Dog Training--Winslide Australian Shepherds

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Wonderful article about Linda and the dogs of Winslide
written for the Aug 2011 Georgtown View by Carol Hutchison.
click here to read

Hi, I'm Linda Bell, a member of the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA), a member of the Texas Sheep Dog Assn/Texas Cattle Dog Assn (TSDA/TCDA), and a judge for AKC (the American Kennel Club) and the American Herding Breed Association (AHBA). I have been training and trialing for a number of years in all of these organizations as well as AKC. I have trained and titled with all of my dogs through a WTCH, Working Trial Champion. I have completed other working titles, as well as competing and placing in the ASCA National Finals with both dogs. I have also trained and titled other breeds of dogs in ASCA, AKC and AHBA for their owners including earning a WTCH for a client's Border Collie. My knowledge of the Aussie working style combined with my experience as a certified teacher in agriculture helps dog owners not only understand what to do, but why to do it. My philosophy? It is just as important to train the handler on stock as it is the dog.

When you come for lessons or clinics at my farm, you will be instructed on the fundamentals of stock work and herding concepts. The safety and health of the livestock comes first. I always say that my sheep don't volunteer for this work! Specifically, you will learn how to read stock, where to position yourself and your dog in the arena, and how to place the dog where it needs to be. All dogs are worked individually. The primary goal for beginning handlers is to learn about the stock (how it moves, why it moves, what to expect), and how to keep their dog working constructively. For more advanced handlers, advice and training for trialing strategies is available.

Please have a look at the photos below to get a feel for our place. Contact us, if you'd like to stop by and train! Clinics, private lessons, small group instruction and demonstrations available. Also contact us for more information and to schedule an off-site clinic. All herding breeds accepted.

We are in Georgetown, Texas, a short drive north of Austin and about an hour south of Waco.

100 x 100 foot arena
175 x 275 foot outdoor arena
Various sizes of pens
15-acre hay pasture
Barbadoes, St. Croix, Katahdin sheep
Ducks
Occasionally cattle


50-foot round pen	15-acre hay pasture for advanced dogs

Some of our various-sized pens. Middle background of picture shows our 100 x 100 arena, and far background shows our 275 x 175 arena.

Dog-broke sheep, lambs and ducks occasionally for sale - goats and cattle may be available for lessons

Our Livestock Guardian Dogs, a Maremma-Sarplaninac girl and two white Maremma boys