We went to his first trial the other week at Widbey Island. I ran Ty in open and Vaider in ranch. It was not our best trial but we did have fun. The set out had the sheep very settled as we went to the handlers post so there was no motion up field. When I sent Vaider I felt he was going a little narrow but let him go. It turned out he got drawn by the motion of a vehicle going up the road, when I tried to redirect him he started for the sheep in the exhaust. I left the handlers post to help him find his sheep. Once he found his sheep he lifted them very nice and held the fetch line well. His drive was good; he held the line and made all the panels. We ran out of time at that point but I was quite happy with what he did. I was glad it was a training trial so even though we retired on the outrun we were able to keep going and still get to show him. I truly was not expecting him to not see his sheep as that is something that he has never even hinted at doing. With more experience he will have a better idea where to expect his sheep, even though we have been stretching him out, this trial is the first time he has had to go for sheep in a new field that we did not set the sheep before we started his outrun.

Vaider helped me with the rams today. They come and knock the llama’s grain off the post so she does not get any unless we hold the rams off. I was pleased with Vaider, he controlled the rams well and showed force when he needed to (something we have been working on). He is so kind and patient with his stock yet he was able to handle the rams, moving them away from the grain and llama when that is where they wanted to be showing both force and cover.

Vaider is more and more able to fill in for Ty which gives Ty the rest that he needs and I hope that will allow me to trial them both more then we have been able to the last few years.

Vaider has nice eye being able to hold his stock but not holding them so hard that he draws them back upon himself. He is beginning to hold drive lines for some distance (how far he will hold the line varies depending upon how freely the sheep are moving, free moving sheep allow the line to be longer). He is putting herding principles to work, being able to preform tasks he has not been asked to preform before.

Vaider is still a nice dog to hangout with and as he matures he just keeps becoming a nicer and nicer dog to herd with. The way he interacts with me is very similar to my old Border Collie, Nikki. He helps me relax and not take things so seriously (though Trudy would tell you this is still my ONE weakness haa haa).

Nikki retired and enjoying life

What can you say about a companion that has been around a large portion of your adult life? I was not looking for another dog when Nikki came along. I had two Border Collies and I considered myself a two dog man. My theory was (and is) I like to have experienced dog and then one young dog to start so I always have one dog going at all times. I like to keep at least four years between my dogs so I can focus on training the pup and so I do not end up with many old dogs all at once (that is the theory anyway).

It was in the fall of 1994 that I was just about to start a young dog. He was a very handsome dog. One day while I was photographing a collage rodeo, the rodeo coach from the collage I was attending came up to me and told me he had to have my young dog. I struggle letting go of a dog once I get them so the coach and I talked back and forth for a few months till finally I gave in to reason and traded my young dog to him. The deal was I could go to this one breeders place and choose any dog I wanted on his place, that was for sale, in exchange for my young dog. To my surprise I came home with a three month old shy “female” with no name. I did not normally run bitches cause breeding was not what I wanted to do and I did not want the hassles of making sure I had no accidents. Not long after she came home she was dubbed Nikki. 

Nikki was a shy girl. Her breeder assured me that all of his pups were like that but came out of it as he began working with them. Nikki became kind of a one man dog. Her shy streak made it so she would not let anyone really do much with her. My Aunt Gloria was the first one that took the time to get to know Nikki and was the first person other then myself that Nikki would let handle her. There were a couple others people after my aunt that spent some time with Nikki but it wasn’t until I began dating Trudy that Nikki began to show trust in people other then myself.

Trudy Looked after Nikki for me while I went to interview for Vet school. When I came back she had stories of all the things her and Nikki had done while I was gone and was very excited to show me all the “tricks” she had taught Nikki. Well cowdogs and tricks just did not seem to mix in my mind but trying to impress Trudy I smiled and told her I could not wait to see them. True to Nikki’s image of a one man dog she did not do any of the tricks Trudy had taught her and went as far as to stick close to me and look at Trudy like she would never do tricks. This would happen over and over so when ever Trudy did anything with Nikki that she wanted to show me; I would go into the bleachers in the arena, Trudy would go get Nikki from the truck and bring her into the arena and do their tricks until Nikki would eventually notice me andthen stop doing the tricks and just come hang out with me. Once Nikki noticed me she was one hundred percent mine (this would drive Trudy crazy). When I was not around Nikki would give all of her attention to who ever she was with making them feel that they had broken through Nikki’s shell, when I would come back she would act like she had never been with the other person often acting like they were not even there. She was probably the most loyal dog I have ever met, a loyalty I could never truly deserve. It did make Trudy happy that Nikki would leave me if the truck started up, she use to say the one thing Nikki put above me was the truck. If Trudy was having trouble getting Nikki to leave me she would start a vehicle and Nikki would come at a run.

