What got you started?

[Guest pax]

Unless you inherited a sheep/cattle farm, something drew you to working stock dogs.

 

Anyone willing to share their story?

[juliepoudrier]

Hey Pax,

I think this must've gotten overlooked, so I'll start and maybe others will join in. Warning, this is going to be a bit long. I was raised on a small farm. We had horses, dairy goats (Nubians), chickens, ducks. So I was raised in that lifestyle and loved my life then, which made it natural for me to step back into that lifestyle later in my life.

 

I didn't get a border collie until I was an adult living on my own. Growing up, though, one of the dogs we had was a Blegian tervuren (this was in the 70s and the dogs today are the same color, but *very* different looking, but I digress....). Shai used to go everywhere with us when we took off on horseback (we would sometimes take off for the day and Shai would always be right with us). She was so smart and just a great dog. So when I decided to get a dog as an adult, I knew I wanted a dog with herding origins. Through a series of odd circumstances, I ended up with a border collie x Asutralian shepherd from a group called the Pet Assistance League. He was a great dog and loved everyone, especially my neighbors and their dogs. But he wasn't the greatest jogging partner (as in at random times he'd decide to cut right in front of me, the result of which was never pretty), which is what I wanted most. Still, I remained a one-dog family for some time.

 

When I got fed up with the growth in the Fredericksburg, VA, area, where I grew up, I decided to move to NC. I also decided I wanted a companion for Indy. I had gotten Indy through a rescue, and it was natural to go through rescue again. But by this time I had done even more research and decided that it was Indy's border collie characteristics I liked the most, so I decided on a border collie.

 

I contacted a local rescue, and before long Willow came into our lives. She was a very shy dog, wouldn't play, wouldn't let people approach her (other than me). And she was a great jogging partner and frisbee dog! And a good friend for Indy, who was leaving his best buddy Tipper (my neighbor's dog) to move with me.

 

Not long after moving to NC my new vet, who knew I had a border collie and a border collie cross, asked me if I'd consider taking a border collie whose owner had died and who really needed a home. I didn't want another dog, and I had just pulled another dog out of a local pound to try and find him a home. But I'm a sucker, and so Farleigh (then King Rae) came home with me. His owner's widow hadn't known what to do with him, and as a result he had been left to his own devices out in their yard, and so he had developed all sorts of obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

 

In the meantime I was still keeping in touch with Willow's rescuers. When I got Farleigh and mentioned that he was from well-known working lines, one of the rescuers suggested I take my dogs to a farm a little over an hour from me and try them on stock. "Why not?" I thought, and so I did.

 

It turns out that Willow was a natural, but Farleigh didn't want a human involved (he had some very nice natural ability, but absolutely wanted no human intervention). Long story short, I continued on with Willow and got another dog from this farm, Boy, and they became my first trial dogs.

 

I also discovered that I *really liked* sheep! I helped out on that farm as much as I could (as well as helping other folks with their sheep whenever possible), and even took sickly lambs home to raise them for the owner. Eventually Twist came along, then Jill, then Kat. I spent my spare time figuring how I might be able to start raising sheep myself.

 

When my job situation changed, I moved to central NC (from the northeastern part of the state) and through an odd set of circumstances just a couple of months after I movoed came home with a bottle lamb after a going to a trial and staying with a friend who had said lamb. I brought that lamb home and quickly found a bottle lamb friend for him so they could live outside and not end up being typical (obnoxious, overly people friendly) bottle lambs. Then a third bottle lamb was sent my way, along with a yearling ewe that had been badly injured and, although largely healed, needed to be separated from her home flock so as not to be bred. While I was at it, I went ahead and bought two ewe lambs from that same flock.

 

A few months later my neighbor about half a mile away stopped to talk to me about my dogs and we started talking sheep. She had a corgi and was thinking about teaching it to work. I told her she needed to get hold of some dog broke sheep. She went out and got a Romney and a Lincoln, not dog broke. Then in May she bought a Scottish blackface ewe from the same folks I had been talking with about getting some sheep. She was having hers delivered from VA and it seemed like the time to go ahead and share the cost of delivery and get a couple of Scottish blackface too.

 

This is the group of sheep that lives at my house. I should note that the second bottle lamb was a tunis, and I found that I really liked him. They are also listed on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy conservation priority list, and since childhood I've wanted to do rare breed conservation. So, when a tunis flock came available due to changing family circumstances, I cobbled together a coalition of friends to buy the flock. One of those was my neighbor. So we brought our tunis sheep (bred to either a corriedale ram or a tunis ram) to her farm. Not long after that, I saw an ad for a karakul flock reduction. Karakuls are another rare breed I was interested in (Navajo churro being the other), so I decided to get a couple of karakuls too. Then our tunis ewes lambed, increasing our flock size considerably. Next, I went off to buy a karakul ram and fell in love with another ewe there, so brought her home too.

