For most of us, waking up for work is nothing to feel excited about. Not so for the Aussie working dog, which greets each new day with a wagging tail and a joy-filled heart.
Dogs have been used for sheep and cattle work in Australia since the early 19th century, with some breeds -- including the Kelpie, the Australian Shepherd and the Australian Cattle Dog -- being specifically bred to handle the hot, dry and harsh conditions of the Australian outback. As well as being cheap labour (all they ask for is a good meal at the end of the day!), a good working dog is said to be worth many men.
David King, a 34-year-old stockman, has worked on various sheep properties across New South Wales over the past 12 years alongside his Kelpies Sam, Rusty, Bowie and Jack.
On an average day of shearing, King and his dogs start work at 6 a.m. “First, we muster sheep from the paddock to the yards for shearing for about one to one-and-a-half hours,” he says. “Then, after the sheep are shorn, we do yard work with the sheep, processing (drenching and vaccinating) them until about lunch time. After lunch, it’s more mustering, then back to the sheep yards for more processing. We usually finish up about 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.”
That’s a 12-hour day of hard yakka, but King says the dogs really enjoy it. “They can’t seem to get enough!” he says. “Some find it hard to switch off or even leave the sheep alone for five seconds.”
King communicates with his dogs through a combination of whistles and words. “Some examples of words I use include ‘Go back’, ‘Push up’ and ‘Speak up,’ but you can train your dogs to get used to any lingo, really. It depends on what they get used to.”
Training a working dog is not difficult, as working dog breeds are highly intelligent and have a natural instinct for herding. But while instinct is important, Dave says it’s not the be-all and end-all.
“It takes a lot of time and patience between handler and dog,” he says. “There’s a lot of one-on-one time between you and the dog. And it depends what you want them to do. It could be teaching them to jump on the back of a motorbike or ute, or to come when you call or whistle them. It takes repetition and time.”
When choosing a working dog, King says it’s important to look for a canine that’s keen on working. “You can tell by how they react when they see livestock; their ears prick up,” he says. “You can also see early signs in pups that round up chickens and any other animal they can see.”
While some farmers buy from specialist breeders, many farmers -- including King -- source their dogs from friends, family members and other local farmers. “I got one dog from an uncle,” he says. “I got another from a neighbour, and my third dog was from a contractor I worked with.”
While King loves his dogs, the relationship between working dog and master is far different from that of a regular owner and their pet. “It’s more like a working partnership,” he says. “You both have a job to do. They work with you, alongside you and as hard as you … if not harder.
“It’s more like having a colleague than a pet. A farmer’s relationship with his dog is based more on mutual respect. A dog’s role on the farm is just as important as anyone else’s. And on a long day’s work, you might spend more time with them than with other humans. They really are your mates.”
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