.

He found them very impractical. It would be hard to find one that could be called an all round station dog. He soon lost all interest in them and focused entirely on the Huntaways.

Starting a Huntaway was completely different from what he knew of starting dogs in Australia. These dogs have a heap of drive and are very wound up, so you really must work on their state of mind, bonding, and mental control. Lots of people control them with force and punishment but end up with a dog that’s very anxious.

Jake found it hard initially to find someone willing to teach

28

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

him. It took a lot of phone calls, questions, and persistence, but he finally got onto Roger Tweed who was willing to help him out. Roger is really into the psychological side of dog training and spends a lot of time using pressure and presence to get into their heads and build solid, trusting relationships.

He wants the dog remaining in the right headspace to learn.

Roger is a very successful trainer, and his daughter was the first woman to win the New Zealand National. Jake bought a few pups of his own and worked on getting them going for work and trial.

One of the biggest differences in handling that Jake noticed was the way dogs are sent out to find stock. In Australia, handlers generally give a cast or side command, and the dog runs out on an arc, looking for stock. Some dogs will have a command to arc out wider or recast, but that is about the extent of steering. In New Zealand, owners give a ‘run’ whistle, which tells the dog to run out straight and keep running. The dog is then steered using side whistles that signal the dog to turn 45 degrees left or right. Often the sheep are out of the dog’s sight and the shepherd must steer them up or across a hill, avoiding natural obstacles until they locate the sheep.

Another big difference Jake found was the insistence on a dog’s manners. A lot of people here let their dogs out, and they do whatever they like ,running around, pissing on things, fighting, working each other. In New Zealand, it is completely different. Most handlers require their dogs to have impeccable manners. There might be five shepherds heading out to muster, each with five or six dogs who shadow their heels. If they tell them to ‘pack up’, they all go and sit on top of each other and will wait there all day if needed. Jake is going to adopt this practice and focus on manners and mental control and respect; this will improve the ongoing mental link between dog and handler and every aspect of work.

Jake has returned to Australia now and has taken a manager’s job at Foxlow Station, 17,000 acres near Bungendore in New South Wales. He is bringing a pregnant Huntaway bitch back and looks forward to breaking the pups in. In a couple of years, once they are going well, he would like to go back to New Zealand for a trial season. He still has the goal of winning the Australian Yard and the National Kelpie trial, though he says his dogs are often a bit too hard to do well at trials. He also admits that he needs to get better at trialling.

Jake’s approach to stockwork is to stick to low-stress principles when possible, especially when mustering. He balances this with being practical when there are big numbers to handle.

His ideal dog is one that can muster stock without putting too much weight on them, that can let stock find their way, and has a good natural feel. In the yard, the dog must want to get in and get the job done and keep going when things get hard. He would rather be stopping a dog than asking it to come forward. There are lots of dogs around that must be whistled in on four or five sheep, how are they going to move five hundred or a thousand sheep?

With his determination, an open mind, and willingness to learn, I’m sure Jake will continue to be a big player in the working dog industry both here and overseas.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

29

0 202 w is no D SOL OUT Est 1956.

SOLD OUT 2020 - NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR 2021 NEW FRESH PROVEN POSITIVE PROGRAM

Learn how a dog thinks, how to build that connection to get your dog working with you not for you.

4.5 days of training which gives you time to see results.

Half a day property tour | Social of a night | All food and accommodation included Pick up from airport and kennels provided | Qualified Instructor Schools June/July August 2020 | June 12 to 16 Advanced | June 26 to 30 | August 7 to 11 Limited places available, 6 to 8 only book early as places filling up.

TESTIMONIAL

Kaden’s working dog schools run a comprehensive training program that has been carefully constructed for the development of a confident and well rounded sheep dog. Denise tackles training with all her heart and enthusiasm (this is considerable), and her drive to get the best from the dogs is admirable. Her philosophy of patience, kindness and positivity allows the dogs to shine. Working through an issue is tackled with a can do attitude and positivity and importantly no punishment (for dog or handler). Feedback is delivered sensitively but directly and there is always a solution to a problem. Denise not only assists the training of trialling dogs but overlays this with the practical needs of dogs working sheep on a working station. Kaden’s way works. Being welcomed into the Hawe home and spending 5 days training my dog here was a wonderful experience that I hope to repeat next year. - Sally Elsom

KADEN’S ONLINE WORKING DOG SCHOOL

A unique program that covers every stage from buying a pup to going to work; including specialist yard dog training.

The course consists of over 30 video lessons with a paper base back up. Support is number 1 for Kaden’s students, we offer 1 on 1 coaching as well as weekly Q&A conference calls. There is a private FB community that is active with contests and challenges. This course will transform you as a trainer.

KADEN’S 5 DAY PROPERTY SCHOOLS & NOW ONLINE Both the Property and Online are something new, I don’t believe there is anything like this in Australia at the moment.

www.kadenworkingdogschools.com |

www.kadenworkingbordercollies.com

Graphic Design by Kerri Hill

THE LOST WORKING DOGS Story & photos Michael Grant

OF TASMANIA

I

n the late 1800s, many large pastoral holdings in Tasmania sent herds of sheep to summer pastures in the central highlands. The men and working dogs that herded these flocks lived rough, relying on each other to eke out an existence in sparse conditions. In this harsh environment, dogs developed a unique set of skills that have now mostly been lost due to modern farming practices.

This unique window of shepherding in Tasmania began sometime in the late 1800s and lasted through to the 1960s.

Each year, as many as 200,000 sheep and their shepherds would make the trek from the extensive pastoral holdings into the highlands. They set out in October and returned in May, escaping the summer dry and resting the home grazing.

Many of the shepherds lived and worked full time in the high country, often in very primitive and harsh conditions. They had no power or running water, and their diet consisted of wallaby, potatoes, turnips, tea, flour, and sugar. Some of the families ran a house cow to provide milk and butter.

Dogs and horses were their livelihood and a source of pride and recognition. Each district had a distinct breed, and some of the lines were closely held over many generations. Some of the better known names included the Monks, Hansch, Groves,

32

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

and Glover families, as well as Arnold Jones, Friday Medhurst, Ted Batt and the Lee & Neil brothers.

The dogs were as varied as the men and women who owned them. They included straight Smithfield lines, both large and small sizes. Some were naturally bob-tailed. Collie lines were often rough-coated, with black and tan, brindle, red, sandy, and straight black the most common colours. Most of these collies were free of the modern Border Collie infusion seen today. In today’s ‘look at me’ world, most of the breeds would not be considered visually appealing. They were often shaggycoated, hairy, and whiskery, prized only by the people who knew what they were and how to get the best out of them.

Their heritage was likely drawn from some of the very early dogs that came out with stock on sailing ships from the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Like their owners, these dogs had to be survivors. The selection process was often harsh. A litter of pups went ‘up the mountain’ in a chaff bag, slung over the packhorse. At the end of the season possibly only one of the litter survived. Snakes, accidents, or a failure to perform accounted for the rest, and the duds finished up in a ‘stump hole’.

The challenge facing moden day drovers

Over time, a variety of natural traits were fostered in these dogs. There were lead dogs that would trot ahead of the mob, independently controlling the pace of the driven sheep, allowing weak sheep to keep up. Often light in colour with a white tail they would constantly wave, encouraging sheep to follow them. Mobs could be driven up to 30 or 40 kilometres in a day.

Hunting sheep by scent was second nature for many of these herding dogs. The half wild merinos would scatter and hide in the thick lake-country scrub to avoid detection. A dog would be cast on the blind while ‘the boss’ rolled a smoke and waited for the bark alerting him to the discovery of rogue sheep. Some of the dogs would naturally turn tail to quieten wild and nervous sheep (considered a serious fault in today’s trial dogs). This action offered the impression of weakness and gave the sheep confidence. These dogs were not weak, they were clever and performed a lot of their work out of sight and earshot of the shepherd.

Many of the dogs hunted game in the winter when the shepherds supplemented their income with kangaroo, rabbit and possum skins. Such was the temperament of the dogs that hunting did not ruin them for stock work. The independent, intelligent nature of these animals, together with a cast-iron constitution and an ability to think for themselves, set them apart from the average sheepdog. Some of the strains were notoriously shy in the presence of strangers and would often melt off into the scrub if someone appeared.

The Neil Brothers Circa, 1952

What has led to the demise of these unique dogs? They are still about, but the good ones are now very rare. Sadly, although there are remnants of the breeds left scattered around Tasmania, the working conditions they were selected and maintained by are mostly gone.

The property owners who employed the lake shepherds were forced to cut staff as economics dictated. Many of the highland runs have now become world heritage listed and are closed to grazing. Fertiliser and irrigation have also allowed a higher density of sheep grazing on the low country in summer.

These days, livestock is usually trucked, 600 to 800 sheep in a B-double at 100 kilometres per hour, as opposed to six or seven kilometres per hour via Shank’s pony. Alas, traffic behaviour (and density) has made droving with dogs hazardous. On a recent three-day, 75-kilometre highland drove with 3500 sheep, 700 vehicles passed through the mob.

The rise of the modern-day Kelpie and Border Collie is also part of the answer. These modern dogs self-start at an earlier age and have a stronger instinct suited to today’s ‘toot the horn’, fenced lane droving.

Stockmanship and good dog handling is a patient art, born of experience, observation, and intuition, none of which are prized virtues in our fast-paced, technical world. I fear we will not see the like of these wonderful dogs again, and some of us mourn their passing.

