While a dog may be a man害羞草研究所檚 best friend, it害羞草研究所檚 also 害羞草研究所渁 valued partner,害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渟till get the job done,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 interest in sheep farming began as a child after seeing her uncle害羞草研究所檚 sheepdog farm in Saskatchewan.

While training a sheepdog is a process, it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渂asically guiding that natural instinct,害羞草研究所� said Snell.

害羞草研究所淵ou create a partnership and communicate to the dog what you want her to do,害羞草研究所� which involves pressure and release training害羞草研究所損reventing the behaviour you don害羞草研究所檛 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.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 want the dog looking at you too much. You want him concentrating on the sheep so that he害羞草研究所檚 watching for their tiniest, little move.害羞草研究所�

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.

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

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like a person learning to ride a bicycle. You can tell them and show them everything, but they have to feel it and that害羞草研究所檚 the same with the dogs.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所揻rom finding the judge to setting up the infrastructure害羞草研究所搕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 害羞草研究所漵it at the fence and watch the sheep.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 run around barking and being goofy like other dogs do. They害羞草研究所檙e interested in what害羞草研究所檚 going on in the field 害羞草研究所� They害羞草研究所檙e quite smart and they need to problem solve and think.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e really hard on themselves and they don害羞草研究所檛 know when to quit. So you have to really be mindful of that, especially in the heat.害羞草研究所�

For Snell, she doesn害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檙e still dealing with three unknowns.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 know what kind of a mood your dog害羞草研究所檚 going to be in that day or you害羞草研究所檙e going to be in or the sheep are going to be in, right 害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 very interesting that way. It害羞草研究所檚 very humbling as well.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 so much to learn that you just never get bored with it.害羞草研究所�

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

kim.kimberlin@blackpress.ca
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