Developing a Thinking Dog… A homesteader / farmer / small rancher came with his Aussie the other day. The dog was nice and talented. We talked about his goals and…
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The 2024 Working Aussie Futurity is in the books! The event went out without much of a hitch. Ten amazing trainers and dogs met up in Frost, Texas to share…
March 29-31: Spring Cattle Extravaganza (3-day cattle camp) We will be working cattle all weekend long. April 5-7: AHBA & MSSA trials. We had a blast last time and we…
Do we ditch the judges? That is the question many of us have been pondering for the last few years. I have been trialing actively for the last 7 years…
Big Announcement: This fall is going to be so EXCITING here at the Ranch! I am soooooo thrilled to share our plans with you today! I have been planning this…
There is no such thing as perfect, that’s for sure. Several people have recently asked me about my set up. So it forced me to create some content. I like…
Due to popular demand, we are having a futurity! It’s an Australian Shepherd only futurity. Futurities used to be a common occurrence in our breed, however the last futurity anyone…
INTERVIEW WITH GARY ERICSSON FROM SALMON, IDAHO This interview took place in 1988. At the time of the CenTex Futurity in Richmond, Texas. Gary, with his two blue merle dogs,…
5 Chores a Working Aussie Does on the Farm or Ranch, Plus 1 Thing They Excel at Other than Working A working bred Australian Shepherd can be one of the…
by Andrea Scott I conducted this interview in the spring of 2019. It is done in an oral history format. As is often the case of oral history, subjects weave…
We all know that photos and videos can be edited or made to look like something is there that’s not. The only way to tell if something is the way…
Sarah has been a wonderful new voice for the working Aussie for a few years. A protege of Elvin Kopp, she has a systematic take, a great way of explaining…
By Kristin Tara Horowitz Full disclosure: I have edit credits for the book in this review. I was sent a previous version for review and offered to do final edits while writing this review. It is truly an honor to be involved with a book of this…
Terry Martin, home of HOF Slash V Aussies. KH: Can you tell me about your foundation dogs? Who do you consider had the most influence on your program? TM: My…
Reprinted with Permission from Stockdog Trainer, Dec 90/Jan 91 by John C. Rossy, Lecoma MO I’ve been raising sheep and training my own dogs for a number of years, including…
Author Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor had a little package waiting for me after a particularly tough day . . . I opened it up and was super pleased to see something…
Whether you’re new to livestock, or just new to working livestock with dogs – there is a lot to learn! While the working Australian Shepherd is instinctive, a handler with…
By Kristin Tara Horowitz This particular subject is near and dear to my heart because as I write this, I have a litter on the ground with this issue —…
Susan Boyd is a Working Aussie Souce member with amazing photos and a recent video clip that led to this article. WAS:Can you tell us about your operation? My husband…
Ed note: I asked Joe some questions because of late he has been doing an amazing job of educating not only the Aussie folk, but the stockdog folk in general…
K9 Flu and Communicable Disease – Tips from a Pro by: Amy Bradley Last week I had the chance to speak to Dr. Cynda Crawford, DVM PhD (link: http://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/about-us/meet-the-team/cynda-crawford-dvm-phd/ )…
Sarah Martin, of G-S Ranch, runs purebred red Angus with her husband and his family in northern Alberta, Canada. She is available for clinics. WAS: How did you get…
A simple text listing really doesn’t work for people looking at the internet. To get the most out of your presence here, we suggest the following: Photos: Select high quality…
I think this is true for most Aussie people, but Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor is my first Aussie mentor. It started because her book (All About Aussies) was the first one…
You may see listings here and on breeders’ sites with a lot of alphabet soup. A number of genetic tests have been developed to better predict inherited health problems in…
We've brought together articles from many sources here; besides those commissioned by us, there are re-publications from websites, magazines, and online discussion boards. All are copyrighted to the authors unless...
