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. . . No mercy at all!
.
.
The Aussies
Alice moving a young Mossy
.
.
Mossy and Alice sniff each
other out.
other out.
The Yak Outback
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No mercy . . .
.
.
Ah, the Australian Shepherds. My little spotted friends! Like a morning
without coffee, where would a ranch be without some working dogs?
From an original group of 3 Aussies, Blue, Lightfoot, and Alice in June of
2003, an unplanned "Moon-howl" between Lightfoot (the male) and Blue,
produced a litter 50 days later of 7 merled and unmerled puppies . . . a
tangled collection of spots if I've ever seen one. Unfortunately, one puppy
didn't make it and a very sad accident took the life of Lightfoot shortly after the
birth. Out of the group of 6 puppies, I sold 3 and had another promised but
that adoption fell through so I ended up keeping 3 puppies plus the 2 adults I
already had. . . that made 4 females and one male to share one lap. It wasn't
long thereafter that the dogs were affectionately rechristened as "Brother
Trouble" and the "Sisters of No Mercy" which somewhat adequately reflects
their propensities.
All of the dogs show intense innate herding abilities coupled with an infinite
supply of energy. On walks, they cannot travel 50 feet without getting tangled
up in a ball. However, all play stops and it is serious business when they
start moving the yak. They have no problem with getting the yak to move but
they have no clue as to where they want them to go. This is a shortcoming on
my part as I had no idea on how to train them to herd. And training in a group
setting like I have just doesn't work. One on one is the way to go.
The Aussies naturally will prefer to "drive" the herd as opposed to collecting
or gathering them. They work in pairs to start off the drive with one in front of
a yak that barks or alternately moves in and out to get the yak's attention; the
other circling behind to get the animal to move forward in a direction slightly
away from the front dog. It is quite a sight to watch, I only wish I knew what I
was doing and could teach them to herd and move the yak to a
predetermined destination . . . say, home if there is a yak break-out.
Aside from their working nature, they make excellent pets, demanding
attention, love, play time and will constantly push a schedule that benefits
them if you let them. If it is six o'clock when they wake up, so it is six o'clock
that I must get up. There's no compromise . . . no mercy . . . no mercy at all!
without coffee, where would a ranch be without some working dogs?
From an original group of 3 Aussies, Blue, Lightfoot, and Alice in June of
2003, an unplanned "Moon-howl" between Lightfoot (the male) and Blue,
produced a litter 50 days later of 7 merled and unmerled puppies . . . a
tangled collection of spots if I've ever seen one. Unfortunately, one puppy
didn't make it and a very sad accident took the life of Lightfoot shortly after the
birth. Out of the group of 6 puppies, I sold 3 and had another promised but
that adoption fell through so I ended up keeping 3 puppies plus the 2 adults I
already had. . . that made 4 females and one male to share one lap. It wasn't
long thereafter that the dogs were affectionately rechristened as "Brother
Trouble" and the "Sisters of No Mercy" which somewhat adequately reflects
their propensities.
All of the dogs show intense innate herding abilities coupled with an infinite
supply of energy. On walks, they cannot travel 50 feet without getting tangled
up in a ball. However, all play stops and it is serious business when they
start moving the yak. They have no problem with getting the yak to move but
they have no clue as to where they want them to go. This is a shortcoming on
my part as I had no idea on how to train them to herd. And training in a group
setting like I have just doesn't work. One on one is the way to go.
The Aussies naturally will prefer to "drive" the herd as opposed to collecting
or gathering them. They work in pairs to start off the drive with one in front of
a yak that barks or alternately moves in and out to get the yak's attention; the
other circling behind to get the animal to move forward in a direction slightly
away from the front dog. It is quite a sight to watch, I only wish I knew what I
was doing and could teach them to herd and move the yak to a
predetermined destination . . . say, home if there is a yak break-out.
Aside from their working nature, they make excellent pets, demanding
attention, love, play time and will constantly push a schedule that benefits
them if you let them. If it is six o'clock when they wake up, so it is six o'clock
that I must get up. There's no compromise . . . no mercy . . . no mercy at all!
| Chris Devaney's Yak Outback PO Box 3 New Limerick, ME 04761 207) 540-2403 |
Lightfoot. The dad.
How I miss you so.
How I miss you so.
Snoball. Too cute to look at.
No way am I going out
there. You go first!
there. You go first!
A tangled collection of spots .
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