A note about the author: Michael Grant is a semi-retired stock agent and farmer with 45 years on the land in Tasmania and the high country of New Zealand. He has represented Australia at three sheepdog trials and has a passion for good stock handling.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

33

The Training Pen

with Tully Williams Think Like a Canine: Ken Sykes The Training Pen -“DO’s and DON’Ts” successful sheepdogwith training Instinct Trainingfor Conditioning

Ken Sykes

Ken Sykes has been involved with working dogs for most of his life. He has managed extensive sheep, goat, and cattle properties in the New England Region of New South Wales, and in the traprock region of Queensland. Over recent years Ken has become involved in sheep dog trialling and is a regular competitor on the Queensland circuit as well as giving working dog demonstrations at field days. Ken has been a regular contributor to various magazines and has travelled extensively in Australia and internationally to talk on livestock management and nutrition

T

here are as many methods of starting working dogs as there are working dog trainers. The general rule of thumb is: what works best for you and your dog is best for you and your dog.

One such method is Instinct Training Conditioning, which seeks to enhance a dog’s inbuilt herding behaviours. In training, this means letting the dog move first, then giving the associated command, as well as identifying the best working environment for the particular dog.

With Instinct Training Conditioning, the principle is to control, modify and develop the dog’s instinctive behaviour, rather than teaching a new skill. Because we are working with inherited natural traits, every dog will be different.

To begin training, I usually start in the round yard with the young dog holding the prey (sheep) to me, the pack leader.

As I move clockwise and anti-clockwise, the young dog starts mirroring my movements. After a few runs, I start to work on controlling this instinctive behaviour by giving a command as the dog initiates an action. For example, “back”, when the pup is moving anti-clockwise, “here” when the dog is mov-

36

ing clockwise, and “stop” when I see the pup is about to stop.

Commands are a single, clear, distinct word, interspersed with plenty of softly spoken affirmations such as “good boy”.

After a few runs, I will build on the control by adding body language and a drafting cane to enforce the command. Once the young dog is responding well, I will move to the paddock to further develop control and start to work on modifying the instinctive behaviour. Modifying this behaviour includes working on pace and distance, and well as working off-balance, coming behind, and coming off stock when called. Driving is only introduced much later in training.

I am a firm believer that the best way of developing the young dog’s natural instincts is steady work on big mobs in big paddocks. This practice starts once the pup is working to an acceptable standard in yards. Unfortunately, this is often not possible for the weekend warrior or retirees such as myself. Working a small mob of sheep along fence lines and in random patterns around the paddock allows us to work on improving our communication with the dog, as well as improving positioning, distance, angle and timing for both handler and dog. Since every dog is different, no cookie-cutter model will work equally for all dogs. We need to be able to adapt and modify our behaviour to match the needs and inherited abilities of the individual dog.

Instinct Training Conditioning is an ongoing process throughout the dog’s training. Developing instinctive behaviour may include use of a race or bridge with a gate to teach the dog to walk up and force, or back off. I always try to set the dog up for the type of work best suited to its inheritance. For example, a dog bred from yard or truck dogs will seldom make a top paddock dog. Its early training will include paddock work, but more emphasis will be placed on developing its inherited instincts for the work the dog will be required to do. Likewise, trial and paddock-bred dogs will be trained in a manner to optimise their natural inherited abilities.

Instinct Training Conditioning polishes a dog’s natural herding instincts.

It allows handlers to understand how their canines are inclined to ‘think’ and build upon those tendencies. Using this method has allowed me to train dogs with minimal stress, and to achieve success in sheep-dog trialling.

How to select t he right and for m a stro pup ng part nership

Age old tra ining prac recent scie tices com ntific disc bined with overie $30.00 in cluding po s on how dogs lear n. stage in A ustralia Signed co pies availa ble from th kwsykes@ e bigpond.co author at m

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au Think like

a Canine

add.indd

1

The Training Pen l Danie Watson

Are you Rewarding your Dog without Knowing it?

with Daniel Watson

know today.

The main point I would like to make is that the stock we work, along with many other things, can be a reward for our dogs.

For example, when we cast our dog, we usually have our dog sitting behind us in a compliant position. The dog is anticipating that there is a reward coming, through knowledge from past experiences. Thus he stays compliant because he knows failure to do so will mean missing out on his reward – which is to be cast out to the other side of the mob and allowed to work the stock.

Daniel Watson’s passion for training working dogs started as a young boy. Although he grew up in town he took every opportunity he could to go visit family and friends’ cattle and dairy farms to learn from them. His real passion developed as he watched working sheep trials on the television. At 21 Daniel purchased his own small farm and his first dog, a Kelpie. Keen to learn everything he could, Dan read Scott Lithgow’s Book Quiet Confident Handling of Stock and attended local training days with the cattle dog training group in Casino NSW. He also received mentoring from many wise people who had been training and trialling for years, some of which had been the pioneers of working cattle dog trialling in Australia. Later on Dan studied with the National Dog Trainers Federation to improve his knowledge and connection with all aspects of dog training, however working stock dogs is where his heart remains.

M

any dog trainers have the misconception that rewards are just a pat on the head or something the dog loves to eat given when they have done a good job. Some people think a dog doesn’t deserve rewards at all. If we subscribe to either of these schools of thought, then we miss out on so much potential in our training.

Many of these rewards are right in front of us, but we often don’t even realise that they are rewards. Simply put, anything your dog loves to do or eat is a reward.

First, let’s look at what excites your dog. A food-driven dog will do anything for food, whereas a dog with a pack drive will do anything to please its handler, whether it be for a pat, or to be praised. A dog with prey drive will do anything to chase a ball or chase prey. All working dogs are motivated by some form of a prey drive. Some have a pack drive as well as their prey drive, and this creates a pliable dog. Today’s working dogs don’t display the full hunting sequence of prey drive; through generations of selective breeding, we have developed dogs that only retain the attributes useful for the working stock dog we

Another way to frame it is the dog is self-rewarded by being at the point of balance. If we ask the dog to come off balance behind the handler, to be sent out to the other side of the mob, the dog at first will not be keen to comply. However, once we have completed the exercise (taking the dog away from where it wants to be), the dog will realise there is a reward for returning to the point of balance. For the dog, this is the equivalent of understanding “I just have to do this boring thing first, so my boss shuts up, and then I get to do what I want again.”

If we think of it in this way, you realise there are countless opportunities for punishment and reward while working stock that we may not have been considering. We need to be mindful of whether we are accidentally rewarding the dog for doing the wrong thing. Say the dog didn’t stay behind as commanded and decided to bolt down the paddock after your heifers. In essence, it has just rewarded itself and probably needs more training! If we let the dog continue to work, it is being rewarded for doing exactly what we didn’t want it to do, and will likely repeat the behaviour next time. Remember that you need to control when the rewards are given in the same way as you control when punishment may be required.

So, your dog has just bolted and started to work the stock without your permission. To punish the dog for not being compliant (not staying behind until the handler gave a command to go), the reward needs to be withheld. You can achieve this by removing the dog from the reward (working the stock), putting it back on the ute, and working another dog in its place.

This type of punishment plays on the emotions of the dog and is highly effective. Dogs do have emotions like us, and we can use this to our advantage. It has been shown that a dog can be more stressed when put in time out than when immediate corrections are given, as the time-out lasts longer and plays on the emotions of the dog. So, in this case, remembering that access to the stock can be used as a reward or as punishment, we take away access to the stock as punishment. It’s a simple

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

37

Cont....

The Training Pen Are you Rewarding your Dog without Knowing it?

with Daniel Watson

Story by Stacey Doolan Photos by Ruben Pics

principle – “you do what I ask, you get what you want. If you don’t do what I ask, you don’t get what you want!”

Punishment does not need to be physical. It can be, if necessary, but I would use many other methods before reaching that point. Punishment includes anything the dog does not like. For example, if your dog hates travelling in a ute, then by putting him back up on the ute after finishing a job, you have potentially punished him for a job well done. If the same dog has done the wrong thing, then you could use the ute ride as punishment. Say the dog hasn’t been cast out yet and it has done something wrong, you can put it back on the ute. There are two things going on here: firstly, the dog is anticipating that work is about to begin, and you just took that away by returning him to the ute. Secondly, if he doesn’t want to be in the ute, but you take him for a short drive, then you have essentially punished the dog twice. When you come back to do the job, the dog should think twice about what it did last time so that it can have the reward of working the stock.

There are also other things a dog may consider to be a reward.

For example, when you are teaching a pup to sit, you apply upward pressure to the collar and push down on his rump.

This may make the pup feel a little unsure at first – I probably wouldn’t go as far as to say this is punishment, but the pup feels pressured. Once you release the pup from this position, the pup is rewarded by the absence of pressure. Another example is when the dog is doing an activity it doesn’t want to do but receives a reward after complying. This is the basis of all training – we don’t go to work to not get paid, and neither do dogs. As a handler, we may think we don’t reward our dogs;

38

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

they just work. Yes, they are working and will work all day, but the dog is finding its reward by working the stock. They don’t work for free and neither would you.

If you balance your training methods, you are not only teaching your dog what it is you want to see, you’re also showing it the behaviours you don’t want. The benefit of using both reward and punishment in a balanced and appropriate way is that the lesson is double reinforced, resulting in improved outcomes.