 

And so that's how it started and grew. Now I am concentrating on breeding my tunis as a traditional dual-purpose breed (meat and wool), selling lambs locally and using the wool for my own projects. I'm also breeding my karakuls. They are also technically dual-purpose, but because their numbers are so few, I'll likely try to sell lambs as breeding stock first and for consumption second. Their wool is considered rug quality (or for making felted garments), so I am using the roving to make braided rugs.

 

I am still looking for a farm. The original core group of sheep is still here, and the rest of my sheep are spread across my neighbor's farm and the property across the road from her. I am currently fencing this property (a rental) so I can move more of my sheep home.

 

The funny thing about all this is that I really appreciate the dogs for the help they give me managing my sheep. I couldn't do all I have to do in the hours after my full-time day job if I didn't have the dogs to help me. But I also find that as I get more involved in the sheep and sheep raising, I do a lot less training of the dogs as well, simply because of a lack of time to do so. And I'm okay with that. The more sheep I have and the more I get involved in the products I get from them, the less inclined I am to go a-trialing! (For example, I can spend my $$ on a couple of really nice ewes for the breeding flock or on trial entries, and increasingly the former takes precedence....)

 

So that's my story. Like I said in the beginning, the transition from not having livestock to having livestock was pretty easy because of my upbringing. Now I hope not to have to ever go back to not owning livestock. I love the lifestyle and feel like I've nearly come full circle back to my upbringing.

 

J.

[jvw]

I started out as someone terrified of dogs. If someone was walking a dog down the street I had to cross to the other side. But, way back then (I'm recovered now) I was a crazy cat person. I thought I wanted to be a cats only vet. Since you have to deal with dogs at vet school I had to overcome my fear. So I started by going to watch obedience classes and talking with owners. Once I started understanding dog behavior better I was much less afraid.

 

Then I moved to California. My then boyfriend and I got a dog from the shelter. Tyra is a BC x Australian cattledog. Ha! What a dog for someone just overcoming dog fear!!!! With the help of a wonderful woman at an ACD rescue I learned to understand and love my Tyra. When I moved back to Michigan I started looking for a herding trainer to keep her busy. I remember my first time in the pen. Something just clicked. It felt right!!! From then on I went to every lesson and clinic I could as an observer. I quickly learned that I wasn't going to get far with my VERY structurally challenged mutt.

 

So I ended up buying a purebred BC pup. I wanted to get a started dog but I just couldn't afford that. Here it is four years later and I'm raising my second working BC, I have a house with four acres,soon to be all fenced, then a few sheep to come. And I've just spent $3000 pre-emptive TPLO on my first BC. I barely have enough money to eat but I wouldn't trade sharing my life with these dogs for anything!

 

Jennifer

[Sue R]

I grew up in the "wilds" of suburban Long Island, and a stray dog came into our family's life. Lady was what the vet called an "upstate farm collie" but, considering many of her mannerisms and her appearance, she was mainly Border Collie (in spite of her white color and brown/red head and occasional spot). She was the best dog ever for a child to grow up with...

 

We lived in rural NYS and started with dairy heifers and veal calves (raised in stalls on our Nubian goat milk), changed to stocker cattle, and then finally to a small cow-calf operation.

 

My hubby bought a working-bred Australian Shepherd to help with the cattle but Jett wasn't very useful. His prior work experience had been mainly on bringing in the dairy cattle, and they didn't need much "encouragement".

 

Ed brought home an Aussie/Border Collie cross pup that wouldn't look at stock (unless he was peeking out from behind a solid barrier) for almost two years. Then he turned on and Rocket was our farm dog until he retired to live with our adult daughter (and become a rock-climbing, hiking, biking companion). Rocket may well have saved my hubby from an angry mother cow one day up in the pasture when she took exception to his interest in doctoring her baby. He passed away at 15 1/2.

 

Mac, our Australian Shepherd, came to us almost 15 years ago, from working lines, and he was our farm dog for many years. He's now honorably (and largely) retired, although we bring him out on rare occasions when we need some "push" in the barn and it's a safe situation for him.

 

But, when the kids grew up and away, I realized I needed a gathering dog like I'd seen at demos, not a driving dog like Mac. I met some dogs (and people) I liked at a demo, and we bought our Skye, who was bold and brave, but was killed as a youngster.

 

Skye's breeder gave Celt to me when Skye was killed. We adopted Megan (poorly bred, she was an impulse purchase and in a caring but unsuitable situation). Several years later, Skye's breeder also gave me Bute (with a couple of defects but good genetics otherwise, he needed a home where he could use his innate abilities but never contribute to the gene pool).