Family photo at one of the family reunions not long after Trudy and I were married

Nikki probably deserves credit for getting Trudy and I together. Trudy was more impressed by Nikki and that I brought her to university with me then she probably ever was just with me. I like to think that changed with time but Nikki and I were a package so Trudy put up with me.

Nikki was with me as I rode feedlot and for ranches. She had toubleleaving my side. If I tried to send her for stock much over a hundred yards she would either leave them and come back to me or she would stop and look back at me as if to say ” well are you coming or what?” then continue just a little farther each time I told her. When she got to the point that she wanted me to keep up with her it was often easier to go with her then to keep telling her to go a little farther. Nikki excelled in the pens or as a push up dog. She loved to follow me on my horse and just push up the lagging cattle that were close to me.

I always considered Nikki as a chore dog rather then a trial dog. At the age of nine I ran Nikki in some AKC trials to help some friends with a trial they were hosting. To my surprise Nikki placed in each of the runs she did. She earned her advanced herding title and finished fulfilling my requirements to be elegable to Judge AKC.

I remember when we left the ranches I would hear people talk about their herding dogs and the levels they were running at. This would intimidate me until these same people began asking me if I could help them move stock since there were no fences between the fields they were moving from and to. I would think ” Nikki is just a chore dog you have a dog with all these accomplishments what do you need us for?”  Nikki did these tasks with ease.

Nikki did not like to get far from me but she never failed to try to do what ever I ask of her. Looking back I can think of many times that I asked Nikki to do things that bothered her (even things she was afraid of) but she would put her fears aside to try to do what I asked.

photo- Eric Viklund

It was very hard for me to say good bye to my faithful friend but after 15 1/2 years, on January 2nd 2010, it was time to let my friend go. It is hard for me to not have her following me around; I still catch myself looking for her when I am out in the yard and she is not by my side.

The most loyal dog I have ever known, Nikki will alway have a special place in my heart and memories. She has been instrumental in helping me become the trainer that I am today. She helped me learn more then I can put into a simple tribute andwill always be a part of who I am. My dog, my friend, my family… My Nikki.

Kes as a young dog

Trudy got Kes about 8 months before we got married. It was a long search to find just the right Aussie. Trudy had some very specific requirements for her Aussie. It had to be a blue merle but not just any blue merle, it had to be one of the “pretty” ones. Then she wanted it to have blue eyes. Did I mention that only a bitch would be accepted? After looking at many litters with many reasons why each was not acceptable, a little six month old blue bitch was heard about on the Oregon coast. This ment another road trip; you can imagine a guy running border collies… an Aussie is an Aussie is an Aussie… wondering what was wrong with the last one and thinking this will be the the same. We got out there and the pups were brought out. It was love at first sight. With the pretty blue merle bitch with blue eyes filled, now the last requirement had to be filled; the personality test. After what seemed like forever being spent with this pup evaluating its personality and temperament Trudy decided that this was the pup she had been searching for.

With the decision made we sat down to review the “puppy contract”, WHAT? Trudy asked me what I thought of the contract. I could only say “I would never sign it”. In the world I was in with herding dogs there was only the shake of a hand and the cash paid making the dog yours to do with what you would; to be sold, bred, and used how you saw fit. Trudy explained that in her world a puppy contract was standard and no big deal. I sat down to listen thinking it is just an Aussie, we have looked this long we can just keep looking (remember, an Aussie is an Aussie is an Aussie) another one is bound to come along. Needless to say we left the Oregon coast with a little blue eyed blue merle Aussie bitch with no name in the pickup with us and consuming all of Trudy’s attention (poor me).

After many days of deliberation Trudy settled on a name. The pretty little blue eyed, blue merle Aussie bitch would from that day on be called; Three B’s Redfern Blue Kestrel, known to the world as Kes.