One step at a time...

B

D O GS

R

TO ED

WOR

K

Riverside

Working Dogs

PHOTO ESSAY

Riverside Jake

Open to breed, Semen collected 2014 Australian open cattle dog of the Year 2014 Nsw Open cattle dog of the Year 2018 Australian open Championship winner Grafton 7 Times represented NSW State Of Origin Winner of 12 Opens.

2014 Australian Maiden Championship winner Red Range 2014 Australian Novice Championship winner Red Range Dot has bred multiple trial winners but most importantly she has bred great working dogs.

Hylite Dot

Ad Design Kerri Hill

BEN GOULD | 0416354061 Follow us on Facebook and Youtube: Riverside Working Dogs

PHOTO ESSAY Photography by By Michaell-Lee Photography enquiries to Lauren Vest: lauren@stockdogs.com.au

Michaell-Lee lives on a beautiful 3000 acre lucerne and cattle property nestled in the Hunter Valley NSW, with her husband and 3 sons and feels extremely blessed to live and work on the land and on a beautiful property.

She grew up in a small country town Julia Creek in North Qld, where her dad loved taking photos and her passion grew from there. She brought her first Nikon in her 20’s and just loved taking photos of their children and all their animals. Michaell-Lee shoots with a Nikon D810.

Michaell-Lee’s photo’s have been published in books, magazine and calendars and family and friends’ weddings, family photoshoots and school formals.

Contact Michaell-Lee Freeman on Ph: 0418 474 555 Email: tmlfreeman@yahoo.com.au www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

41

42

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

43

BREEDING FEATURE

Find out more about, Artificial Insemination, Collecting Semen, Health Issues in Entire Dogs, The Progeny Test by Tully Williams, Also includes our annual Sire Directory!

VET CHECK HEALTH ISSUES IN ENTIRE DOGS Many people make the conscious decision to keep their working dogs entire rather than desexed. The following health issues should be considered when trying to decide whether to desex a pup or mature dog. Factors to keep in mind include the potential for a dog’s death due to some of these conditions, as well as the economic loss if your dog is unable to work while unwell, plus the costs of veterinary care itself.

FEMALES Pyometra Pyometra occurs when the uterus is infected with bacteria and becomes full of pus. This condition rapidly threatens the bitch’s life as the infection can spread to her bloodstream, or throughout the abdomen as the uterus gets stretched and damaged. Signs include lethargy, increased drinking, increased dehydration, abdominal pain, abdominal swelling and reluctance to work or move. The pyometra is termed ‘open’ if the cervix is open; allowing the passage of pus which is then seen externally as a thick, foul-smelling brownish liquid. One in five intact bitches younger than ten years of age will develop this condition. The percentage affected is higher as bitches age. Due to the toxic nature of pyometra, treatment requires considerable supportive care as well as surgical removal of the diseased uterus and ovaries. Very few cases can be managed medically, and your vet will discuss this option on a case-bycase basis.

Phantom Pregnancy Pseudopregnancy is characterised by a non-pregnant intact bitch displaying signs normally seen in females that are in late pregnancy or early lactation. These signs include behavioural changes (e.g. reduced activity, licking the abdomen,

46

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

aggression, restlessness and anorexia), maternal behaviour (e.g. nesting, adopting other puppies, mothering inanimate objects), mammary development, lactation, weight gain, and even abdominal contractions. Less commonly, diarrhoea, vomiting, and increases in appetite, thirst, and urination may occur. Hormonal changes during the oestrous cycle can result in increased levels of prolactin in non-pregnant bitches, predisposing them to the condition. Pseudopregnancy is estimated to occur in 50-75% of intact bitches, and there is a high recurrence rate. Diagnosing the condition is simple and requires ruling out pregnancy with your vet. Most cases only require the maternal behaviours and licking of the mammary glands to be discouraged through the use of an Elizabethan collar. In severe or refractory cases, medical intervention to downregulate and inhibit prolactin production may be necessary. If the bitch has also developed mastitis, this will need appropriate treatment.

Cancers The hormones produced by the ovaries increase the risk of mammary cancer in bitches. The sooner a bitch is spayed (in relation to the number of heat cycles she goes through), the lower the risk of mammary cancer. A bitch that has never been through a heat season is the least likely to develop mammary cancer, either benign or malignant. Owners of intact females should regularly palpate the mammary glands and any lumps identified should be assessed by your veterinarian. Mammary cancer has the potential to spread to other mammary glands, lymph nodes or other organs such as the lungs. Treatment relies on surgical removal of the lump, the mammary gland, the entire chain of mammary glands and possibly even local lymph nodes as well, depending on the case. Spaying and further diagnostic workups to check for metastasis are also recommended. Spaying removes both the ovaries and uterus, eliminating the potential for cancer in these organs. Intact females are more likely to have cancer of the vulva and vagina and treatment relies on surgical removal of any tumours and spaying.

VET CHECK HEALTH ISSUES IN ENTIRE DOGS

MALES

Perineal hernia

Cancer

A perineal hernia occurs when pelvic or abdominal contents bulge through muscles near the anus. This can be seen as a swelling below the tail, and 85-95% of cases are intact males.

Since the bladder, prostate and sections of the bowel can be strangled or trapped in the bulging pocket, signs vary depending on what is affected. There can be constipation, inability to urinate, as well as pain and straining while passing wastes. Treatment relies on surgical correction of the herniated muscles and castration; however, there is a guarded prognosis due to the risk of nerve damage, infection, rectal prolapse and high rate of recurrence. Kelpies, Border Collies and their crosses have a particularly high risk of this disease. Other risk factors include prostatic disease, hormonal imbalances and chronic constipation and straining. Prevention of perineal hernia requires ensuring stools are soft through optimal nutrition and water access, as well as castration to minimise the hormonal influence and the risk of prostate disease.

The first sign of testicular cancer is usually asymmetrical testes. Castration eliminates the risk of this cancer and is associated with exceptionally high cure rates after diagnosis.

While intact males have slightly lower rates of prostate cancer, this condition is rare. Castration also reduces the chance of perineal cancers.

Prostate disease Testosterone produced by the testicles acts to cause enlargement and disease of the prostate over time. Prostate disease in entire males is common and includes infection, abscesses and cysts. Symptoms can occur alone or be due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP). Dogs with prostate disease may show some of the following symptoms: straining to urinate or defecate, reluctance to work, severe abdominal pain, blood within the urine or ejaculate, recurring urinary tract infections, infertility and anorexia. The enlarged prostate, positioned just in front of the pelvis, creates pressure in the abdomen and blocks the passage of faeces, which causes many of these signs. For intact dogs, it is estimated that 75-80% of will have BHP by six years of age, and 95-100% by nine years of age. It can sometimes be detected on annual veterinary exams where rectal palpation is performed. Castrated dogs can still get prostatic disease (as the prostate remains but is very small and biologically inactive after removal of the testicles), but it is very uncommon. Castration is an effective preventative and cure for BHP and the associated conditions.

Medical management of uncomplicated BHP is sometimes possible with the aim to breed or collect the dog’s semen prior to castration at a later date. As the disease will recur, surgical castration is typically the end goal even if medical treatment has been successful.

Behavioural issues Behaviour is a complex function of genetic, environmental, hormonal, and social influences. Desexing at any age will not completely eliminate unwanted behaviour such as fearfulness, anxiety, aggression, inappropriate sexual behaviour, or dominance. However, behaviours linked to sex hormones can be often be reduced with desexing, particularly if performed before sexual maturity. For bitches, this is around six to nine months of age when they experience their first heat and around 12 months of age for males. Unwanted sexual behaviours include males wandering to find a mate, urinating as a scent marker, mounting, howling and some inter dog aggression.

The benefit of castrating males before they learn to roam includes the reduced risk of associated accidents with traffic or other animals and unwanted litters. There is mixed scientific evidence surrounding the effect of desexing on trainability,

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

47

fearfulness, excitability, food-aggression and aggression.

This relates mostly to the age at the time of desexing and the underlying behavioural diagnosis. You should discuss each specific case with your veterinarian, who may refer you to a behavioural specialist to ensure the best outcome.

Metabolic rate and obesity Studies have shown that desexing decreases a dog’s maintenance energy requirements and increases food intake. This may be related to behavioural changes or reduced metabolic rate associated with hormonal changes. Working-dog owners are often reluctant to desex their animals due to the perception they will get fat and not work as well anymore. While it is true that desexed animals are more likely to be obese, the clear answer here is to feed your spayed and castrated dogs less, so they stay in a healthy, working, fit condition. You may even save money on dog food. Being obese causes and exacerbates other conditions which will make your dog less willing to work, such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, cancer and renal and skin disease.

Conclusion These health issues are important considerations for intact working dog owners. Current literature recommends castration and spaying around the age of six months to reduce the risk of these conditions occurring. If you do not plan on breeding your pup then desexing early will give the greatest health benefit. However, it is still very worthwhile to desex middle-aged and older animals after their breeding days have finished, as many of these conditions are also more likely to occur as intact dogs age.

Check out this free App for your phone First Aid for Pets Australia

Dr. Lauryn Stewart Kangaroo Island Veterinary Clinic 252 Playford Highway, Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, South Australia. 5223

48

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

The Pen The Training Progeny Test with Tully Williams

By Tully Williams

The Training Pen -“DO’s and DON’Ts” for successful sheepdog training

M

any years ago, the great Victorian handler Alan Miller was sitting on the sidelines at a sheepdog trial. The dog he was watching had just put up an uninspiring run. As the disappointed handler left the ground, he passed by close to Miller, and, so the story goes, made some comment about how well-bred the dog was. To this, Alan Miller is reputed to have said, “well, next time, leave the dog at home and bring the pedigree instead!”

