Working Dogs and Why A Good Border Collie is Worth 10 Hired Men!

by Lorna Wall
(Poplarfield, Manitoba, Canada)

Shortly after acquiring our first fully trained working dog (our Border Collie, Kit), my husband and I were trying to put the sheep into the barn like we had for years, and they just didn't want to go ... we had not taken the dog as we had changed plans after going to the barn.

After several minutes of frustration with sheep not going in and running all about us we finally decided to call the dog. As soon as the sheep heard her name they all went straight into the barn! She didn't even get a chance to get there!

We have several Border Collies, an old one and some coming up in their training. We do a little fun competing at stock dog trials which are mostly a social affair but also give you a chance to see how your training is progressing and have others give you some pointers.

Border Collies are not actually trained... it is rather a training of the handler and a matching of the command to an action (Instinct) that the dog already has.

It is funny how the sheep instantly take notice if a dog comes by that is a real herding dog. Their attitude just changes... like we need to pay attention to her now!

My husband likes to tell people that the dog is worth more than the wife. LOL : )

Now after having that one good Border Collie we will never be without one. We run 200 Dorper/Katahdins at Wall 2 Wall Sheep Ranch in Poplarfield Manitoba.