Dogs working hard

Love your video. That is really incredible that your dogs can work those sheep like that. The only Border Collie we know hates our dogs (2 Cocker Spaniels). Not sure why that is--maybe cause they are "fancy dogs"! Anyway, I love dogs and those dogs of yours are "good" dogs! How do you ever get away with all those animals to care for? That is why I got the motorhome...so I could take my dogs with me. Don't think that you can take all your animals with you though! That would have to be "some" motorhome.

I love watching the dogs work. They are really incredible.

Dale

Wow - beautiful video, Mark. So interesting seeing the dogs work. You are a great handler and so lucky to have the life you have, despite all the hard work. Having grown up in the city, I really appreciate the country life. Hope all the dogs and sheep are well and stay that way.

Rita

This time of year there is plenty of grass in the fields (as very evident in the video) and we have spring fed running water for the sheep to drink. They don't need much management (they take care of themselves) other than us wanting them to graze certain fields. Sam is there to protect them from coyotes; Sam has an "automatic feeder" in the barn (shelter) and access to water. This time of year we can get away for long weekends knowning the sheep do not need us. We can load up our 9 Border Collies into their crates in our cargo van, hitch up our trailer, and leave (like to sheepherding trials).

Clueless questions --

Does Sam get upset when the border collies take over "his" sheep? Do LGDs have to be trained to accept herding dogs as a non-threat?

That was such fun to watch. Your place is so beautiful.

We went to the Perry, GA Peachblossom cluster dog show a couple of years ago for a writing assignment, and parked our RV next to a field where the folks with herding dogs were working with a flock. It was fascinating to observe.

Your dogs are so full of life, clearly in their element, doing their jobs. I have a service dog, and she really gets happy when it's time to do her work.

Sam knows our dogs. Sam has accepted guest working dogs when we are present. Sam took offence in one case where the guest working dog was "out of control" and harassing the sheep; in that case he started going after this dog. We have "regular" guest working dogs that Sam accepts when we are not present. He can be a bit of a pest when we are training in that he may go lay in the middle of where we are training; typically we lock him up when we are training. We don’t lock him up when we are simply moving the sheep.

We have seen Sam stand between a stray dog and the sheep; barking at the dog. We have seen Sam stay between the sheep and Ag personel and other workers when they are on the fields. Regular guests he recognizes and accepts.

Great Pyrennes are supposed to be the most people friendly (but have the longest coat).
Maremmas are not quite a people friendly and have less coat.
Akbash & Anatolians are supposed to be less people friendly and have short coats.

Watch Border Collies work a flock or a herd is a thing of beauty.

Pretty cool stuff Mark. Ever thought about getting some goats to keep the grass from getting to tall?

Pops

Stocking rates (number of animals per acre) high enough to keep up with the grass growth rate this time of year would be too high for when the grass growth rate slows later in the summer. I'd rather have too few animals now, than too many later and then watch my fields get grazed down to the soil, sell animals, or feed hay.

The plan had been to cut this field for hay; all our rain has delayed making hay. As it turns our there is sufficient grass in the other fields (which are easier to cut) so that this field will just get mowed but not until after all of the hay has been put up.