I mentioned in my last post that I would talk about trialling in relation to working stock dogs. My comments may be somewhat controversial and are general in nature.
To start with, a blanket statement: “Trialling dogs do not make good working stock dogs. Working stock dogs can become good trialling dogs”.
Now that the roar of the trialling fraternity has died down somewhat I will tell you why. When a trialler takes a pup for training, in most cases, they will start the dog in a round pen and eventually start putting commands to the pup to cover “every” move the pup makes. As training moves along the commands become more intense and increase in numbers. Then it's off to the pups first trial and what do you hear?If the pup has been trained to whistles, then all you hear is a constant stream of whistles. If the pup has not been trained to whistles then what you hear is constant commands, usually hollered at the poor pup. The poor pup does not get a chance to use it's God given instincts to get the job done. And if you think that this only happens to the young dog and inexperience handler, take a listen to the open handlers when they step up to the post.
Now take a non trial trained dog ie working stock dog, one that has been allowed to use it's instinct, and you will see a very different performance. Again, usually, the dog will work more on it's own, using its head with little input from the handler. I should qualify handler: I'm referring to a level headed calm handler. An experienced handler and mature experienced dog will seem to be working in sync even if the stock doesn't want to join in the show. Will the team get the job done? Yeesss. Will they be as successful as the accomplished trialler? Maybe. Chances are the trialler will win because they are use to working under the time constraints of a trial. But you take that trialler and there dog out in the real field and then see who gets the job done most efficiently and with out any significant loss of weight of the cattle/sheep with minimal stress.
I remember trialling at the Calgary Stampede, not very successfully I might add, and a number of participants and general audiance coming to me and saying how they liked the way my dog worked. Of course he is a working stock dog. I rest my case
Be who you are and say what you feel....
Because those that matter...
don't mind...
And those that mind... don't
matter."