 

I have to admit that I was getting very resentful of the cattle (my hubby's "thing") - they don't make money worth a hoot, require quite a bit of effort and inconvenience at times, and they always get out and cause trouble when I'm the only one home. Since the dogs came, I'm all for the cattle! They have revitalized my outlook on this cattle farm...

 

I don't think I would ever have another breed, farm or no farm. The working Border Collies have spoiled me for any other breed of dog.

[kelpiegirl]

I am not sure what got me started. As a kid I spent my summers on my grandparent's farm in Sullivan county- one channel on the tv, and lots of acres to play on. There were lots of animals (sheep, cattle, ponies, horses, geese, chicken, peafowl, dairy goats) etc.. I used to go out every morning and feed the goats with my grandfather. They also had dogs, but they never worked any of the stock. They bred dogs, and I suppose that is where I learned to really have an afinity for them. As for getting into stock dogs... Hmmm, having done obedience, agility, frisbee, etc., I decided that I wanted to do something with my dog that wasn't all about ribbons and placements, and was ALL about our bond, and an inborn need of the dog to work at the same job I was. I also missed the sheep/stock. I have this real "need"? not sure of the word, to take GOOD care of animals. ONe time when I was a kid I was at my friend's house for a sleep over. They had a pony, who's stall at least 3 feet of manure in it. I cleaned that stall out- just got the wheelbarrow, and by the last 10%, my friend ended up feeling guilty and helped. As it stands now, agility has taken a HUGE backseat to sheep work. I never thought the "draw" (pun intended) would be so strong.

Julie

[Patty Abel]

HEY, THIS IS LONG. And I don't really have much experience OR success...but I'm trying! I grew up on a small acreage in VA, but my parents were first generation farm deserters(after 200 yrs of family farming in PA). I had a cat and a dog. I loved going to my Gr parent's farm in PA and I loved their cow dog(a black tri something or other shepherd). I loved the smell of the farm, but s didn't go to the barn(I think they thought my grpa's language was too rough for us to be with him around the cows).

I had never seen a border collie work until I saw a short piece on Sesame Street(where DOES inspiration come from?) when my sons were very small. I just about broke down in tears! (pp dep? who knows!)

My husband and I chose to raise our family in suburban VA. I was totally focused on my kids and job, but we did have a Malamute in those days. She lived to the age of 13. As the kids got older and obviously were very independent(they did not want my smother mothering) I started pining for a needy beast to share my days with. I knew I wanted a BC type dog and I found one in July '94. He was independent and needy at the same time...a fence jumping lightbulb eating fiend that I told had met his match in me...He made me prove it everyday. In '96 I found another BC at the shelter. A shy mostly white dog with haunting blue eyes. Within a week I realized he was deaf. He would entertain himself by tossing toys in the air. We went about the task of learning to communicate with him and monitoring his interactions with the first dog who was quite bent over this beast. May '96, Mother's Day, I watched my first USBCHA sheepdog trial at Oatlands. I knew this was something I was deeply drawn to. Although I didn't know how I was going to get there...I got involved in agility and therapy dogs thru a local club...but I never made the connections to the herding world. Julie, I volunteered for the Pet Assistance League '99-'05 and have three BC dogs from them.

In '03 a friend gave me a BC puppy. I just knew that this dog would be my introduction to the herding/stock world. But I still lived in suburbia on a 1/5 acre lot and had two kids still in high school.

When the pup was 11 mos old I took him to watch a herding trial that also offered a herding test with an experienced handler/judge. I had never even touched a sheep and he had never seen a sheep. There are better ways I'm sure...but I wasn't going to ever get around to this unless I just went for it.

A scared puppy went into that training ring and a different dog emerged. He definitely "turned on". At that event I made contact with a trainer and talked to lots of handlers.

For the next year we went to twice a month lessons. The following year once a week. At the same time I met a local wool farmer and became her helper. I learned to trim hooves/give shots, and other sheepy things. She didn't use dogs at all, so her helpers were the "dogs". I learned a lot about sheep by being a "dog".

I started reading everything I could find about sheep(PWC library had three books about sheep, lol) and searching for property on the web. My husband did not want to move. I figured it was just a dream that might come true in 5 to 10 yrs.

After a very distressing turn of events with our youngest son(stupid kid)...I kind of stopped thinking about the future and started thinking about what I wanted NOW.

On a cold sunny day in Feb '06 we went to see a farm that had been on the market for over a year. Obviously there was something wrong with this property. Nestled between two major highways, with a conservation easement already in place(no tax break for us here) was a 120 yr old farmhouse and an assorted outbuildings. And 20+ acres. If we could unload our jem in PWC we could buy it outright! For some reason my husband changed his tune about moving(and working!)and we made an offer. Of course nothing is that simple...the housing market slowed in the winter and we couldn't buy without borrowing...and the new job fell through...you go on! There was no turning back now. In May we loaded all our worldly possessions in a 24 ft truck. I had six border collies and two rabbits in my minivan. The fields at the farm were shoulder high. The first couple months we both had second thoughts that we didn't share.

