Champion Australian Shepherd in action

[skunkstripe]

If you enjoy watching wrking dogs in action, take a look at this. It isn't new, but there is some great camera work of an Aussie who is an honest to goodness working ranch dog. Cash herds cattle, fowl, sheep, and shows that typical "stalk." It's worth a watch even if only the second softest spot in your heart is reserved for herding dogs. :)

http://wcco.com/pets/stock.dog.cash.2.362592.html

[Monkey]

WOW!!! that's a good dog!!

I love to see working dogs in action...!!

[agilityk9trainer]

Wish I could watch video. I'd like to see this one.

[skunkstripe]

agilityk9trainer, why can't you watch it?

[agilityk9trainer]

Dialup. It takes about half an hour to download two minutes of video. I'm getting an upgrade next year.

[sheplovr]

WOW what a dog. I have seen that woman on Animal Planet training she is using that new little breed short tailed, AKC just inducted it into the registry. She is teaching that little thing like a Corgi to herd, it cannot even see above some of high grasses. She is darn good, very good dog, this comes kinda natural for them. In Germany they use the dogs on goats there also. Sheep is a high priority for the dogs there too. Good video Jean.:D

[skunkstripe]

I found something similar and so added it to this thread. This seems to be a dying proession for the dogs, and more and more it is turning into a hobby as opposed to these dogs actually 'working.'
“In the 1980s, I would see one or two handlers out of 25 who weren’t ranchers,” said William Slaven, of Yolo County. At this year’s Mendocino fair finals, Mr. Slaven, 79, was one of only two ranchers competing. He and his hard-driving border collie, Roy, herd 500 sheep — down from 1,500 after a pasture fire last year.
...
Working dogs are still used to move flocks of sheep. But for the hobbyists, sheep serve a different purpose: “An awful lot of us now only have sheep to entertain our dogs,” said a finalist here, Jack Mathieson, a systems analyst.

full story at source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/us/21sheep.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[Aussiepaws]

If I had the space I'd probably get sheep or ducks for my Aussie Cadence to work. She shows very strong herding instincts but finding someone to teach us to work stock in my neck of the woods without traveling 50-100 miles to train isn't gonna happen very soon with the price of gas these days.

[War]

Awesome video! Thank you for the link yea my Aussie has a strong herding instinct too
When she gets old enough I will get her into herding

[kelsiebug]

Great looking dog! :D