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Questions and Answers
at the Finland Clinics 2009
I could ask millions of questions. Here are some of them. (Miimi)
Why did you choose Aussie instead of BC or some other herders?
What are the qualities of a good working Aussie? What are the qualities of a good Aussie? Same?
What can you say about differences between working dogs and breed dogs?
What you can say about the Aussies you saw here in Finland. Almost all of them are breed dogs.
If a person with Aussie does not have a stock of her/his own, how should she/he practice herding?
Linda’s Repsonses:
1. I have had Aussies since 1973 when I was in college. My
first Aussie was off a ranch and had a little coyote in her so she was the color
of one. She was very smart and very pretty but she traveled like a coyote, sort
of at an angle when trotting!
2. I love the way Aussies stay with you and want to do whatever you are doing. I love how loyal they are and especially how protective they can be. It is a major reason I have kept this breed. I used to have night classes in college and I would bring my dog with me and she would lie down next to my chair until class was over and then we would walk back to my car together. I believe she kept me safe. I also used to go running up the canyons alone except for my dog. I rode my horse over hundreds of acres as well and my faithful companion was with me keeping me safe from strangers. It is just comforting. Now we live in the country and I feel safe with my Aussies nearby and when I travel to trials. I don't believe a Border Collie would keep me safe like an Aussie. I think once you have this breed in your life, it is just difficult to change to another!
3. The qualities I listed above (#2) are the qualities I would expect in a good Aussie, and especially in a working Aussie. They are loyal, and protective, and they are interested in what we do no matter what it is! They seem to always want to be with us no matter what we are doing. Sometimes that can be annoying, but generally, it is just nice to have the company. I have a couple dogs that if they had hands they would do some of the chores along with me! They are a playful breed in general and I think they have pretty good senses of humor. I find that the breed dogs tend to be more playful in general although one of my working dogs is very playful. I think my girls tend to be that way and my boys are much more serious and down to business. I want my dogs to relax in the house and go and lay down, but then they need to be ready to work as soon as there is work to be done. That is how my working dogs operate and I like it.
4. I think one of the biggest differences between a working line dog and a breed dog is temperament. Of course, every dog is different and for every generality, there is a dog that will break the mold, but I think today they are breeding dogs for the show ring that tend to be younger in mind, they stay somewhat playful like pups, they have more coat, larger bone and are generally heavier in their bodies as a group. I also find them busier to live with but that could be a male/female difference. I believe my working dogs are much more intense when it comes to livestock and when they want something. They are very laid back in the house and are easy to live with, but they are very focused and, if not trained and given a leader when a pup and managed properly, you will have a very strong, focused dog that will end up being boss and working for themselves if you can't manage to be boss. Most working dogs need that. It is not a good combination if a gentle, soft woman has a strong willed intact male pup that grows to be a dominant full grown male Aussie. They are not your child or your baby. These working dogs are your partner and your employee and that is how they are happiest and respect you and how you get the most from them and how they learn to be the best they can be. They are not trying to beat you at every turn, they are asking what they can do for you and with you, if they know you are the boss! It is a totally different mind set from a dog that believes and knows it is in control. A working dog is generally mentally strong and needs a mentally strong owner. A breed dog can be that way also I'm sure, but much less so, I would think. I have only had a female breed dog and she was happy to mind once we established who was boss.
5. Yes, I think most of the dogs I saw in Finland were what I call breed dogs or dogs bred from show line dogs, not working line dogs. A couple were from a working line sire and a show line dam. When you do that, you can only hope that you get a good mix of their qualities that you want. There is no guarantee when you breed any dogs together of what you will get, even if you breed two working bred dogs together, you won't always get every single pup to work the way you would like. So, if you have one parent that doesn't work, then you are going to have a much larger chance that some of the pups won't work, or work very well.
There is always a huge list of working characteristics that are desirable, some more than others, and you will get some when you breed, and not others. When they are pups, you can't really tell what you have; you can just hope you made a good choice! One reason I have chosen to breed my male to a non working female is that I believe the Australian Shepherd breed as a whole needs to keep to its roots; which means we need to ensure our dogs have as many instincts as possible for working. Here in the U.S., many working breeders won't use their studs on breed bitches because they know many of the pups won't work and they don't want their stud blamed for that! My male has proven himself, done all there is to do beyond what any other dog has done, so he is above reproach. Anyone with any sort of intelligence would have to know that if the male is a working male and the bitch is a breed bitch, then she would be the one who contributed the pups who had no desire to work!! It doesn't mean the dogs are no good, it just means they didn't get the genetic material to do that job. All working dogs lack some qualities; the best dogs have the most instincts and are the easiest to train.
6. When I have puppies, I start to teach them from 8 weeks on. It is always gentle, but always consistent and firm. I never just put food down and leave it for them. All my dogs are taught to sit and wait for their food. As a pup, I hold onto a collar and teach sit and then the stay. Of course, they have no idea what they are being told, but they do know they can't eat until I say the magic word, 'ok'. They learn very quickly that I give all good things, and that I am the pack leader and they must obey. Once they can sit and stay without help from holding the collar, then I proof that during the day with treats and during play time. Then it’s time to teach the 'down'. Once they know that, I ask for that before dinner as well. Then I add that to their sit, down, and stay. I ask all my dogs to sit and stay and down all together and no one gets to eat until I say it’s ok to eat. If someone decides not to mind, no one eats. They learn very quickly it doesn't pay not to mind. You have to teach them to give you their mind and correct attitude otherwise you really will not have a respectful dog. This is extremely important with a working dog. You will never get a dog to work correctly if you cannot get your dog to respect you and mind you. They will do what they want, which is the easiest thing or the most fun thing, both of which are not good!
7. So, what to do if you don't have stock but would like to work your dog? You try and find someone where you can go to work your dog. If that isn't possible, then you make a trip or two to a stockdog trainer to see if your dog has any instincts that were genetically passed down. Give your dog a chance because sometimes the instincts are buried pretty deep. There might not be enough instinct to produce a super working/trialing dog, but they might have enough instincts to be a good chore dog on a farm, for example. So, don't give up after just one or two times on sheep. Let them try 8-10 times, if you can. If your dog just doesn't have the desire to work, then just find a different sport of your choice. They might be fantastic at agility or obedience for example. Herding will not be pleasant for either of you if your dog has no instincts so, I always suggest that folks go and buy a dog that has been bred for working stock, if this is something you would like to be involved with. I love working my dog on stock. I think when you finally get the dog trained to a nice level, there is nothing like it. There is a ‘oneness’ with your dog that you can't achieve with any other sport. You are dealing with live animals that other sports are not. Plus, for those of us that have farms and ranches, this isn't only a sport, it is work. And when you have a job well done it is a great feeling and the dog knows it too!!
Remember, start slow, be consistent, and the first time on stock needs to be controlled and calm and probably on a leash. Don't let the dog run wild. He will remember and you will have to go back and fix that later. Once the dog does something two times it is almost a habit and they are hard to break, so don't be in a rush!! Have fun, and give your dogs a chance to bring out their instincts. Finally, they are your partners, not your children, so expect them to listen and mind you and not watch you, but the sheep!!
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