The story illustrates that the individual dog is much more important than its pedigree (or ancestors). Now, I place a fair bit of importance in a good pedigree, because you’ll rarely come across a good dog without one. Of course, you’ll always hear stories about dogs that people pick up from a neighbour and so on, that turned out a champion. That can happen (although one person’s idea of a champion can be very different from another’s!). I had someone bring a Kelpie Labrador cross for training lessons one day, and it was a pretty handy dog, not bad at all. But that doesn’t mean we should all go out and start crossing our dogs with Labradors, or that we should disregard pedigrees and breeding altogether. You can get lucky, and many ‘breeders’ do breed the odd good dog, but that’s all it is, luck. Breeding is all about shortening the odds and increasing the likelihood of consistently producing the type of dogs we are after. However, a pedigree is only a guide to what an unknown dog or litter might turn out to be. Once you see the dog working, thetoreality than Reducing sheepdog training a list is offar do’smore andimportant don’ts is not the an pedigree. such easy task! But here is my list of what I believe are some of the more important DO’S and DON’TS for successful In my view, pedigrees serve two purposes. Firstly, they are a sheepdog training. guide only until the litter is on the ground or until we see the #1actual - DO dog obtain the bestThen quality or dog possible.

This first working. thepup individual’s performance is the point is also one of the most important.

A pup or dog with main criteria. And secondly, assuming the pedigree represents high-quality instincts hasitthe make a high-quality worker, canpotential also be ato guide asatohigh-quality how that dog worker.

A poor-quality pup will never make a high-quality might breed when joined to a dog of another pedigree. This worker, no matter how much training it receives. YOU CANguide can be helpful when making breeding decisions.

NOT MAKE A SILK PURSE FROM A SOW’S EAR. Go to a reputable and experienced breeder with a proven track record, However, I think there their is anpups. often overlooked further stage someone who guarantee’s in the breeding process. That is the ‘progeny test’. A pedigree useful guidehand, to what a dogfall might the proof #2is– aOn the other DON’T intobecome, the trap but of thinking is ainwell-bred the actualpup dog itself.

And the poor dog itself, in combination that will make up for training.

While it is with thethat pedigree, is amake guidea silk to what might produce. very true “you can’t purseitfrom a sow’s ear”, But it is also true that EVEN SILK CAN BE RUINED. If you want to the proof lies in what a dog actually breeds, and dogs do not end up with a top working both good breeding and always reproduce the waydog, theythen work. sound training are essential.

Here are two examples from my own dogs. Firstly, I had a very Dog remember understanding to leave snakes alone in a sheepdog, you #3good - DO without keenness young dog that I called Campaspe Sam (Campaspe King

50

x Campaspe Ebby). I bred a couple of litters from him, and the results were very pleasing. Then I had another younger have nothing. The dog must want to work sheep. So if your dog come along of the same breeding; a full brother from a pup lacks a bit of heart, or is a bit on the soft side, then train younger litter, Campaspe Bruno. He turned out to be an even slowly and have plenty of patience. With a good keen pup, better dogofthan hisyou older brother with plenty heart, will be Sam. As I had someone keen on buying Sam, offering money able to train much more quickly. that was hard to resist, and I had a better dog of the same breeding, I let Sam go. This turned a bigand mistake.

Even though Bruno #4decision – DO take the out timetotobelearn use a sound commandthe better of theI two, didn’t for breed anywhere near as ingwas system.

Thisdog is what call he “money nothing”.

A good commanding superior results you don’t well as Sam.system In fact,gets Bruno turned out toeven be aiffailure as a do sire. any extra training. This is because the pup is clear on exactly what we want, we avoid and hesitation.

Most Another caseandwas litter confusion sisters Campaspe Maggie and so-called “commanding systems” have simply evolved without Campaspe Ebby (Doige x Campaspe Kelly). Ebby was the much real thought, rather than being planned. better bitch, but Maggie proved the carefully much better broodHave bitch. enough commands to cover all situations, and DON’T use So, if we are selecting dogs for work, then the pedigree is a commands that conflict with other commands, such as “GET starting point, but seeing the individual work is far superior. out” and “GET here”. is why Ihave always rear every single to dog working age, they #5That – DON’T a conversation withpup your in place of all have thecommands. same pedigree, but the can same vary considerably in their clear, simple DO use clear command to ability. like whenevery we are talking about EBVs (Estimated mean the It’s same thing, time.

Breeding Value) in livestock, every offspring of a particular #6mating – DON’T usehave arm an signals and the training stick would identical EBV. However, weinconsistknow they ently.

Pick a system (either pointing in the direction you want aren’t all going to turn out equally well, and we also know that thethey puparen’t to go all – definitely my preference – or chasing/ blocking going to breed the same. This fact is why EBVs thechange pup) and stick information to it. If you want to train in the–quickest, as more becomes available firstly the most effective manner then DON’T use the arms or stick to of maturing animal’s performance, and later the performance sometimes block the pup and then at other times to point in its progeny once it starts breeding. the direction you want it to go. You will just confuse the pup, training will slow down, and the results will be inferior. #7 – DON’T allow bad habits to form. This is a big one.

When it comes to training, it is always much easier to prevent bad habits than try to cure them later. This will help training to go as quickly and as effectively as possible.

This point can manifest in all sorts of ways. Just a few are: • DO train in a controlled situation (such as a smaller area, or with quiet stock) until you are confident everything will go well in a larger area, or with less-handled stock.

• DON’T give a command that might not be obeyed, or that you cannot enforce. Otherwise, you are simply creating the habit of disobedience.

• DON’T cast a dog further than it is ready for, unless you are in a position to prevent mistakes.

• DON’T work a dog in practical work before it is well-trained and ready for it.

• DON’T work a dog in trials before it is ready. If you take them out before they are ready, dogs will quickly learn they can ignore you at trials, and get into bad habits.

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

So, if we are selecting dogs for breeding, then the prime consideration should be how they breed. That was why I kept both Maggie and Ebby; so that I could progeny test them before deciding which to retain long term, and this is something I often do. The progeny test is the most important test of any breeding animal.

One final thing to consider is that a dog might breed well, but that doesn’t mean it produces stock exactly like itself.

So it’s important, when making breeding decisions, not to necessarily think of a sire or dam in light of the way they work, but more importantly the way they breed. The main point I am trying to make is that when considering a dog for breeding, we should always look through the lens of its progeny, rather than through the lens of the dog itself.

The pedigree is a guide to the dog; the dog and its pedigree are a guide to the way it might breed, but the most important factor when breeding is the progeny.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

51

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

53

THE WHY? WHEN? AND WHAT? THE WHY? WHEN? OF AND WHAT? OF CANINE FROZEN SEMEN CANINE FROZEN SEMEN

By Dr Jasmin Hyatt - Veterinary Reproduction Consultancy Pty Ltd Freezing dog semen is common practice with several benefits.

This article discusses those benefits, the best times to collect (and distribute) frozen semen, and the process followed to make the best use of the genetic material.

The WHY(s): There are significant advantages of frozen semen, particularly in a working dog scenario. These include: * Insurance from a young age against unexpected death or infertility * Preservation and storage of the gene pool indefinitely * Transport of genetic material both nationally and internationally to and from farms * Availability of the stud dog for multiple breedings on the same day globally.

The WHEN(s): WHEN to freeze the MALE semen The ideal age for collecting semen from stud dogs for freezing is between 18 months and three years of age. At this age, the stud is most likely to provide the best quality and quantity of semen, ensuring the collection consultation is as productive and cost-efficient as possible.

From six years of age onwards, the incidence of prostate disease increases, which adversely affects semen quality. We also know that semen frozen from dogs older than six years of age has inherently lower fertility when compared with semen frozen from younger dogs.

WHEN to inseminate the FEMALE: It is ideal to use frozen semen in proven (i.e.... already had a successful pregnancy) bitches under five years of age. Of course, we perform many inseminations where this is not the case, however, bitches in this category provide the highest chance of conception when using valuable frozen semen doses.

These guidelines are important because we are working with a live product which has a limited lifespan. Frozen semen undergoes a rigorous process to enable indefinite storage in liquid nitrogen. At Veterinary Reproduction Consultancy (VRC) our freezing technique involves a seven-hour process

54

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

from collection to storage.

On thawing, we expect good quality frozen semen will survive 12-24 hours in the bitch. This is in comparison to fresh semen which we anticipate lasts three days (and can even last up to 10!).

Additionally, the international minimum for an intrauterine frozen semen dose is 100 million motile live sperm. In comparison, a fresh or chilled ejaculate from a medium breed dog will contain, on average, eight times this amount.

So, it is understandable that when performing inseminations with frozen semen, we have to be selective and fastidious; it doesn’t survive long, the sperm have been stressed, and the numbers are significantly reduced.

The WHAT(s)?

Collection: The process of semen freezing starts with separating the canine ejaculate into its three fractions – the clear pre-sperm, white sperm-rich fraction (the most important part), and the final prostatic fraction.