We haven't been here a year yet. We bought sheep in July after the fields were hayed. I decided on Tunis, because they are docile and a heritage breed. The ram has been with them since the gitgo and now we are expecting lambs any day... I realize the dog I have been training is probably doing the best he will ever do trial wise. My hope is that he will become a trustworthy farm helper. I can dream of a future dog of working lines for trialing. I have a weakness for old border collies and have five rescues at this time including the old deaf dog. I'm so glad he lived long enough to come to the farm. I love to walk the fields with all the dogs. Watching the sheep graze the fields is wonderfully relaxing. That is a good thing because we only get one TV channel. Our house is surprisingly snug and sound. My husband found a job, so did I, but I decided to stay home anyway...weeks will go by and the only thing I leave the farm for is to attend church.

Twist of Fate Farm truly lives up to it's name. So, what's YOUR story? Patty

[kelpiegirl]

I don't know Patty, I really like yours!

Julie

[Patty Abel]

It was fun composing it! Daylight slipped away. Kind of like when I'm painting. Anyway, we had to go find all the sheep in the dark. Donald was on his 12 ft lead so as not to rush the almost moms too fast. He wants them at my feet and hasn't learned to drive. My sheep really were never dog broke. They are easy to find as they LOVE the corners. It's a nice walk for us. The fields kind of glow in the dark! I don't know exactly how far we walked, but they all went quietly into the barnyard for the night...no one had a lamb today...I'm sure they are waiting for the -5' temps they are calling for. Livin the dream, Patty

[kelpiegirl]

Patty

About that one channel- at my gp's place, that is all we got and BOY did I watch a LOT of gone with the wind, and other such wonderful things- over and over and over...

 

Where in VA are you? I have a friend who is in Dylsburg.

 

Julie

[Patty Abel]

We are in New Market(Shenandoah county). There are pics on my geocities site. The link is in the top line of my posts. Patty

[Alicia]

I got Dally, my first, hopefully, future stock dog, this year. My story is simple Over the last several years I've developed a love of Bucking Bulls. Obviously I dont want to ride them but my love of PBR and Bull Riding in general has grown to a passion and intentions of breeding Bucking Bulls and contracting Bulls after I graduate from college in the next few to several years. So, with this intention of training a pup to herd cattle and to use to train and condition young and performance Bulls, I set out looking for a breed. An accomplished breeder/trainer/contractor of Bucking Bulls in Selah, WA (about 30mins from where I was going to school last year) uses Border Collies to trot his bulls and in teh arena when training them.

 

I first set out looking for what breed would best be able to meet my needs. I considered Catahoulas, Hangin Tree Cowdogs, Hangin Tree Aussies, Hangin Tree Border Collies, ACDs, and a any mix of a proficient herding breed. My efforts of finding ANY herding dogs near enough to pick one up AND in my low price range was difficult. I found nothing. Then, one day, I was looking through the Mini Nickel Classifieds and saw and add for Border Collies. Called the lady and she had a PB, 4mth old, working bred pup for sale. I went and looked at her the next day.

 

I got there and unfortunately the breeder wasnt as reputable as she sounded. I didnt get to see her kennels and met only 2 of her other dogs. Dally was very small, looked more like a rat terrier then a BC, she had a yellow butt from what I can assume was from a dirty kennel. She was sweet and wiggly and my heart melted. I couldnt leave the darling lil girl there even if she wasnt what I was expecting.

 

So, I took "Chica" whom I re-named Dally home and fell madly in love with this tiny, short haired, white, curly-tailed pup.

 

Dally is my lil girl. She's smart, fun, happy and wants only to please. I'll never get rid of her, even if she doesnt hold up to the breeder's work guaruntee.

 

We are starting to wonder if Dally is actually purebred. Whos knows.. and honestly who cares.

