Pippin's person Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 There's a herd of bison kept near where I live and as I was driving by today, I idly wondered if dogs are ever used to move bison. Anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 There's a herd of bison kept near where I live and as I was driving by today, I idly wondered if dogs are ever used to move bison. Anyone know? I'd doubt it. They are very unpredictable creatures with a tendency to run toward what is spooking them rather than away We have a farm near us. A few years ago a couple of them got out and they quickly decided it would be best for all involved if they shot them and butchered them out rather than trying to catch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 There was an excellent article about this written by our own Jeanne Joy Hartnagle in the July/August 2009 issue of the Stockdog Journal. Jeanne Joy moved wild bison with Australian shepherds in the 1980s for the Department of the Interior, and her article recounting the adventure is fascinating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 I ride reining horses and my trainer also trains working cow and cutting horses and always has a few head of buffalo around to work the horses on. He doesn't currently have a working dog (he just recently got a pup) but has always had an acd that is used to help keep the buffalo and cows in line, as well as driving them from pasture to the arena. However, apparently the buffalo farmer that he leases his stock from has a couple working dogs, although I'm not sure that they are border collies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 yes, it's done. It requires experienced, powerful, trained dogs (with equally experienced handlers) that apply pressure as needed and release it when the animals are going to right direction. Dogs and handlers that randomly bite, or abuse the stock without giving a point the stock can see a place to go will be mashed. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 They are very unpredictable creatures with a tendency to run toward what is spooking them rather than away We have a farm near us. A few years ago a couple of them got out and they quickly decided it would be best for all involved if they shot them and butchered them out rather than trying to catch them. Something like this happened near us, as well. Ended up with a herd of bison on a tennis court for the day until they could finally be recaptured. There's a description of the "great bison escape" here: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/4415797/detail.html . Seems the owners were already making plans to turn them into bisonburgers, and speculated that perhaps the bison got wind of their impending fate. When I was a kid I went to a summer camp where they had a young bison in a paddock, confined by a chain-link fence. One day something spooked or annoyed it, and it went right *through* the fence. I sure wouldn't have the courage to try to work bison! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiedawgs Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 yes, it's done. It requires experienced, powerful, trained dogs (with equally experienced handlers) that apply pressure as needed and release it when the animals are going to right direction. Dogs and handlers that randomly bite, or abuse the stock without giving a point the stock can see a place to go will be mashed. . I can't help it...I'm trying to visualize handlers randomly biting stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsADogsLyfe Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've bitten bison before..of course it was between two buns at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've bitten bison before..of course it was between two buns at the time. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiedawgs Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've bitten bison before..of course it was between two buns at the time. :D there goes another keyboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanne Joy Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 Thank you Laura. Cutting horse people use young bison for training. They don't sour as easily as cattle do. A friend of mine, John Payne, better known as the One Armed Bandit uses bison in his rodeo act. He trains them with Florida Curs. I've worked bison, but I wouldn't recommend using them for training purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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