We saw a sheep herding demonstration over the weekend.
Nothing serious, just moving the woolies around a bit for the tourists.
But it was a nice reminder of what's coming up next month.
For those of you in the eastern United States, come to Lexington, Kentucky, next month for the Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trial. It will run May 16-20, and to learn more
click here.
Love to watch dogs at work. Believe it or not Sheepdog Trials used to be shown on TV in Britain and was very popular. Dogs are still used extensively in the more mountainous areas; the sheep up there, who hardly see a human being for months at a time, can be less than co-operative.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of the British TV show "One man and his dog" but haven't seen it. Maybe I should order a DVD.
DeleteWe still see quite a few working sheepdogs in these parts. the moors can be wild and almost endless and working dogs are still the most efficient ways of moving them.
ReplyDeleteWe still have a lot of working dogs in this country, but they're mostly unseen.
DeleteWhat a beautiful sight! Love to watch working dogs.
ReplyDeleteSuch intelligent dogs. Our caretaker where I once worked used to breed them - the pups were adorable, and soon started being trained for shows.
ReplyDeleteI've had several over the years, and intelligent they are. I've often said I wouldn't wish one on my enemies, but they're the only breed I want. I miss not having one now, but one wouldn't fit into the current lifestyle.
DeleteAt my husband's office in WI, tey had a man bring his border collie to chase the Canada Geese from the grass and walkways. Several times a week they also brought three sheep for the dog to herd since apparently they become frustrated chasing geese who will fly rather than be herded. Everyone in the office loved seeing the white fenced herding places.
ReplyDeleteYes, that will work. We had a local breeder who worked at one of our plants. He saw workers from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency getting frustrated trying to round up Canada Geese for banding (they were molting and didn't fly). He brought a couple of dogs the next day and the job got done in short order.
DeleteI have trained seven working Border Collies and nothing gives me more pleasure than working with a young pup to bridge the gap between the herding dog's native instincts and the shepherd's needs. They're amazing dogs-- unbelievably intelligent and they make the most wonderful companions in the outdoor working world of the livestock farmer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, Jim!
Elora
Great photos, BTW! It's not easy to capture a working BC! Compliments!
ReplyDeleteElora