She's really small, about 19in and 29lbs at 9mths and she has a frequently (about 80% of the time) curly, over her back, tail. I dont know what else shoe could be.. the most often hought is ACD..but.. I dont think so.. Ah well I love my pup even though no one ever believes me when I says she's BC

[Dixie_Girl]

I was heading down the north side of the Grapevine in CA. Off to the right, just past the rest area, I see all these sheep and a b/w spot chasing them. Intrigued, I pulled over and watched, completely mezmerized, for probly an hour. At first I thought the dogs were doing it completely on their own! I was so impressed! It was a huge sheep dog tral! Finally, the delivery time pressing me, and not wanting another CA ticket, I headed down the road. Thats when I saw the sign in Lebec, announcing the sheep dog trials. As soon as I got home I was on my puter, looking up all I could. And that's when I was introduced to the world of Border Collies. For 2 1/2 yrs. I read everything I could on them. Got in touch with a breeder in NC and when we finally got acreage in the country, called the breeder and they just happened to have a 3week old litter. That's how we got Jackson. Now we also have Skip. I will get sheep as soon as I get the fencing up and the fields mowed. It is much more than I ever dreamed it would be. To see Jackson with sheep and think back to that day up on the mountain, and know that I am a part of that, well, it just makes me wanna give a big sigh, my life is good.

[borderlicious]

Well, I don't do stockwork yet but I did recently get my first sheepdog. I have a background in ranching but that's not what got me into stock work. We didn't use dogs on our small cattle ranch - the cattle were all very tame and the only working dogs we had were two guardians.

 

My "story" is kind of short and not that interesting. I got my first Border Collie in 2004, not knowing about the split in the breed or what to look for in a breeder aside from your typical "responsible breeder" stuff. I fell completely in love with the pup I got, and in summer 2006 he proved himself to be a very talented goose control dog for a Yacht club in northern Idaho. When I was training a BC puppy to replace him after we left, I got to thinking about getting another BC to do some goose work. I knew that this time around I wanted a working line dog (my boy, while useful, has about as much eye as a cocker spaniel and very little impulse control. I wanted a dog with more finesse and, to be frank, more brains on the geese) and started my search in September/October '06. Several months prior to that I had joined the BC boards after lurking for a couple years, and began using them to glean information on working dogs. In the process, I learned a bit about sheepdog trials and realized why the ones I had been to (AKC's "obedience on sheep") were so incredibly dull to me, and that not all were like that. I watched as many taped runs of USBCHA Open trials as I could, and really got interested.

 

After doing a lot of research, I decided that I wanted to do stock work with my next dog. So, here I am . . . If the dogs behind her are any indication, my little Eve will definitely have the right stuff - I'll be the one in desperate need of training!

[kelpiegirl]

Patty

Your place is just beautiful. Good on you for reaching your dream!

Julie

ps: I like the hair-do on one of your boys!

[Carson Crazies]

To make a long story short I wound up with my first BC (Mix), Bree. I came to these boards in desperation because I had no earthly idea what to do with her. After being on the boards for a few months, a class assignment for college came up that required I do something to "become one with nature" and I offered free manual labor to anyone on these Boards who needed help with sheep chores. Becca was the only one to take me up on it.

 

So, I loaded myself and my dog up, and drove to Becca's house to help with her new lambs... tatooing, vaccinating, banding, etc. I'd been reading about working dogs and sheep on these boards and elsewhere, but I really didn't have a point of reference. What I really had was no clue.

 

We went out into her field, and she sent Ben for the sheep. My heart started beating out of my chest! When he brought them to our feet I almost cried. The only reason I didn't was because I didn't want to look like a sissy. I thought, "now THIS is something that's real". I learned that day that I *really liked* sheep. I had some experience with horses in the past, but this was WAY past cool!

 

I started thinking, "Hey! I wonder if MY dog can do this??". Well, she couldn't... not really. But the other thing I learned at Becca's farm under her wing so to speak was that not only were her real border collies nothing like my mix (thank doG) but that I LIKED them!! I think I stood around all day with a stupid grin on my face.

 

That was also the day that I met June, and it so worked out that several months later she came to live with me. Prior to her arrival she had completely turned off of sheep. I hoped that maybe I could start learning how to work a dog, and was pleased that she did turn back on (well, for her anyway) and she began to teach me something about working!

 

Thanks to some wonderful friends, and patient instructors now I have my second working bred pupper and am looking forward to many more. It so happens that we're planning to unload the house and buy some property where I can keep some sheep. Not only do I love the dogs, but I have found a great respect and love for sheep as well! For the time being I try to get sheep time and chores whenever I can, but I really look forward to having my own flock!

 

Truly, I think I was sunk from the moment I stepped out into Becca's field.

[Keegan's Mom]

Coming in late...sorry...but I thought I would add my two cents.

 

When I met my hubby, he had a friend who had an Aussie; however, he had done a little research and had decided that he wanted a Border Collie...a blue merle BC.

 

So not knowing hardly anything about Border Collies we went to Scotland on our honeymoon. In Scotland, we stayed at a B&B in Inverness for the primary reason that it was a working sheep farm with Border Collies. We asked for a demonstration and the farmer gladly gave us one. He had 3 dogs, 2 trained and one that was in training. He used his dogs in brace to get his chores done. We were amazed at what these dogs could do and we saw them EVERYWHERE in Scotland.

