While a dog may be a man含羞草研究社檚 best friend, it含羞草研究社檚 also 含羞草研究社渁 valued partner,含羞草研究社� treated better than even a pet, said Judy Snell.

Snell has been farming for around 25 years. A retired CPA, she spends her time on her 48-acre farm with her husband, Stuart Brunderidge, raising market sheep.

While one set of helping hands can go a long way, paws can double that.

Among the hired paws are Mo, Becca, Bess and Skye. The latter two, now retired, are not as fast as they used to be but 含羞草研究社渟till get the job done,含羞草研究社� said Snell. A puppy will also be joining the farm soon.

The farmers, the four border collies and the approximately 170 sheep live in Cowichan Valley on Thistle Dew Farm, which the couple purchased around ten years ago. Before this, they had a smaller farm near Shawnigan Lake with around 20 sheep. Snell含羞草研究社檚 interest in sheep farming began as a child after seeing her uncle含羞草研究社檚 sheepdog farm in Saskatchewan.

While training a sheepdog is a process, it含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渂asically guiding that natural instinct,含羞草研究社� said Snell.

含羞草研究社淵ou create a partnership and communicate to the dog what you want her to do,含羞草研究社� which involves pressure and release training含羞草研究社損reventing the behaviour you don含羞草研究社檛 want and encouraging the behaviour you do.

For Snell, this involves using her body to block the dogs or move them in a certain direction. When training, she discouraged using hand signals.

含羞草研究社淵ou don含羞草研究社檛 want the dog looking at you too much. You want him concentrating on the sheep so that he含羞草研究社檚 watching for their tiniest, little move.含羞草研究社�

Naturally, sheepdogs should go around the sheep as opposed to directly at them, which would terrify the sheep, causing them to scatter and run, explained Snell. Depending on the dog, starting them in a small pen may be easier so the handler can better guide them.

含羞草研究社淢ost dogs, all they wanna do is control the movement of the sheep, and they含羞草研究社檙e just trying to figure out how to do that. So you含羞草研究社檙e helping them figure that out, but they have to ultimately figure it out on their own.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 like a person learning to ride a bicycle. You can tell them and show them everything, but they have to feel it and that含羞草研究社檚 the same with the dogs.含羞草研究社�

Along with farming, Snell hosted the Thistle Dew Sheepdog Trial in June, her second time hosting the competition. In the past, Snell has driven up to two days to attend events, from Dawson Creek in northern B.C. down to Oregon.

The two-day trial involved around 100 of Snell含羞草研究社檚 sheep, 30 or so handlers and about 50 dogs. Each team started with 100 points and was docked points when a dog made a mistake. The dogs had to guide the sheep toward and away from the handlers through different panels. Contestants placing first through third took home prize money.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 awe-inspiring. The things [the dogs] are able to do and how incredibly smart a lot of them are, it just takes your breath away.含羞草研究社�

The competition classes can vary, depending on the number of teams and their backgrounds. There may be a nursery class for dogs under three, a novice-novice class for green dogs and handlers, a pro-novice class and finally, an open class with experienced handlers and dogs, said Snell.

While organizing a competition is a lot of work含羞草研究社揻rom finding the judge to setting up the infrastructure含羞草研究社搕he dogs are ready and waiting.

Unlike at a dog park, where dogs frolic in the wind and mud, tongues hanging out in the pursuit of balls, other dogs or their own tails, border collies 含羞草研究社漵it at the fence and watch the sheep.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 run around barking and being goofy like other dogs do. They含羞草研究社檙e interested in what含羞草研究社檚 going on in the field 含羞草研究社� They含羞草研究社檙e quite smart and they need to problem solve and think.含羞草研究社�

Border collies live to be around 15. While they含羞草研究社檙e prone to health conditions like eye and joint problems, Snell said that their own worst enemy is probably themselves.

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e really hard on themselves and they don含羞草研究社檛 know when to quit. So you have to really be mindful of that, especially in the heat.含羞草研究社�

For Snell, she doesn含羞草研究社檛 trial her dogs past the age of 10.

Sheepdog competitions can be complex and hard to get good at, Snell explained. The equipment may not move around, but you含羞草研究社檙e still dealing with three unknowns.

含羞草研究社淵ou don含羞草研究社檛 know what kind of a mood your dog含羞草研究社檚 going to be in that day or you含羞草研究社檙e going to be in or the sheep are going to be in, right 含羞草研究社� It含羞草研究社檚 very interesting that way. It含羞草研究社檚 very humbling as well.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 so much to learn that you just never get bored with it.含羞草研究社�

Come find the sheepdogs by visiting facebook.com/moandbecca.

kim.kimberlin@blackpress.ca
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