Freezing: There are many different methods of processing practiced worldwide to get this initial fraction ready for ‘freezing’. First, we determine the total number of sperm in the ejaculate, enabling us to add the correct amount of ‘extender’ to create the desired concentration of sperm cells per straw.

The extender we use contains antibiotics, energy in the form of sugars, and a protective agent against cold.

This sample is then slow-cooled to 40C over several hours before adding a second extender with an increased concentration of the protective agent. If the sperm are exposed to either reduced temperatures or the protective agent too quickly, it is very detrimental. This slow method ensures they have time to adapt and get through the rigorous process as happily as possible.

There is NO difference between sperm frozen in straws or those frozen in vials – what determines fertility is the skill of the facility personnel that freeze it and the extender freezing technique that is performed. At VRC we load our semen

into 0.5ml straws prior to rapid freezing to –1960C in liquid nitrogen vapour.

Thawing: Once frozen, one ‘test straw’ is immediately thawed to assess how well the semen survived the freeze-thawing process. The motility and forward progressive motion of the frozen and thawed semen is determined using a powerful microscope. This is done immediately after thawing, and at 10 minutes after incubation at 370C. If a good quality post-thaw sample is achieved, the intrauterine insemination dose is two straws (a total of 200 million sperm).

Storage: Once the semen is frozen, it is stored at –1960C in a large tank containing liquid nitrogen. Once frozen the semen can be stored indefinitely in liquid nitrogen.

Freezing semen provides many advantages for dog owners.

It is a routine practice for most veterinary clinics, although the process does require expertise. By the time it is implanted in a bitch, frozen semen has undergone several interesting operations. Although these processes are invaluable to breeding, they do reduce the longevity of the thawed sperm.

Storage tank

Service dog breeding organisations freeze semen from all stud dogs by the age of two years regardless of expected potential. This ensures a high quality sample is frozen and their future genetic potential is insured, well before we have decided on the working ability of the individual stud. This is an approach that farmers with valuable lines would do well to consider.

www.vetrepro.com.au info@vetrepro.com.au facebook.com/vetreproduction

Preserve your Working Dog lines ...with the only NSW canine reproduction specialist

√ Semen freezing and storage √ Artificial insemination (TCI) with fresh & frozen semen √ Semen collection and assessment √ Referral reproduction consultations Dr Jasmin Hyatt | BVSc (hons) Diplomate ACT MANZCVS

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

55

$19ea Discounts for buying more!

STOCKMANS

KELPIES COLLARS and

Bill and Marg Scott North East Victoria 0428662728 stockmans5@bigpond.com www.stockmans.com.au Stockmans Kelpies - Stockmans Collars

Canine Artificial Insemination and the Transcervical Insemination Technique

By Dr Jasmin Hyatt BVSc (Hons) DipACT MANZCVS (reproduction) Registered Specialist in Veterinary Reproduction from Veterinary Reproduction Consultancy Pty Ltd. Orange, NSW

A

rtificial Insemination (AI) refers to a simulation of the natural act of mating. It involves the collection of semen from a male dog and deposition into a bitch during the most fertile time of her estrous cycle. There are many advantages to using AI, although many more factors come into play than with natural mating. Different methods of handling semen and inseminating a bitch are outlined in this article.

Advantages of AI over natural mating: - Diversification of breeding lines - Assessment of semen prior to insemination in the female - Increased conception rates and litter size - Shipment of semen (fresh or frozen) allows the stud to be located a significant distance away - Ideal placement of semen in the bitch’s reproductive tract Despite the advantages, especially when dealing with frozen semen, many factors contribute to the resulting pregnancy rates following insemination.

58

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Type of semen: Fresh, chilled, and frozen

Fresh semen describes an ejaculate collected from the stud at the time of insemination.

It has the longest viability and can survive for up to seven to ten days in the bitch’s reproductive tract! Collection allows us to assess the quality and quantity of semen prior to insemination, as well as add ‘extenders’ – ingredients full of energy and antibiotics – to give the sperm the best chance of survival. Chilled, shipped semen is semen collected and sent to the location where insemination of the bitch will take place. This technique involves the dilution of ejaculated semen in special extenders that protect the sperm as it is being cooled to the shipping temperature of 4˚C. Semen treated this way can remain viable for up to four days. This provides a cost-effective and efficient alternative for studs that are located at a distance from the bitch. Frozen semen is stored in liquid nitrogen at -196˚C. The freeze-thawing process is very rigorous and will cause some degree of sperm damage, reducing the lifespan of the sperm to only 1224 hours in the bitch. However, there are many advantages of frozen semen (see related article), particularly the propagation of genetic working lines long after the death or ageing of the stud dog.

Timing of insemination

Incorrect timing of semen deposition is the most common cause of unsuccessful inseminations. Even for natural matings, relying on behaviour to determine optimal mating time can be severely misleading, with many bitches not ‘standing’ on their most fertile day. Monitoring your bitch’s heat via the following methods enables us to determine the optimal time to inseminate: Progesterone testing: The most accurate method for assessing fertility is progesterone testing. Blood samples are evaluated for the level of the hormone progesterone. Blood tests taken by your regular veterinarian should begin five to seven days after the onset of heat. Several samples are often required (three on average), with the date for the next blood test determined after each test. It is important to note that not all progesterone machines give accurate results, with many in-house machines using less specific testing techniques compared to those at laboratories. Accuracy is especially important when dealing with poor quality or frozen semen.

Vaginal cytology: A vaginal smear will aid in determining the stage of the estrous cycle your bitch is in and ensure no infectious or inflammatory processes are present. Ideally, vaginal smears are taken at the time of each blood test. The cells seen under the microscope change during the oestrus cycle in response to hormone variations and can be tracked to determine approximate breeding times.

Vaginoscopy: This describes a visual assessment of the vagina using a specialised endoscope. Performed at the time of insemination when using the transcervical insemination (TCI) technique, this allows us to assess the appearance of the vaginal lining, which in turn correlates with stages of the oestrus cycle. Additionally, it enables us to examine maiden bitches for anatomical abnormalities in this region before breeding.

Site of semen deposition

When using compromised semen, deposition directly into the uterus is required to maximise the chance of pregnancy.

This process places the semen as close as possible to where the eggs are waiting to be fertilised.

At Veterinary Reproduction Consultancy (VRC), we utilise the transcervical insemination (TCI) technique for intrauterine semen deposition. TCI involves depositing semen using a specially-designed scope that allows visualisation of the bitch’s cervical opening. A soft catheter is passed through the cervix and into the uterus where the semen is then deposited - see image below

This diagram helps to visualise the different locations for semen deposition. Remember, the eggs awaiting fertilisation will be located between the ovaries and uterus at the oviducts. www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

59

Advantages of TCI: Anaesthetic risk-free: TCI is performed on the conscious, standing bitch Non-invasive and surgery-free: Standing procedure not requiring abdominal surgery Speed: TCI is an outpatient procedure which, in most cases, is completed in five minutes Low stress: The speed of TCI allows you to be present for the procedure ensuring the insemination is as stress-free as possible.

Semen options: TCI allows us to successfully inseminate with all types of semen including frozen Consecutive inseminations: Unlike surgical insemination, the nature of the technique allows us to perform inseminations on consecutive days. This is particularly advantageous when using poor-quality semen that is not expected to last more than 24 hours in the bitch.

The alternative technique for intra-uterine semen deposition is surgical insemination. This is a much more technically demanding technique that requires the bitch to undergo full general anaesthetic and open abdominal surgery. Whilst pregnancy rates via this method are almost equal to that of TCI, at VRC we do not perform inseminations via the surgical approach given the availability of TCI as a non-invasive and ethical alternative.

Vaginal Insemination using a Mavic Catheter When using fresh or chilled semen with adequate sperm count and quality, deposition of semen into the very end of the canine vagina can result in pregnancy and litter sizes equivalent to natural matings.

Whilst there are many methods for vaginal insemination, the best injection method is to use a special catheter called a Mavic catheter. This catheter has distinct advantages including: -Deposition of semen at the very end of the vagina (closest to the uterus) -The balloon has two purposes 1. Prevent backflow of viable sperm 2. Mimics the swelling of the dogs’ penile glands to stimulate contractions and push the semen towards the waiting eggs.

Vaginal insemination is non-invasive and requires less skill than TCI, making it a more cost-effective method for insemination when using good quality semen.

Dog owners wishing to preserve a dog’s semen, access national or international bloodlines, assess a bitch’s cycle, and check semen health may wish to use artificial insemination. The quick TCI method is much less invasive than surgery, and is designed to give great pregnancy rates.

Passage of catheter through the cervix

60

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Semen deposition through catheter

Australia’s favourite working dog magazine!

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE!

Subscribe to get your copy posted to your door, free of charge $25 for three issues

SU BSC R I BE NOW AT W W W.STOC KDOGS .COM.AU Graphic Design Kerri Hill

SIRE DIRECTORY Dryandra Cooch

Mob: 0488484570 Email: james@animed.com.au FB: Dryandra Stock Dogs

Karmala Landy

Breed: Border Collie Age: 5yo Rego: w1889-15 (WAWSDA) Service fee: $800/pick of the litter Location: Kondinin, Western Australia Description: Out of Ryan’s Gemma by Torbay Tom. Dryandra Cooch is a hard, fast sledgehammer of dog.

Big natural cast, backs like a train and good on cattle.

Goes all day!