 

We came home from our trip and decided to buy a house. So we decided to do more research on Border Collies and found that breeding for color was not ideal. We got some education and got our first BC, Keegan. This was to be my husband's dog because mind you I wanted a Pug. However, Keegan and I have grown bonded to each other in a way that is not very well explained to someone who doesn't have this same bond with their own dog.

 

I started agility with Keegan and he was out of control at times which made me very frustrated and the sport not very much fun for me. Then one thing led to another and we attended a weekend clinic, our first sheepdog clinic. Then six months passed and I decided I would give it a go again. This time it stuck and I loved it. I then got Tess after talking hubby into another dog. When I'm working my dogs, there just seems to grow a deeper bond that is quite amazing. It is one of the best feelings in the world to me.

 

When I started working away from home last January I pretty much took up herding as the only activity since agility is hard to do only on weekends. I also had more control over Keegan than in agility...or should I say that he maybe he grew to respect me more.

 

I also started going to Julie's house once a week if only to help feed sheep and bug her. I found that I really liked this and I was perfectly happy spending all day long on anyone's farm who would have me.

 

Now I just try to get out whenever I can. That is probably one reason that I have lived in our new place for 2 months and still haven't fully unpacked.

 

No Pugs in my future...only BC's for me now. I'm hooked and I can't wait to get my own place to have another one...and sheep!!!!

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I think I stood around all day with a stupid grin on my face.

Didn't notice that, though I still have a pic of you with a lamb ("Spot", who had some nice babies of her own last year!).

 

 

Rachel, pink boots or no, I cannot imagine you with a pug. Afghan maybe. Of course, Tess is sort of Afghan-like.

 

I grew up in the wilds of the San Francisco Bay Area. I remember there was a group of about ten trees in an empty lot, five or six blocks from our house, that I called the "grove." I used to go sit in there and read. I read everything I could get my hands on, about the Wild West, and Scotland, and the North of England (I was fascinated by dialect and language even then). As I got older I realized the Wild West was unreachable, but the hills of Scotland, and all that, was still there. Heck, my grandparents were from a big sheep producing area in one of the Border counties - and coincidently so was my great grandfather on the other side.

 

I started dreaming of a big ranch, maybe in Montana (I have relatives there), about a thousand sheep, and of course . . . .collies . . .just like in the books I'd read, which were sprinkled or even themed around sheepdogs and "collies".

 

I was SO disappointed when I realized that collies didn't herd sheep anymore. Instead, a boss I had at the time showed me pictures of what looked like Australian shepherds, but homelier, and said THESE are the real sheepdogs. She had two and competed in sheepdog trials with them. Some of you in Virginia may remember Angela Wessel. She was my boss for about three years.

 

I'd never heard of Border collies in the Bay Area. Probably I wasn't in the right circles, but all I ever saw on ranches, were Aussies - cute little grey or pink dogs without tails. In retrospect I think I also saw a couple of McNabs but I thought at the time they were Aussie mixes.

 

So I looked them up. My disappointment was quickly doused with amazement - I went back to Angela and said, "YOU do this, you can really do this with a dog?" It seemed like magic, something only those born to it could do. Angela said she went and took lessons once a week, and competed maybe twice a year or so, when she had time. In fact, that weekend she had just won a ribbon with her pro novice dog and was telling a funny story about running at the State Fair.

 

My head spun - it all seemed so casual, so natural, so doable. I didn't need 1000 sheep, I just needed a dog. The sheep would come later, of course, but I could experience that whole thing together with a dog, first.

 

Ben was my first dog - I got him as a five and a half month old rescue. He was severely undersocialized, but I see now I made an awful lot of excuses for him where I should have just asked, asked, and asked again. In some ways he was very difficult to start on stock, and in some ways he was a perfect first dog as he never quit no matter how stupid I got and no matter how much I got in his way.

 

By the time we got sheep I had my second Border Collie, Trim. Another rescue, she had some pretty serious issues, plus she wasn't exactly happy about the whole sheep thing. She cashed in her "family dog" card when she attacked my toddler son, and she's now keeping military airbase runways clear of migratory waterfowl. But meantime she had taught me a lot about how a Border Collie can seem to have all the pieces but if they don't fit together right, the dog is still not useful.

 

I struggled on my own for several years, tried trialing, was miserably unsuccessful at it, but enjoyed raising sheep very much. So Ben and I muddled along for our first couple lambings, and then I got Rick.

 

It happened this way - I had a clinician over to do a mini-clinic to benefit rescue, and someone left a gate open and some of the clinician's sheep bolted for the gate. I had Ben right there and sent him - but even though it was only about 200 feet, Ben cut in, pushed the sheep even harder to the gate, and everyone rushed out the gate together down the road. Ben was in full chase mode and didn't come back until he'd lost them in the woods.

