The first of a two-part story.

Blood cards? Check.
Bucking bred cattle roaming the range? Check.
The means to gather ‘em with ease and efficiency? Uh, not so much.

If this is your problem, it’s time to throw up your hands and come along…

Every ABBI breeder has gotten downright frustrated with these independent bucking cattle at one time or another. They have a mind of their own. There’s always one that wants to buck the system. They line out and one keeps cutting back. Then there’s that one cow that seems to always have PMS. She goes in all right, but then it’s every man for himself. A 4-wheeler, a man on foot or a single guy horseback is no match for these scenarios—but man’s best friend is always ready, itching to get it done.

Buckers exhibit the same behavior that all herd animals do. Getting them where needed with as little strain as possible is important. The best way to do this is to harness the natural instincts of prey and predator. Dogs represent the predator; cows the prey. The only difference from the wild is the human controlling the environment.

By using dogs to gather, herd and push cattle, the natural drive of a predator stimulates the natural behavior of a prey, including flight and grouping. Merely having dogs present makes the worst mother cow locate and move her calf to the safety of the herd. When cattle are moved, it’s for a specific purpose that benefits them. However, the human can have a hard time relaying this. Luckily, dogs and cattle speak their own natural predator-prey language. The objective is to get quick results without injury to the cattle. The benefits for the cattle are things like vaccinations, worming, weaning, preg-checking or ABBI bloodwork.

Dogs put less stress on cattle than people many times. A horse or 4-wheeler is not a predator and doesn’t stimulate a survival response. Once one breaks and someone has to retrieve it, the person holding the herd will find the rest beginning to face them. Once they face, it’s all over but the crying. Cattle have to be re-gathered and then they’re wiser and the gig is up.

Horsemen and ATVs are not as quick and agile as a dog. When challenged by horse and rider or ATV, an animal breaking from the herd won’t give up until complete exhaustion. Utilizing a dog’s natural predator instinct on one animal encourages them to seek refuge in the herd. ABBI breeders are finding themselves in challenging situations with cattle that can’t be caught or penned. The new penalties for not registering cattle in their birth year is something that will increase the need for dogs in these situations. Breeders are selecting cattle that don’t want to be dominated on purpose. In these cases, dogs seem like a great option.

There are many types of working dogs. Understanding various breeds before buying the first “cow-dog” you come across is recommended. If you’re not a dog-man and have big country and bad buckers, this two-part article will cover some of the best our industry has. If you’re looking for a companion and friend as much as a dog that can throw his weight around in the corrals, our industry is teeming with breeders who call their dog “best friend” and “hired-hand.”

Let’s start with dogs that are best at getting the less extreme working jobs done.

The Companions, Sidekicks and Herders

Heelers/Australian Shepherds

This group of dogs are great in tight quarters. If you’re working lots, corrals or pushing and driving cattle, these dogs are what you’re looking for. Most of them naturally stay behind or push cattle from one place to another and generally don’t get in front of cattle. These are the dogs most people think of when talking of cow dogs. Not only are they very helpful in corrals, but they make great mates, too. They are characters—and the dogs you’ll find off-hours in the truck cabs and in the homes.

They have a playful nature and a wagon-load of energy inside their compact, muscular frames. They’re loyal, brave and devoted to cow work and their masters. Their zest and eagerness make them a favorite pick of many.
A fine example is Mike Porter’s faithful friend and worker “Shed.” He makes his home on the Thunder Run Ranch in Lyman, S.C. His owner’s description of him reads like a singles ad. “He’s semi-aggressive, not a big biter, and the cattle learn to go where he tells them. He works best in smaller areas and is really good at working in pens and moving them to pastures or a trailer. He’s pretty high energy and always ready to work at the drop of a hat. This dog loves to work and play! He’s one of the family,” said Porter.

He shared some insight on starting pups on the road to working bucking bulls. “I use Shed on these ABBI cattle and on about 20 head of recipient cows. I like to get a pup when they are between 6-8 weeks old. When they’re about three months, I start them playing fetch and chasing a frisbee training tool I came up with. It’s a frisbee tied to a 20’ lunge whip. You can teach them to herd it in a circle, to hit it when told, to set when told and then teach them to change directions. Then we move on to goats for about a year and on to calves for another six months before going on to young bucking bulls,” disclosed Porter.