Breed: Working Kelpie Age: 7/12/11 Rego: WKC reg. 56861 Service fee: $1000 Location: Texas, Qld Description: (Tracker Gibbs x Karmala Lily) Landy is a special dog; wonderful temperament and a great all-rounder. is at present working goats, has done yard work with sheep, backs well, and works cattle. Breeding on well.

Jan Lowing -Mob: 0407469613 email: jan@karmala.com.au Website: www.karmala.com.au FB: Karmala Kelpies

Lokabe Asher

Breed: Kelpie Age: 3yo Rego: WKC – A4M-32206-17 Service fee: $800 Location: Muttama NSW Description: Asher is an extremely competent all-rounder, with excellent cover and strength (including cattle). Asher is an easy dog to train and handle as he is very biddable

Catherine & Fred Rains Phone Number: 0419 230 881 / 0458 598 365 Email: lokabedogs@outlook.com Website: www.lokabedogs.com FB: @LokabeWorkingDogs

62

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Karmala Brock

Breed: Working Kelpie Age: DOB: 21/10/13 Rego: WKC reg. 60079 Service fee: $1000 Location: Nobby, Qld Description: (Karmala Akubra x Karmala Brandy) Brock is a great paddock dog with excellent temperament and conformation. A calm worker, proven in very tough country, patient with weak stock. Breeding true to type

Jan Lowing -Mob: 0407469613 email: jan@karmala.com.au Website: www.karmala.com.au FB: Karmala Kelpies

Karmala Wills

Breed: Working Kelpie Age: DOB 12/8/2015 Rego: A3M29204 WKC Service fee: $1000 Location: Nobby, QLD Description: Wills is a very

good mustering dog with a great cast. If working in a team, he stays out covering and comes inwhen needed, but is capable of moving stock on his own.

Has mainly owrked on cattle.

Has been used over a number of bitches and is breeding on very well, true to type

Jan Lowing -Mob: 0407469613 email: jan@karmala.com.au Website: www.karmala.com.au FB: Karmala Kelpies

Lokabe Dusty II

Breed: Kelpie Age: 3yo Rego: WKC – A4M-32216-17 Service fee: $800 Location: Muttama NSW Description: Dusty is a naturally wider, paddocky-type dog who is also a valuable yard dog and is a fast and free backer.

Catherine & Fred Rains Phone Number: 0419 230 881 / 0458 598 365 Email: lokabedogs@outlook.com Website: www.lokabedogs.com FB: @LokabeWorkingDogs

SIRE DIRECTORY Lokabe Minky

Breed: Kelpie Age: 6yo Rego: WKC – A4M-27600-14 Service fee: $800 Location: Muttama NSW Description: Capable everywhere on both sheep and cattle, Minky excels in the yards and has incredible stamina to work all day, even in rough, hilly country.

Catherine & Fred Rains Phone Number: 0419 230 881 / 0458 598 365 Email: lokabedogs@outlook.com Website: www.lokabedogs.com FB: @LokabeWorkingDogs

Trueblue(V) Josh

Breed: Kelpie Age: 9 Rego: WKC – A4M-27586-11 Service fee: $800 Location: Muttama NSW Description: Josh is capable at all aspects of stockwork, and his calm strength enables him to confidently work all stock including rams and cattle. Will bite a nose when necessary.

Catherine & Fred Rains Phone Number: 0419 230 881 / 0458 598 365 Email: lokabedogs@outlook.com Website: www.lokabedogs.com FB: @LokabeWorkingDogs

Munns Bill

Breed: Border Collie Age: 3.5 Rego: Service fee: $800 Location: Woodstock (Cowra) NSW Description: Bill is by Groesfaen Taff out of Munns Meg. He will work cattle, sheep and goats with plenty of grunt when necessary whilst also showing eye and style. Comes with references.he is very biddable

Nick Hovey Phone Number: 0488 190 726 Email: hovey_91@hotmail.com FB: Hovey’s Working Dogs and Collars

Lokabe Ace

Breed: Kelpie Age: 6 Rego: WKC – A4M-27603-14 Service fee: $800+ GST Location: Coolac NSW Description:(Kippakoop Poley x Barrkel Twisty II) Hard biting dog on cattle.

Great top knot on sheep.

Strong and powerful yard dog. Good bark and backing ability. Frozen seamen available.

Adam James Phone Number: 0417830669 Email: adam-james7@hotmail.com FB@Jindikelpies

Rhettlenash Jock

Breed: Kelpie Age: 5 Rego: ALM-27165-14 Service fee: $800 Location: Yass,NSW Description: Very handy all-

round dog, not just a work dog.

Ben Coster - 0407844230 FB: Wandabar Stockdogs

Myamba Moss

Jock has also won open yard, cattle and allround stock dog trials. His progeny are all showing strengh, great temperment and natural working ability

Breed: Kelpie Age: 5 Rego: WKC – A3M-29070-14 Service fee: $800 +GST Location: Coolac NSW Description: (Tundabardi Buster x Joness Gemma II) Quick moving with eye.

Great cover, top knot and endurance. No bark and fast backing. National field trial winner and state utility winner. Frozen seamen available

Contact Name: Adam James Phone Number: 0417830669 Email: adam-james7@hotmail.com Facebook Page: @Jindikelpies

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

63

Australian Yard Dog Championships 2019

Story by Lauren Vest

W

ith excellent permanent facilities and a hard-working team, West Wyalong always puts on a fantastic trial. It’s easy to see why the Australian Championships have now been held there twice.

Held from the first to the third of November, the 2019 championships were well supported with over 450 first round runs throughout the trial. Competitors came from Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, along with the usual crowd from New South Wales and Victoria.

The weather proved particularly challenging; with the ongoing drought in the region, dust was a severe problem. The first day put on sweltering heat which meant dogs and handlers had to work smarter and not harder to get their sheep around without anybody overheating. Saturday came over stormy and with the wind, dust, and rain picking up everyone headed for shelter.

Trialling finished up early for the day. Some great teamwork was shown hanging on to the gazebos so they didn’t take off in the wind! The storm dropped a fantastic shower of rain on Saturday afternoon, which was a blessing for the area and settled the dust for the pointy end of the trial on the Sunday.

The trial catered to every level of dogs and handlers. The encourage class for dogs and handlers who were new to the sport was judged by Anthony Attard and won by Barrick Parker working Jess. The junior class is always popular, and it’s great to see the development of the yard trialling stars of the future.

It was capably judged by Jenny Sant and won by Patrick Potter working Lolly.

The maiden event was judged by Bill Luff and the novice by

64

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Jenny Rosten. Some great young dogs were on display and the maiden was claimed by Michael Johnston working Sam, with the novice taken out by Chris Stapleton with Kate. An addition to the program was the restricted novice class for dogs who have won a novice but not yet broken into improver. This was judged by Geoff McDougall and claimed by Fred Rains working Lokabe Asher. The improver was judged by Michael Johnston and the top spot went to Ben Coster with his bitch Rosie.

The open was scheduled to be judged by Joe Spicer and Matthew Johnston. Unfortunately, Matthew was called away.

Thankfully Michael Johnston was available to step up to judge the rest of the trial along with Joe. The judges were definitely up to par; both Joe and Michael have previous Australian Championship wins under their belts. The standard of competition was very high, and the open trial was won by Greg Walton with his very successful dog Max. The main event, the Australian Yard Dog Championship, was hard-fought between the top 25 and then the top 10. The multiple rounds combined with the testing weather favoured practical dogs who were fit and had efficient and effective work.

The Australian Yard Dog Champion for 2019 was Chris Stapleton with his young dog Capree Red who showed consistent work over the rounds, claiming the win with a score of 84 in the top 25 round and 85 in the top 10 final. Fred Rains with Trueblue Josh top scored the 10-dog final with an 87.5. Nan Lloyd with Kumbark Ace top scored the top 25 with an 86.5.

Sights now turn to the 2020 Championship to be held in South Australia. By the time this goes to print it will have been run and won, and you can read the wrap up in this issue.

Australian Yard Dog Championships 2020

Story by Lauren Vest

T

he Corona Virus has led to the cancellation and postponing of all dog trials for the foreseeable future. The Australian Yard Dog Championships held at Lucindale in March were one of the last trials to slide in before the nationwide shutdowns came into effect. The yard trial is usually held in conjunction with the South East Field Days, but the rapidly escalating containment efforts meant the field days were cancelled. The lower numbers and much more isolated nature of yard trialling meant the championships were still able to go ahead.

Competitors travelled from as far as Western Australia and Tasmania to have a chance at claiming the Championship. The major sponsor for the trail was Coprice, who are big supporters of yard trialling in several states. A special mention also goes to the Lucindale Lions who were indispensable in running the trial. Judges for the weekend were: Ged Bibby in the Encourage, Dale Thompson in the Maiden, the Novice and Novice Classic were judged by Josh Latty and Peter Darmody, the Improver was judged by Darryn Hannah, and the Open and Championship were judged by Ken Atherton and Matthew Sherwood.

The Petmans Naracoorte Hotel Motel Encourage was won by Greg Fisher and his dog Roy. Notably, all finalists in the Encourage were from South Australia. New South Wales trialler and defending victor from last year’s Championship, Chris Stapleton, won the Bayer Maiden class with Capree Donald.

