THE AUSSIE WORKING KELPIE.

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day Mike,from your pic you have BC's,in a previous comment I remarked on the Kelpies as "thinkers" and learn by repetition what the task is and carry it out and all they ask for in return is some " praise" from the boss.There are differences in farm dogs and Trial dogs,most old "doggers' who attend dog trials dislike the pure kelpie because they need "absolute control " in the ring with the sheep and so its "rare" to see a straight bred B/T kelpie ,they put a "cut" of BC in their dogs because it seems to me,they need to be "told" what is required rather than to respond on instinct like they do on the farm in familiar surroundings.
It has been my experience that dogs are all" individuals" and the training of the working dog needs to "reflect this fact"...T.O.R.

 

[Mike CHS]

I agree completely. We want to trial one of our dogs but it may wind up being a dog we don't own yet. The dog in my avatar at the moment is an Aussie and she is good for only close work but she does it without command from us other than "Hold" when the sheep are where we want. We won't try to change that since it works and I think that is where she should excel and she is happy doing it.

Our Border Collie was better at working on the farm than most trial dogs we have seen when he was one year old. I would like to trial a Border Collie but I'm more and more thinking it won't be this one since what he does works with the way I handle our sheep. It doesn't take any effort and the sheep never get stressed out. He gets let into the pen and does this huge outrun only to find out the sheep are where they need go be before he even gets winded. @Southern by choice asked me a question about what was wrong with the way our sheep worked the other day that got me to thinking and I decided to leave a good effortless practice be.

We are setting up another pasture for sheep used only in trial training since we enjoy doing that but our main effort has been our main flock which is working already.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

I agree completely. We want to trial one of our dogs but it may wind up being a dog we don't own yet. The dog in my avatar at the moment is an Aussie and she is good for only close work but she does it without command from us other than "Hold" when the sheep are where we want. We won't try to change that since it works and I think that is where she should excel and she is happy doing it.

G'day Mike,down here there are two strains of working dogs ,they are "Yard Bred" or bred for "Paddock work".Your "casting dog" is a paddock bred one and the other is a "Yard bred "one, by the sounds of it.Lots of farmers want an "all-rounder" to suit both situations ,but its rarely capable in both situations...T.O.R.