 

I just sat down and cried from rage and embarrassment. I was sure the guy would be mad, hate me forever, blacklist me among Real Border Collie People - I had enough trouble getting help as it was, now I'd be persona non grata for sure. It was almost sunset and in our neighborhood, being away from the guard dogs was certain death at that time of year - those lambs were toast and I said so very apologetically, offering of course to pay for the lambs.

 

He said, Hell no, we'll get them back, no problem. He unhurriedly finished his cigarette and motioned me to the truck. Some friends had meanwhile tracked the sheep through several fields, down another road, and into a large dairy cattle pasture. They told us where they were and as it was getting dark we pulled up to the top of the pasture.

 

His dog found the sheep in the woods in that pasture, then threaded them through the very ticked-off cattle out there, up to the road, and onto the trailer - all before it was completely dark. His handler gave him one command the whole time "Steady" - until he asked him to stop and hold them at the trailer.

 

I decided then that whatever I was doing wasn't enough. I talked about Ben on the way home, and it was the trainer's opinion that Ben didn't quite have it. In retrospect I think I could have done it with Ben, maybe, but not with the experience, or lack thereof, that I had then.

 

Almost immediately, the chance came to buy a young dog with an interesting history and a littermate in rescue that I already knew had something worth working with. I didn't know why then, but the trainer I originally talked to sort of fell off the planet (most of you know I'm talking about Steve Clendenin, who had leukemia). So I had the dog but again no help.

 

I bumbled around on my own again, with this young dog, for about nine more months, with him getting crazier and crazier, then in desperation I wrote on sheepdog-l that I was getting ready to put this dog down or place him as a goosedog, and what should I do to stop him biting. I had several people tell me publically and privately that I was an idiot, and two people who were sympathetic and understood that everyone has to start somewhere (see, I've been there too!).

 

One was Jim Varnon (God bless 'im) and of course the other was Steve. Of the two, Steve was able to help me directly. By the way, I wasn't an idiot and it turned out Rick really was a bit of a nutcase.

 

I don't know why it was so difficult to make contacts at the time I got into this, but I'll never forget Steve and Jim's kindness and generosity at that time, when I probably would have just given up forever, otherwise.

 

I'll also never forget what it was like to feel like the outsider looking in. So I do go out of my way to try to help others get "in" - not just meeting me, but putting them in touch with other people who share their interests or could meet their needs.

[Keegan's Mom]

I'll also never forget what it was like to feel like the outsider looking in. So I do go out of my way to try to help others get "in" - not just meeting me, but putting them in touch with other people who share their interests or could meet their needs. [/QB]

Becca - without meeting you...I wouldn't be where I am today. I know Laura feels the same way. We all appreciate your generosity.

[Guest pax]

I want to thank you all. I should have added my own story before asking you for yours, so here it is.

 

I am a long time horse person. I have always had dogs, but they were just the background noise of life on the farm...corgies, mostly, although for a while we had an Anatolian because we were having an issue with neighbours' dogs and foals.

 

I took my kids to a festival at a local place, you all know it, Oatlands, in Virginia. There used to be trials there.

 

The first time I saw a dog working sheep I felt like I'd been poleaxed. My Mom took the kids shopping and touring the Oatlands house and I sat on the grass watching dogs work with my mouth hanging open.

 

I got it in my head that it might be fun to do, and in the way the universe works, a short time later my hay guy, a Mennonite from PA, brought me a puppy from his bitch. My husband arranged it as a surprise.

 

Well, the surprise was, my dog was a dilettante. I took him down to a fair day at the Lacy's, for "testing" and was told that as a herding dog, he'd make a super pet.

 

He did. A fabulous friend, he was. I bought him two sheep...(yes, I was an SUV driving latte sucking yuppie loser buying my dog sheep just for fun... ) and he never got any more interested. I eventually gave those girls to a 4H home across the lane from my mother's farm where they lived out a long and happy life.

 

When that dog died of old age, I didn't replace him. My life had gotten complicated..kids, divorce, moving.. and I wasn't in a position to take on another challenge.

 

I remarried, got the horse business working well, got my kids in school, and recently moved, to be closer to my mother's farm. My sister and I have a small horse business that keeps us in shoe leather and my horses in good hay. My new house has a small odd lot, 5 acres in all, over which I'd hoped to have sheep, and someday, a dog who actually liked to work instead of lazing around being fed bon bons and looking pretty cute. Or even better, both.

 

I have gone back and forth about feeling the need to justify this...both in terms of a new passion and how does that fit in with the horses, and, also, because there seems to be such resistance in the real working BC world to wannabes like me.