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STOCKDOG TRIAL AND HERDING TITLES All Titles are Suffix titles unless indicated otherwise! ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) STD — Started Trial Dog, beginning level OTD — Open Trial…
THE WORKING DESCRIPTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD Adopted by the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America on March 12, 2006 Introduction The Australian Shepherd was developed in…
Question and Answers: How to Start a Cowdog (Working Aussie Source editor note: this Ranch Dog Trainer magazine format poses one reader question to several experienced stockmen, in this case,…
THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD’S ORIGIN AND HISTORY: Photo Gallery, Part One of Four by Gwen Stevenson Working Aussie Source editor’s note: Gwen Stevenson was a founding member of ASCA, who lived…
THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD’S ORIGIN AND HISTORY by Gwen Stevenson (Working Aussie Source editor’s note: Gwen Stevenson was a founding member of ASCA, who lived in Oak Run, California. This is…
PRE-HERDING TRAINING by Anne Shope Many people we’ve come across do some puppy preparation for herding; the normal sits, downs, stays, and walk up. Specifically, working on the down away…
SHEEPWAGON DOGS These photos are of dogs used to herd sheep in the Western US from the 19th century onward to the present. Most are from Wyoming and Montana. It…
JAY SISLER, THE MAN BEHIND THOSE FAMOUS BLUE DOGS An interview with his wife Joy and daughter Maggie by Andrea Scott Anyone who is acquainted with Australian Shepherds knows the…
DOWN OR STAND by Gemi Sasson-Brickson, Jamie Burns, Anne Jespersen, Maarten Walter Gemi Sasson-Brickson— I’d like to know, for those of you who use a stand-stay when working stock, how…
STARTING DRIVING by Melinda May, Dicky Renn, Jamie Burns, Maarten Walter, Kathi Schwengel Melinda May— I have a problem training the drive . . . mostly on sheep. I can…
WHEN TO START TRIALING by Tenley Dexter and Maarten Walter Question: Have been using my Aussie for chores and taken some formal lessons on herding. Question is at what point…
THE RULE OF TEN by Jay Homan, Rose McCleod, & Darlene Lasko 1. TRUST YOUR DOG! 2. LEARN TO WALK BACKWARDS 3. KEEP MOVING 4. WATCH YOUR SHEEP! 5. KEEP…
FIXING THE OUTRUN: INITIAL SHAPING Question and Answer Forum from Ranch Dog Trainer Magazine by H.J. Cannon Jr. and Kent Kuykendall QUESTION: In most training articles the pup always gets…
FIXING THE OUTRUN: CROSSING OVER Question and Answer Forum from Ranch Dog Trainer Magazine QUESTION: I have a dog that I sent to the trainer. He stayed 3 months and…
MEMORIES OF WORKING AUSSIES OF YESTERYEAR A pastiche of several discussions which have taken place on the internet board Aussie-Herders. Because of the nature of yahoo boards, there has been…
FLIPPING AWAY ON ONE FLANK by Melinda May, Anne Jespersen, Tenley Dexter, Marsha Westerman Melinda–I’m looking for suggestions on positioning and timing for how to correct a pup that is…
QUESTION AND ANSWER: STARTING COWDOGS ON SHEEP? YES OR NO? Question: I just got 2 pups, two different breeds. I have 280 head of momma cows and 60 replacement heifers….
THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD AS A SHEEPDOG by Mari Taggart Morrison The Australian Shepherd has a long and proud history as a sheep dog. Many in America got their first glimpse…
USING “AGGRESSIVE DOMINANCE” TECHNIQUES WITH CLOSE- RUNNING SHEEP DOGS by Mari Taggart Morrison The ideal gathering dog is one who runs as wide as we ask him to so that…
MY BUDDY BUZZ by Roger Moore This is a story that has been shared with others, but I always enjoy the opportunity to “talk dogs”. I hope RDT readers will…
WHAT, WHEN, AND HOW an interview with Australian cattleman Tony McCallum by the staff of Ranch Dog Trainer Magazine Working in different types of terrain, most of it heavy timber…
THE AUSSIE STYLE AND OUTRUN by Terry Martin I have said the ideal Australian Shepherd is one who will grip both the head and the heels. Every ranch or farm…
“THAT’S HOW IT’S DONE” by Dana Mackenzie A friend of mine, Kaye Harris of Crown Point Australian Shepherds, related this story to me some time ago. Names have been changed…
SLIP AND RED by Dana Mackenzie Sometimes we are lucky enough to be witness to an age-old ballet played out in perfect harmony between man and animal. It leaves us…
SOME COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WHEN TRAINING THE LOOSE-EYED DOG by Dana MacKenzie The term “Loose-eyed” refers to dogs which do not work with the intense eye or concentration of…
THE MEASURE OF A PUPPY’S HEART by Dana Mackenzie Betty Williams, an attractive ranch-bred-and-raised woman from Central Montana, told me the following story: In 1986, my husband fractured his ankle…
THOUGHTS ON DRIVING by Dana MacKenzie Some thoughts on driving: 1. From about the third exposure to sheep on, as I enter the training area on lead, I ask the…
FOOT FARMING by Dana MacKenzie A while back Tony Rohne asked me to write a short article about “Foot Farming” in East Texas. It kinds goes along with the thoughts…
WORKING CORNERS by Butch Larson The purpose of working corners is to build confidence and to teach your dog the correct way to approach livestock in a tight spot. So…
HISTORY OF THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD by Maryland Little (editor’s note: Maryland Little was an early breeder of Australian Shepherds in Riverside, California. A paragraph about her was included in the…
SELECTING WHISTLES by Beverly Lambert Teaching a dog to work on whistles is very easy and saves an enormous amount of effort over the long haul. A dog working any…
DEVELOPING THE WHOLE CATTLEDOG Part 3: Beginning Work by Rusty Johnson If I remember right, we left off last time socializing. Before we move on I want to state: “Even…
DEVELOPING THE WHOLE CATTLEDOG PART SIX: Side Commands by Rusty Johnson I will include this part of the series because this is what everyone wants. It seems like everyone is…
DEVELOPING THE WHOLE CATTLEDOG Part two: Socializing the Puppy by Rusty Johnson So, you’ve decided what kind of dog you want. You selected a breeding that filled the requirements of…
BUILDING STRENGTH IN A YOUNG DOG by Rusty Johnson Let me say first on this subject, that training a dog is like sculpting a beautiful statue. The statue was there…
THE WHOLE CATTLEDOG: part one: picking a pup by Rusty Johnson I am writing this series for those people who, like myself, love, honor and cherish their cattledogs. With the…
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE READY TO TRIAL by Anne Jespersen These are the guidelines I keep in mind for myself which may be helpful for other people who are…
Do You Want or Need That Much Control? by Rusty Johnson When you go to gather your cattle do you want your dog to leave your feet at a 65…
GETTING A STOP by Anne Jespersen Question: I wanted to start herding and slowly I am, but how do I get my dog to stop on command? Once she is…
TEACHING A DOG TO TAKE TIME by Herbert Holmes As with all lessons on anything, I do not believe that a particular method is 100% for all dogs and/or people….
WINTER WORK by Joan Holmes I have to say I was very pleased with my little blue dog tonight! In southern Alberta, February evenings are pretty cold. This night it…
“UNBRIDLED ENTHUSIASM” or TEACHING TO GRIP by Mark Hodges Ad Astra Halcyon or “Hallie” had a firm grip on what the command Get Ahold meant in the context of our…
THREE STORIES ABOUT RORY by Mark Hodges WTCH Bear’s Aurora of Windsor RTDcs JS-E RS-O GS-N DNA-VP Urban Cowdog: I was always hearing that trialing dogs that belong to “hobby…
REBUILDING CONFIDENCE by Laura Hicks Confidence. It is such an all encompassing word. A dog needs it to work stock well. It is also something that is developed and built…
WILD BISON: THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor Bison management problems had developed during the late 1970’s and 80’s in various national parks throughout the western United States. Part…
A GLOSSARY OF HERDING TERMS AND COMMANDS balance point The correct positions of the dog, stock and handler relative to each other, and the dog’s sense of where this is….