Kes was one of the most flexible dogs I had ever been around. Throughout her life she often amazed me as to how flexible she was. I remember the first time I found how flexible she was; we were doing an examination of her (I do not remember the reason) and as I lifted her head it kept going and going till she was nearly looking backwards over her back. This was an ability she had even as an older dog.

Kes with Smokey ready for one of Trudys rides to the river

When Trudy and I married Trudy was managing a warmblood farm. Kes would go everywhere with Trudy and could get out of nearly anything to be with her. Trudy tried to put Kes in a feed room when she had to work with the studs, this proved to be fruitless and it was easier to teach Kes what she could do while Trudy worked the studs then to keep her confined while the work was being done. Kes always enjoyed the trail rides and going to the river, she loved to be doing things with Trudy.  As chores where being done Kes was always being tested; running through culverts, jumping onto the haystack, walking across rails and on and on. She loved the geese at the warmblood farm and would often try to herd them. The geese learned to go into the settling pond to avoid being worked but Kes worked that out by going around the the pond and eventually swimming through it to get to the geese and was soon able to put the geese into and out of the pond on Trudies command. It was also while we were at the warmblood farm that Trudy and Kes competed in their first herding trial.

To the time of the trial Kes and Trudy had only been on the farm geese and chasing sandpipers on the ocean beach. Trudy had faith in Kes and entered her into the AKC HT on sheep though Kes had never in her life seen a sheep. Kes lived up to Trudies belief in her qualifying both times and left the trial with her HT and in Trudy a strong desire to compete in herding. We did not have stock to train on so Kes and Trudy did general obedience and farm agility for fun.

We left the Warmblood farm that winter and moved south to Battle Ground Wa where Trudy found a place she could rent livestock to train Kes on. Kes proved to be very trainable. As they did lessons their instructor would tell Trudy what Kes need to do for their next step and to his amazement, Kes would have the skill mastered by their next lesson.

Kes competed in a number of different trialing venues on cattle, ducks, and sheep. She is the dog that I refer to as ”fluffy” that beat me at a Western Cowdog Trial with my tough “win any battle thrown at him” Kelpie to win the Sam Noble Memorial buckle in the rancher class in 2002 at Bruno Idaho. I will tell you that was a long 8 hour drive home fuming at fluffy for beating me and looking at what should have been my buckle sitting on the dash. Kes did deserve the win though, she got the cattle farther through the course then any of the dogs including the open class. She kept her cattle calm and just held her ground till the cattle simply turned off her and went through the obstacles. When Trudy went up to accept the buckle and have her picture taken for an article that was planned to be sent to the Ranch Dog Trainer magazine the presenter asked why she did not bring the dog she won with. When Trudy answered that this was the dog the presenter looked down at Kes and said “you won with THAT”. Kes did not make it into the magazine for the win, when the article came out her class was not included in the article; a sad note but not the first, nor the only, time Kes had to deal with being underestimated because she was an Aussie (I was the first she had to break the perception of an Aussie is an Aussie…).

Kes ready to work the pens

Kes won a number of high in trials and reserve high in trials as she achieved her WTCH (working trial champion with ASCA) and her HC (herding champion with AHBA). As Trudy trained and worked with Kes they impressed many people; Patrick Shannahan once commented that Kes was an Aussies that he thought could compete in the USBCHA sheep dog trials at a Pro-Novice level. Even after Kes retired from the trial world she was Trudies main chore dog and was with Trudy each day to set stock up for the other dogs Trudy was working. 

Kes, Tick, and Newt Photo by Dancing Dog photography

Kes only had one Litter but out of that litter alone more then enough points were acquired to put her into the ASCA hall of fame dam. That litter put the sire into the ASCA hall of fame as well (again all the points were acquired by this litter with points to spare). Kes’s only litter also finished earning the points to put Kes’s breeders kennel into the ASCA hall of fame also. So much contributed by Kes by being the foundation dam of Double V Aussies and hooking Trudy on herding.

Kes was found with Trudy working sheep and cattle right up to the week before her passing. We Lost Kes Thanksgiving weekend this year. She was healthy and active right up to the end. It happened so fast that the vets were not able to diagnose exactly what was happening.

Kes taught me many things, probably the most important is an Aussie is not an Aussie is not an Aussie…  She did all of her jobs to the best of her ability and loved doing it. She was always ready for a car ride, trail ride, a walk to the river, working livestock, or just hanging out and happy to do it as long as it was with us.