 

The truth is, I'm 40. I don't bounce the way I used to. I love what I do, but being bounced by a sheep, even a big one, is a lot less scary than being dropped by a 1500 lb horse.

 

The other part is, I am losing, slowly, my once in a lifetime "heart" horse. He has cancer. We've done so much to keep him comfortable and working and happy, but he will go soon and just the thought of walking into the barn and not seeing him anymore makes me so terribly sad, I am not sure I will be able to go on. (In the barn, not in life!)

 

So recently, I went to a trial, and was warmly welcomed by a bunch of ladies who took me under their wing and started explaining what I was seeing. Sue, I think you were one of them. I am terrible with names, so if you were recently kind to someone wandering around a field saying "Nice doggie"...thank you!

 

Anyway, someone introduced me to Mark and Renee Billadeau, and I have started taking lessons with Mark, and Renee's Starr.

 

I cannot tell you how lucky I feel to have their guidance.

 

The tentative plan for now is for me to partner Starr and do some little local trials.

 

For me...that long moment at the start, when you ask your dog to go, and they do...my heart beats in my ears like it used to when I rode a good horse. Sometimes poor Mark has to repeat himself because I can't hear him, for watching that amazing dog go out and do what she does....

 

So that's my story. I was hoping to find pieces of it in yours, so I could better understand and/or try to explain it to myself, but I think I have realized..you can't rationally "defend" something that makes no sense...like love. You just have to roll with it.

 

Thank you all so much for sharing.

[kelpiegirl]

Pax

Do you remember the old adage- "old horse people don't die- they just go to the dogs"

 

 

 

Julie

[Sue R]

So recently, I went to a trial, and was warmly welcomed by a bunch of ladies who took me under their wing and started explaining what I was seeing. Sue, I think you were one of them. I am terrible with names, so if you were recently kind to someone wandering around a field saying "Nice doggie"...thank you!

Who, me? I haven't a clue but, if I helpful, I'm glad. I just wish I could remember who you were if I was lucky enough to meet you.

 

I don't make it to many trials, I'm an absolute nobody, and I have always appreciated the kind folks who have been very, very nice and welcoming to me.

 

Anyway, someone introduced me to Mark and Renee Billadeau, and I have started taking lessons with Mark, and Renee's Starr.

You are SO fortunate! That will give you a very good start.

[Guest pax]

I think it was you...your dog was Meg and she actually took her eyes off the sheep long enough to move so I could get the right spot for her..(she deigned to let me scritch her )

 

There is a pic of me and my horse in my profile, if that might jog your memory.

 

Julie, thank you. It was actually Donald McCaig that told me (at that very same trial that day at Oatlands) that horse people often make the transition to dogs without a lot of difficulty. I've hung onto that for years now, like a little talisman. To be honest, at the time I thought he was talking about something quite simple, like, being able to read body language. Now, I wonder if he might have meant something to do with respecting a culture that's been handed down in much the same way. Either way, here's hoping.

 

Maybe some day I'll pluck up the nerve to ask him. I bet he'd have some interesting thoughts.

 

[Sue R]

Nope, wasn't me. I have a Megan but she doesn't go to trials and only ever went as a spectator dog.

 

Anyway, best wishes!

[Mona Howard]

PAX wrote: The truth is, I'm 40. I don't bounce the way I used to. I love what I do, but being bounced by a sheep, even a big one, is a lot less scary than being dropped by a 1500 lb horse.The other part is, I am losing, slowly, my once in a lifetime "heart" horse. "

 

I'm nearly 50 and still tripping over sheep and just falling over when there's nothing in my path too. I'm just graceful......

I have a soft spot for horses too. I have not ridden in 15 yrs. and still have an old gelding that I will feed until old age takes him.

The sheep and dogs give me new opportunities to embarrass myself. Nothing like public humiliation! If it isn't fun why bother!

[Sue R]

The sheep and dogs give me new opportunities to embarrass myself. Nothing like public humiliation!

That sure sums it up very, very well. I'm nearly 60, very slow to learn, and (like Mona) still tripping over everything possible and nothing in particular.

 

I remember a tee-shirt I saw once, that I've love to find and buy, that said "Sheepdog trialling - Prepare to be humiliated." I've had to settle for the one that says, "I said 'That'll do!'" and the dog is "driving" the sheep all over the handler. It's almost too close to the truth to be funny...

 

I have a soft spot for horses too.

I haven't ridden in several years and wish I would get up the ambition to get my mare out this year. She may not agree with me.

 

My gelding lived out his years until he needed to be put down at age 32; the kids' old pony passed on on her own this fall at age 35; the kids' old mare is still cranky and getting about at age 35; and my mare is a youthful 24.

 

Sorry to hear that you are losing your horse, Pax. It's always a heartbreak to lose someone or something you love so much.