VANISHED TRAILS AND FADED MEMORIES of Australian Shepherd History by Ernest Hartnagle and Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor Some historians propose Basques and their sheepdogs from the Pyrenees played an insignificant role…
THE WALT LAMAR STORY One of ASCA’s Heaviest Heavyweights by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor and Ernie Hartnagle If you mention Walt Lamar’s name to a team roper or a steer wrestler,…
CARRYING ON THE TRADITION — THE TAYLOR FAMILIES OF LIVESTOCK story and photos by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor On a high mountain range in Utah, Joe Taylor grinned at me and…
LOIS GEORGE, COPPER CANYON, AND A DOG NAMED RED by Ernie Hartnagle and Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor Lois and Norm George developed their love for the breed in 1956. They were…
HERDING WITH DUCKS by Terri Hardwick Interest in herding training has been growing rapidly and many of the new people who want to get involved with the sport are not…
ROBERT CARRILLO AND CASA DE CARRILLO: A Long Established Name by Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor and Ernest Hartnagle After Bob Carrillo passed away in 2007, we were asked to write an…
PREPARE YOUR HERDING DOG PROPERLY FOR HIS WORK: The Importance of Avoiding One-Sidedness by Linda C. Franklin Frequently I notice in testing dogs for herding instinct that a dog is…
TRAINING THE UPSTANDING BREEDS: Driving by Linda C. Franklin, Belgian Terveren breeder/trainer Provided your upstanding dog is now comfortable with and efficient at going to balance on an inside flank…
TRAINING THE UPSTANDING BREEDS : Inside Flanks by Linda C. Franklin, Belgian Terveren breeder/trainer A few of our upstanding breeds are referenced as droving (driving) dogs as opposed to fetching…
BALANCE AND PACING by Bruce Fogt Throughout the entire training process and the life of the dog, I am always trying to build balance or keep it in the dog….
THE COW FROM HELL by Rhonda Falk Falkland Aussies Star Rt. A, Box 736-A Atmore, AL 36502 My first Aussies were Falk’s Falkland Banjo and Sheba. Banjo (Joe) is a…
LENDING A PAW IN INDIANA by Michelle Durkin I live in a semi-rural area of south central Indiana, where small hobby farms and livestock operations are mixed into the ever-pressing…
CONCEPTS IN DRIVING by Tenley Dexter I like to use middle of the road sheep to start driving with, not too light and not too sticky to the handler, the…
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HERDING AND OBEDIENCE TRAINING by Tenley Dexter A list member posted me privately that my described method for getting an obedient working dog sounded very much like…
THE OLD WELSH BOB TAIL CONNECTION by Ann DeChant Working Aussie Source editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a travelogue about a visit to England and Wales in September…
IS THE AUSSIE REALLY A SCOTCH SHEPHERD? by Linda DeHaven a letter published in the Aussie Times Magazine in 1973 Aussie Times editor’s note: This letter was written to Linda…
THE EARLY AUSSIE BREEDERS articles by Jan Haddle Davis and by Phillip Wildhagen Editor’s note: these ten short articles were first published in the ASCA 1977 Yearbook, which included a…
THE STORY OF DAN, AN AMAZING AUSSIE by Ann B. DeChant I have been meaning to write this one for a long time. We lost Dan three years ago, to…
by Mrs. Roy E. Cotton Working Aussie Source editor’s note: Elsie Cotton was the 4th president of ASCA, and her dog Cotton’s Blue Bobby and his son Mays Adobe Rebel,…
HARDHEADED by Roy Cox Many dogs are referred to as Hardheaded by their owner or trainer due to the undeniable fact that the dog has never fully given himself over to…
TRAINING SECRETS OF THE PROS by CynDee Cooper They must have secrets! They consistently train dogs that are useful, willing workers. Some of their dogs have become legends. “They” are…
JACK, THE HANDIEST DOG I EVER TRAINED by Cyn-Dee Cooper This year I had the honor of training a really good Australian Shepherd named Jack for sixty days. Jack was…
PUTTING A LOOK BACK ON A DOG by Ian Caldicott I very rarely go out to train or work dogs with the thought that “today I need to work on…
