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Canines are often
called “man’s best friend,” and out on the ranch a well-trained
stock dog can certainly earn that title. California dog breeder
Bret Venable shares his experiences.
Dogs have long been a
part of ranch life – some simply as companions, but many in the
role as trained stock dogs that are working partners. When in
their element, doing what they have been bred and trained to do,
these ranch dogs are amazing to watch as they round up the herd
or get a few strays back where they belong.
To learn more about
ranch dogs, Western Cowman visited with Wilton, California dog
breeder and trainer Bret Venable. He has been among the top
consigners at the Red Bluff Dog Sale in recent years, including
consigning the high selling dog at the 2007 sale. That dog sold
for $23,000 – the highest amount ever at the sale.
Like many people,
Venable’s introduction to stock dogs came from growing up around
cattle ranching where there is always a need to handle
livestock. He recalls, “There always seemed to be dogs of some
sort around when we had a job to do. Some were quite a bit of
help, but many were just in the way.”
Early on, Venable
also noted that some people were handier with their dogs than
others, but he says, “For the most part, if a dog worked well
for someone it just seemed to be a lucky fit.”
He explains, saying, “What I mean is the way each wanted to
handle livestock just happened to complement the style of the
other.”
Venable’s intuitive
understanding of dogs and their handlers sparked a lifelong
interest in working stock dogs. He says, “I always wanted to
have a really great working dog.”
But his goal was
not easy to achieve. Venable says, “I did not know how to go
about making one [a great working dog], but I knew what I didn’t
want and that seemed to be what I kept running in to. I could
never find anyone who raised a style of dog or had a way of
training and developing a dog that I really wanted to get
involved with.”
The Right Match
Then, in 2001 Venable met renowned Australian dog breeder and
trainer Tony McCallum. Venable says, “I realized he had what I
was looking for.”
That was the
beginning of what Venable calls “an exciting – and exhausting –“
six year journey that has taken him around a large portion of
the United States and half of Australia looking at and learning
from dogs with the help of McCallum.
“This journey has
lead me to where I am today which is on the brink of having a
world class group of working dogs with the knowledge and
understanding to make the most of them,” says Venable.
When asked what makes a good stock dog, he says, “A good stock
dog is one that can accomplish whatever job it is required to do
efficiently and effectively.”
As you might guess
the possibilities are limitless. Venable adds that one person
may need a dog to drive dairy cattle up a lane way. Another may
need a dog to gather goats from a pasture and cattle off of a
mountain lease. He says, “Different dogs are suitable for
different jobs. Some dogs are very limited in their ability to
change duties. Others can do almost anything. To try to include
everything that goes into making a good stock dog would be hard
to fit in a large book much less an article.”
That said, Venable
says a good all-around stock dog that is capable of a variety of
different types of work will have some combination of each of
the following characteristics: confidence, dedication to work,
stock sense, ability to take pain or discomfort in stride,
ability to be forceful when necessary, and mentally capable of
high levels of association in relation to the work it will be
required to do (which is a form of intelligence). He concludes,
“These characteristics when coupled with the proper guidance
and/or training will make a good stock dog.”
Regarding what
specific dog breeds he would recommend, Venable also says that
depends on several factors. He says, “The breed or type of stock
dog I would recommend is dependent on the work it would be
required to do and the person who would be working it.”
However, he does
suggest that folks who are serious about having a trained stock
dog should purchase one bred for specific genetic traits. He
says, “It is always better to get a dog that was born with all
the basic tools to do the stock work you want him to do. A dog
like this will be able to do that job with minimal input from
you. It is possible in some cases to train dogs for handling
stock a certain way when it is not natural for them to do so.
However, this dog will always require more input from the
handler while trying to do this work, and he will lack the
potential to be as good as the dog that has the natural
ability.”
Listening to Instincts
From his experience and observations, Venable says a common
mistake he sees people make with their stock dogs is not
realizing how big of a role instinct plays in the actions of
their dog.
Of this he says, “Consequently, they do not end up with a dog
whose natural instincts drive it to respond to things like
working livestock in the same way the person wants it done. This
causes constant friction between dog and handler as neither is
ever able to have things go the way they want.”
Venable concludes,
“I feel like one of the most important things that I continue to
learn, and that every dog I have been around up to this point
has contributed to, is my ability to see things from the dog’s
point of view; and then, being able to convey what I need from
him in a way that he can understand.”
For more information about stockdogs, visit:
http://www.mccallumk9.com
Tony McCallum’s website with information and DVD’s.
http://www.stockmanship.com/stockdogs.htm
Well-known
low-stress animal handling advocate Bud Williams shares his
comments on training stockdogs.
www.intermountainstockdog.com
A list of upcoming dog trials in the West.
The history Of
Stockdogs
There are about 60 recognized herding breeds of dogs worldwide.
Four breeds dominate the stock dogs used by the western ranching
industry: Australian shepherd, border collie, kelpie and
Queensland blue heeler. Various crosses of these and other
breeds are common and have resulted in some regional strains of
stock dogs. Each breed has its unique working style and
attributes.
Developed in the
British Isles centuries ago, border collies are one of the
oldest breeds in the stockdog world. Austalian shepherds are the
youngest of the four mentioned breeds and were developed not in
Australia, but in the western US in the last century.
There are two
working styles of stockdog on western livestock operations:
headers or heelers. Dogs described as headers have an inherent
tendency to fetch stock to the handler. There term heeler
describes a dog that has an inherent tendency to drive stock
away from the handler. Some dogs will display both styles.
When choosing a
stock dog, evaluate your temperament and attitude toward
livestock and decide on an appropriate breed.
When selecting a
breed and a puppy, it is important to deal with a reputable
breeder with a known working bloodline. Ask stockmen who work
dogs in similar settings to yours, to refer you to a breeder or
trainer.
Environment and
training is the major influence on the final ability of a
stockdog, but you must begin with a healthy and willing dog. |