The Bendigo Bank Penola Novice went to Geoff McDougall and Ace from New South Wales, with Geoff also claiming the Elders Novice Championship Challenge with another dog, Goldie. The only woman to take a top spot for the weekend was Peri Chappell with her dog Gem from New South Wales,

taking out the RJC Evans & Co Pty Ltd Improver trial. Robert Cox and Captain from New South Wales won the Lucindale Engineering Open final.

The Championship was hard-fought over the first round, with the top 25 going into the second round, followed by the top 11 into the final. Special mention goes to the youngest competitor in the final, Bree Cudmore with Marista Zoe, who finished in equal ninth (read more about Bree in our Rising Stars article). Fourth place went to Chris Stapleton and Capree Red from New South Wales, who were the 2019 Australian Yard Champions. Third place was Travis Ware from South Australia with his bitch Woodja Lace, the Australian Yard Champions from 2018. Second place went to Adam James from New South Wales with Myamba Moss, the 2018 National Kelpie Trial Champion. It takes a special dog to best a field consisting of so many truly top calibre combinations, and the one to do it this time was Sunraysia George, with his handler Justin Tombs from New South Wales.

George had previously won two New South Wales State Yard Championships, as well as the Ultimate Stock Dog Challenge in 2016. Making the victory even sweeter is the fact that at eight years old, this was George’s last trial. He suffers from arthritis and has been slowing down, but he can now head into retirement with nothing left to prove. George has a number of his progeny also making their mark, including Culgoa Dash, who has won a New South Wales State Yard Championship, and Capree Donald who won the Maiden class at this trial.

George is our cover dog this issue, you can read more about his story in the Dog’s Life article.

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

65

BET T

NUTRIE

STRO

ON TI

N

R IMM GE U

FUNCT NE

R

RY

FAST E

IMPR

N IO D ENE R VE O

& GY

EAT. SLEEP. RUN. REPEAT.

ER

BSOR P TA N

The new Cobber Working Dog with Diamond V Technology helps your team to recover quicker and deliver a shining performance time and time again.

D INFLA CE

TION MA M

RED U

DIAMOND IN THE RUFF

RECOVE

WE’RE ON YOUR TEAM

D22136

For more information on our products, or to find your local stockist, call 1300 666 657 or email enquiries@ridley.com.au

www.cobberdogs.com.au

AWSDM

50th 50th NATIONAL NATIONAL KELPIE KELPIE FIELD FIELD TRIAL TRIAL

CARCOAR T

he National Kelpie Field Trial has been running since 1969, with the first trial held at Manildra Golf Course in NSW. It was won by J E ‘Jack’ Mills from Orange NSW, working Waringa Mulga. The trial has been held in a different state each year; this year it was NSW who drew the straw. WKC Registered Kelpies work a course consisting of yard work and field work. The judge is looking for a dog capable of all round station work, with the finesse to handle three sheep in the paddock and the grunt to push larger numbers through the yards.

Carcoar was the chosen venue for 2019 and the small town put on a great weekend on the 7th to 10th of November. Cooler weather was a nice change from the heat elsewhere, and the historic buildings and great views around town provided an interesting backdrop to the trial taking place at the showground. The canteen was run efficiently by the local P&C, and a coffee van was a welcome addition, especially on the chilly mornings!

The organising, course design, set up, and the myriad of other elements of a successful trial were well managed by Chris Stapleton and family, along with a great team of volunteers. The judge for the Novice event was Terry Laurie, and the Open was judged by previous multiple Kelpie Trial Champion Steve Weyman. Major sponsors for the trial were Regis Resources, the Novice sponsored by Elders, and other sponsors included Goldfield Honey, Blayney Vets, and Town and Country Rural Supplies.

68

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Story Lauren Vest

Large numbers of entries meant the Novice event started on the Thursday, with 60 dog and handler teams entered. It proved a tough course and four dogs went through to the final: Steve Weyman with Capree Mindy, Gary White with White’s Lucky Lucky, Daniel Pumpa with Collite Turbo, and David Motley with Motleys Rex. Mindy and Lucky finished the final on equal scores, so headed out again for a run off with Mindy pulling off the win. Lucky filled second, with Rex third and Turbo fourth.

The course for the Open was a little different to previous years, with the inclusion of a drive section at the yard’s exit. The handler aims to stay standing at the yards while the dog drives the sheep in front and through the gap. This proved tricky for a lot of teams. The course also included both a left hand and a right hand carry, along with the usual obstacles of a gap, race and pen in the paddock. The yards were small and tight, with a drenching race and two draft sections. The cast was around 110 metres.

One hundred and six entries in the Open made for an exciting field of contenders for the Australian title. Once again, the course proved challenging, with plenty of crosses and low scores posted. The point cut off for the final was 81 with the top score sitting at 91. Eight combinations lined up to run again.

The final saw some upsets compared to the scores from the first round runs, and the result was extremely close with the victor only revealed at presentation. In the end, Gary White

and his bitch Whites Chrissie claimed the title, only one point ahead of Adam James and Myamba Moss, with Moss being the defending champion from the 2018 trial. The remainder of the places were filled in order by Gary with Whites Benny then Whites Jimmy, Greg Walton with Karana Jed, Daniel Pumpa with Whites Cosmo, Chris Egan with Anntre Ray, and Les Everleigh with Nix Bundy.

It was an emotional win for Gary White, as his father John White was able to watch the trial and his victory , which marks Gary’s fifth National Kelpie Trial win. John began Whites Kelpie Stud in his youth, which is carried on today by Gary.

Growing up learning about all things Kelpie from his father was as good a start as you could get in the dog game. The pride John has in his son’s achievements was evident as he watched him accept the trophy.

There are several special awards presented at the Kelpie Trial aside from the winners in each class.

2019 SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS Bradley Sisters Memorial Trophy – Best type of Kelpie that competed in the Open: Ken Atherton and Ramulan Punch Bullenbong Trophy – Highest scoring novice dog worked by a novice handler excluding the final: Chris Egan and Anntre Ray CJ Butler Memorial – Highest individual scoring Kelpie: Gary White and Whites Benny Capree Stud Perpetual Trophy – Fastest time completing the course: Les Everleigh and Nix Bundy Coleman Noakes Memorial Trophy – Highest scoring novice dog: Chris Stapleton and Capree Kate Frank Scanlon Perpetual Trophy – Best cast, lift and draw: Gary White and Whites Jimmy Lorna Brown Trophy – Highest scoring dog with a lady handler: Nan Lloyd and Barkervale Oswin Scoriochre Trophy – Most effective yard work: Les Everleigh and Nix Bundy Tarrent Rockybar Trophy – Best outside work: Gary White and Whites Benny W Prendergast Memorial Shield – Awarded to the breeder of the winning dog: Gary White – Whites Kelpies

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

69

JERILDERE WORKING DOG AUCTION 2020 Jerilderie Auction continues to showcase the country’s best working dogs

Story Sarah Henney, Photos Peri Chappell

T

he 14th Annual Jerilderie sale held on the 29th February 2020 has again outperformed expectations, with a display of the best quality working dogs in the Australian agricultural sector. Local areas in New South Wales were still feeling the impact of the ongoing drought, but good livestock prices and access to online bidding via Auctions Plus were the driving forces behind an outstanding result.

The sale attracted buyers from five states across Australia, with exceptionally strong support from buyers in the Western District of Victoria, where the drought had been less severe.

Ten dogs were sold to interstate buyers via online bidding through Auctions Plus, with returned interest from sheep and cattle sector purchasers who have come back strongly into the Auction, outcompeting the previous year’s interest from buyers in the goat sector.

In total, 59 dogs were offered, with 54 selling for a record sale average of $7,080, which was over $1000 more than previous years. An average of $8,737 was achieved for 27 fully-trained dogs, reflecting the calibre of the vendors and dogs at the sale.

Top-priced dog, Nomak Ace, a 28-month-old black and tan Kelpie, sold for a record price of $21,000. Ace was offered to the sale by James Fowler, a Violet Town (Victoria) woolgrower who has a strong record of selling dogs in the high price bracket. Fowler had previously sold Nomak Delta for $13,475 (2019). Fowler says the result was unexpected and “absolutely blew me away”. Fowler believes being honest, fair and always presenting a good dog to buyers is the secret to success at working-dog auctions.

James Fowler and Stuart Iddles are the owners of the Nomak

70

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Kelpies stud and bred Ace out of Nomak Onyx by Jumbuck Boomer. The two under bidders in Ace’s auction were previous buyers of Fowler’s dogs. He believes his reputation held him in good stead for the Jerilderie Auction. “That was the big difference for me; they obviously trust me and have had my trained dogs before and were prepared to push the buyer of the $21,000 dog”.

The buyers of Ace were Andrew and Denita Doonan of Anden White Suffolk Stud, Willangie (Victoria). The Anden Stud comprises of Anden White Suffolk’s, Anden Ultra Whites and Kerangie Suffolk’s, in addition to running commercial sheep at Woomerlang, west of Swan Hill.

Doonan said Ace was a good all rounder, very friendly and disciplined, and quiet in the paddock. “Sheep are worth a lot of money these days, so he (Ace) was worth it”. Doonan said $21,000 was not a lot of money when you work out the number of hours he will work, without complaint or sick leave. “He will work solidly all day and still be my best mate,” he said.

The Jerilderie Auction had two lots reach prices of $19,000: two-year-old Stanford Ninja offered by Peter Rutherford sold

to Vaquero Pastoral Company (Victoria), and Betty, a 21 month old bitch sold by Darren Jenke (South Australia) sold to a couple from Smithton (Tasmania).