This tribute to Kes is all we can do for her now. We miss and Love our dog, our friend, our family; we miss Kes.

He is beginning to be able to drive both cattle and sheep. He shows a lot of patience in his driving giving the stock plenty of time to move off of him; this does diminish some battles as the stock trust him and is very nice for young stock.

I am still letting him be a little pushy on his lifts but it is beginning to feel like we need to start to ask him to change that. I have been letting him be pushy on his lifts hoping that it will build him up for the cattle work.

Setting stock for a Larry Painter clinic hosted by Kelly Orr in New Plymoth Idaho the other week, Vaider did step up to deal with the cattle and their draws. The cattle that were being used were young dairy bulls. I was pleased with what Vaider showed, holding the heads well and even showing some strength turning back some of these bulls from running to the feed yard or towards the others not being used.

Vaider is slowly becoming less of a specialist and more of an all-round dog. He has always been a nice dog to hang out with. He likes to be with me and is very manageable in most situations.

I put him out to help Ty when I went to wean the calves and he did not think much of that. He had a mother cow come out at him. To this his answer was to run off. He has turned away from the heads of cattle since that incident but is slowly getting better. He is still willing to work the steers and heifers that he had been working before the pairs incident but does check up when they turn into him.

At this stage he definately is prefering sheep to cattle but the hope is that will change given more time.

2009 was a very hot year. We worked stock in the morning (early to beat the heat) and in the afternoons each of the clinicians took an afternoon to discuss a topic.

On the last day of the camp the campers all participate in a fun day that consists of games and challenges to cement four days of dog work and human companionship found at camp.

Look forward to the week of July 26th, 2010 for the next Fidos farm sheep camp.

We have backed off on the cattle. He is dealing with them but I feel he needs to build a little more strengh on sheep before we focus on the cattle. This is not to say he does not see cattle just that we pick the situations to be sure it is a good experience (for him and I). He is showing some very nice sheep dog qualities, cattle dog qualities are a little hit and miss at this time.

Vaider is a dog that is very eager to please. He likes to be liked and tries to be fair to handler and livestock.

Ty working a race summer 2008

Ty and I ran at a USBCHA trial this weekend in Roy Washington. We were entered in the open class, open being the most advanced level in USBCHA. We ended up with a score of 78 giving us 5th place; 84 was the 1st place score.  When ever I run him he alway makes me realize how lucky I am to have a dog like him.

I have always prided Ty on his silent gather. At a number of trials there have been comments on him being able to gather the stock to me without  a command. This trial had the fetch panels about 20 ft to the left of being a straight fetch. As Ty brought the sheep down he brought them straight, I attempted to flank him over to move the sheep to the panels. He flanked for me but then rightaway flanked back to keep the sheep straight to me. I had enough time to make three attempts but on all three attempts got the same responce (what do they say about doing the same thing repeatedly expecting different results?). In the end we missed our fetch panels. If I was judging I had 2 points off for offline to the panels, 5 points off for missing the panels, and 2 points off for offline from the panels giving a total of 9 points and there went the first placement.

We can always look at trials and find things that “if only…. we would have…..” but good work is good work. Ty did some very nice work and I was very proud of the run he did. He kept sheep that like to run relaxed and at an even pace throughout the coarse. He brought the sheep straight to the alley and through it without a bobble. His shed was quick and clean on sheep that they said would not be fair to judge the contestant on more then a split (too bad). It is when he moves and controls sheep in this manner that I am reminded why he is my top dog.

Tick

Trudy and Tick also did well at the Roy trial. They ran in the Pro-Novice class. Tick had one of the best outruns I have seen her do. She ran deeper then most of the border collies that were running in her class. She was deep but also checking in on her sheep while she was doing her outrun. The alley was straight and smooth. In the end she placed 2nd in her class. Good job Trudy and Tick.

Dave and Trudy while hosting large flock clinic 2008 (photo Shirley Oberg)

The fall of 2008 we organized and hosted a large flock clinic up in the hills outside of Pendleton. The Clinician was Simon Leaning. A good time was had by all. We thank Eric and Katie Harlow of Harlow Sheep Company for setting up the pens and suppling the sheep. At one count the participants were working over 2000 head. During the day we worked on chutes, pens, and out work with about 400 head. Each day started with a gather and sort and ended mixing the flock again and taking them to the bedding grounds.