The Jerilderie Working Dog Committee thanked their sponsors and volunteers for the continued support of the successful event. The proceeds from the sale go to the Jerilderie Apex Club, to be distributed back to the local community. Overall, both buyers and vendors have commented that the Auction is very professionally run, and they will all be back next year, look out!

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

71

Grant Cooke-Grassvelley Sky, Paul O’Kane-O’Kane’s Charles Dickens, Ian Beard (Judge) Bernard McGlashan - Somerville Nell, Michael Grant - Fleetwood Dot

Andy Clark-Girl, Pat Coogan, Guy Peacock - cheif, Neville Child - Harry, Stuart Child - Brodie , Graeme White

72

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Story Lauren Vest, Photos Alison Burrell

WAYLEGGO CUP 2019

A

ustralia has always had a friendly rivalry with our neighbours in New Zealand, played out in several different sports, and even the claiming of national icons like the lamington and the pavlova. It’s only natural that this competitiveness would also extend to other national past times in both countries, including working sheepdogs. Each year Australia and New Zealand each select a test team of four handlers and dogs to contest the Wayleggo Cup, alternating the host country every year. Wayleggo is a shortened version of ‘come away and let go’ which is a command used by shepherds in New Zealand to call their dogs off stock.

The Wayleggo Cup was first presented in 1994, to the winners of the Trans-Tasman Test, a competition which had been running for a number of years. It was the inspiration of the president of the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Association at the time, Tony Shield. Australia has wonbythe Wayleggo Story & Photos Lauren Vest Cup 13 times throughout its history, with only a few of those wins happening on New Zealand soil. The last time Australia won the Cup was in 2013.

The Cup is contested over two tests, and the country with the highest aggregate is victorious. The Australian team is chosen at a selection trial. The two top performing dogs from each state compete over three rounds, with the top four aggregate scores becoming the test team for the next Wayleggo Cup. The selection trial and the test series are held on a Trans Tasman course, which is a combination of Australian three sheep trial rules and New Zealand rules.

The course starts much like a three sheep trial, with the cast, lift and draw, before moving to a gap. However, after negotiating the gap, competitors switch to New Zealand rules. From here the handler works with the dog to drive sheep ahead to the maltese cross, a challenging obstacle where the sheep must thread in and out one arm of the cross, then in and out the other arm. The drive section continues to the bridge, and once crossed, the rules switch back to Australian for the last section finishing at the pen. This course was developed especially for competition between the two nations. The time for the course is 15 minutes, and it is judged by two judges, one from each country, whose scores are averaged.

Dogpro has sponsored the Australian test team since 2018 and has been a great support to the test team as well as three sheep trialling in general. In 2019 John and Joyce Camilleri, the

owners of Dogpro, travelled to New Zealand with the team to offer their support and cheer from the sidelines. The 2019 test team consisted of Paul O’Kane with O’Kanes Charles Dickens (Victoria), Grant Cooke with Grassvalley Skye (Western Australia), Michael Grant and Fleetwood Dot (Tasmania) and Bernard McGlashan with Somerville Nell (Tasmania).

The team competed in a show trial before the tests, which was a great chance to give their dogs a run and get used to the sheep. The sheep used were Romneys; a short-legged and heavy breed, which were very nice to work, while remaining challenging enough to test the dogs. The New Zealand team consisted of Andy Clark with Girl, Neville Child with Harry, Stuart Child with Brodie, and Guy Peacock with Chief.

The first test was kicked off by Andy Clark and Grant Cooke, both scoring within a point of each other with an 86 and 86.25.

The second handler for Australia ran into some trouble with their sheep which resulted in a zero score. Despite handy runs from the rest of the team, New Zealand claimed the first test.

The second test on the following day kicked off with Paul O’Kane and Andy Clark, with the scores up in the 90s. Grant Cooke with Sky top-scored the test with a 96, which combined with consistent performances from the rest of the team led to victory in the second test by 30 points. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to wrest the lead back from New Zealand who claimed the 2019 Wayleggo Cup. The next Cup has been postponed due to COVID-19. It is now scheduled to take place in Tasmania in October 2021, where the test team will be chomping at the bit to wrest the Cup from the New Zealanders and bring it back to Aussie soil!

www.stockdogs.com.au AWSDM

73

74

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Kookami Springs Working Dogs The merging of Staben Working Dogs and Nygard Working Dogs

“Breeding quality paddock dogs with genuine strength and correct herding ability.�

Summer Special. 2 for 1 deal on service fees for our junior sires. (straws available) $1,100 inc GST for 2 breedings. Vet work extra, conditions apply.

Dogs usually for sale from lightly started pups (from 12 weeks of age) through to fully trained experienced dogs. We will always give an honest appraisal of a dogs abilities and faults.

CONTACT

Ben Clark and Jessica Gall 0429 468 992 West Coraki, NSW or follow us on

Check out our FREE online classifieds!s!

Check out stockdogsforsale.com.au! Find your next pup, started or trained dog on our site, with easy search options.

If you’re selling, it’s free to advertise, with featured ads available at great prices. Include photos and videos free of charge.

www.stockdogsforsale.com.au Stock Dog_Half page_Stockdog add_2020.indd 1

76

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

20/4/20 2:59 pm

Graham 0427 358116 Martin 0427 358188 James 0428 358240 Ross 0429 358247

BREEDER’S DIRECTORY

ADVERTORIAL

Advertise here just $44.00

0402 153 745 North East NSW

Scrub Road, Tenterfield NSW 2372

www.Eventine.com.au

Ph. (02) 6736 2086

Mob. 0422 544 933

WOODLAND VIEW Kelpies

Boort, VIC

www.woodlandviewkelpies.com.au email: pinkie@activ8.net.au

Quality Working Dogs

Ph. (03) 5455 2051

78

AWSDM www.stockdogs.com.au

Advertise here just $44.00

WilWurk Kelpies and Collars

Damien & Sam Meppem

Ph: 0439 190 923

wilwurkkelpies@gmail.com

Breeding versatile working kelpies for all your stock needs!

Standing at stud (L-R above) Tundabardi Buster | Myamba Moss | Lokabe Ace

Breeding versatile working Kelpies selected for natural ability.

Our dogs are proven in genuine station work on both sheep and cattle, and the highest levels of trialling. Pups and started dogs available regularly.

Enquiries and inspections always welcome Adam James - 0417 830 669 Look us up on Facebook @ Jindi Kelpie Stud

MICK HUDSON MGH WORKING DOGS Mick is a third-generation stockman & working dog trainer.

He musters cattle, sheep & feral goats on his properties with his working dogs & also competes with these same dogs in 3 sheep dog trials to showcase his stockman skills & ability of his well educated dogs.

Mick has been very successful in the last few years, winning the National, Commonwealth & Supreme Australian Championships + many other open trials.

He also won NSWSDWI Handler of the Year and Dog of the Year in 2015 & 2017 and is representing Australia in 2018.

Mick has 2 day training clinics at his property near Dubbo NSW & from time to time has MGH bred pups for sale. See website for information & contact details.

“I feed all of my dogs nothing but the best, so I can get the best out of them.”

Mick’s passion & dedication to his dogs starts with nutrition & to achieve the best results he feeds them the most complete high-performance food he can.

www.mickhudson.com.au

Nothing but the best for Mick’s dogs!

Hypro Premium with REAL KANGAROO & TURKEY for High Performance Working Dogs is a Complete & Balanced Grain Free diet specially formulated to help maintain the health & well-being of all active dogs breeds, age & size.

TYPICAL COMPOSITION Crude Protein Fat Calcium (min) Phosphorus (min) ME (kcal/100g)

32% 22% 1% 0.8% 405

NUTRITIONALLY FORMULATED FOR ADULT WORKING DOGS Optimal blend of extra proteins, fats, and oils, vitamins and minerals to help keep your active dog healthy and happy.

INFUSED WITH MEAT FOR MUSCLES Real kangaroo and turkey meats supply the protein with essential amino acids which are the building blocks for the development and maintenance of strong active muscles.

DEVELOPED WITH BEET PULP & CHICORY ROOT FOR DIGESTION Beet pulp and chicory root, excellent sources of prebiotic fibres, encourage beneficial bacteria to help improve digestion and provide healthy firm stools.

OMEGA 3 & 6 FOR SKIN & COAT Sunflower, flaxseed, fish and emu oils provide essential fatty acids (omega 3 & 6) to help maintain healthy skin and shiny coat.

NSW Sheepdog Workers Association Inc.

Queensland WorkingSheepdog Association

Victorian Working Sheepdog Association

EMU OIL FOR ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Emu Oil is and excellent source of essential fatty acids (Omega 3, 6, 9) to help nourish your dog’s skin, and joints.

To order Contact Hypro Pet Care

Hypro Pet Care continues to be the MAJOR SPONSOR of

Australian Sheepdog Workers Association

NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS FOR IMMUNE SYSTEM Peas, carrot, spinach, alfalfa, tomato, blueberry, cranberry and apple contain natural antioxidants that can help support the development of a strong immune system, helping maintain good health for active dogs.

South Australian Working Sheepdog Association

Western Australian Working Sheepdog Association

Sean Hickling Mobile: 0408 626 784 Email: sean@hypropetfoods.com.au 15 Box Avenue, Wilberforce NSW 2756 www.hypropetcare.com.au