“Most of the time around here, it is just me and my Aussie, Shed. All I have to do is open and close gates and drive the truck. I think he would drive the truck if he could reach the peddles,” said Porter with a touch of humor.

What’s the Golden Rule for Porter? “When it comes to the arena, it’s strictly off-limits. The arena is for bucking bulls, not herding them,” he cautioned.

Phil Markoff and Tenneile Rice of Plattville, Colo. know about this class of working dog, too. Their two heelers, Cowboy and Jenny, are a big help with their ABBI-registered cattle. TR Cattle may not be a huge operation, but with genetics like Plummer, Kephart, Wolfman and 21 Catfish, these dogs earn their keep in the corrals. When listing the traits that their Heelers pack, Rice includes persistent, smart, aggressive, protective and loyal.
Rice elaborated on what it’s like to have a Heeler at the helm. “They’re usually a one-person dog and sometimes too smart. They can be hard-headed, but they’re tough and trustworthy.” She also seconded Porter’s arena rule. “This is a big rule of ours. No dogs in the arena! We don’t want an aggressive dog to take a bull out of a spin or agitate him in anyway. The only exception is if a bull won’t leave the arena. Then a dog can be useful to help him find the out gate, but only as a last resort.”

When talking about the anticipated life-span of these handy helpers, Rice made note, “The longest living dog on record was a Heeler. It lived until age 23!” Rice closed with driving home the fact that Heelers really do love to work. “Cowboy never misses an opportunity to help out. He enjoys it. Just like bucking bulls, he was bred to work cows and wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t something he loved doing. I can’t imagine not allowing him to work.”

The Work-a-Holics, Brainiacs and Obedients

Border Collies/McNab Shepherds/ Kelpies

This group contains breeds known for extreme intelligence, train-ability, agility and speed. If your working environment demands a big thinker and multitasker that possesses extreme control-ability, these high-energy canines are for you. They’re the finesse breeds of working cow dogs. They’re noted for being able to work both the head and heels of cattle. They can push cattle and get around the herd. Many of them will also hit the head-end too.

In the rolling hills and flat pastures of the Rockin’ KR Ranch in Gore, Okla. the McNab Shepherd is ruler of the roost. Buckers toting genetics from legendary bulls Tumbleweed, Skoal’s Pet, Copenhagen Wild Thing and Plummer genetics aren’t the only thing ABBI breeders Ron and Karen Prentice raise. They’ve also been breeding registered foundation McNab Shepherds for more than 37 years. Although sometimes mistaken for Border Collies, the McNab is truly a unique breed that is a native stock-dog to northern California via Alexander McNab of the Grampian Hills of Scotland in 1868. McNab settled in Ukiah, California and the breed was perfected to both head and heel cattle. They were bred for function and ability, range in weight from 40-50 lbs. and are predominately black and white or brown and white. Most interestingly, they are “cat-footed,” meaning their feet are very tight-made which increases speed and agility. It also safeguards the feet from stickers, burrs and becoming sore from long days on hard terrain. They’re extremely easy to teach, loyal and exemplary herders.

Prentice described their working style: “These dogs have endurance and the ability to go all day long. They’re very willing, have good minds and can work any type cattle. They work in pasture land and creek bottoms, or hunt cattle in heavy brush. They’re very versatile and listen intently. When it comes to the bucking cattle, they definitely know our dogs. Most of the time our cattle go where the dogs take them. Some cattle may try and bluff, but not for long.”

When it comes to finding McNabs, they can seem quite rare. Prentice has raised and sold McNabs to people all over the world. “Our pack’s offspring have competed in both East and West Coast agility and frisbee competitions, and been used by working cowboys. They’re superior when it comes to intelligence and problem-solving. They think ahead. McNabs certainly make our lives easier as bucking cattle breeders. We’ve been very fortunate to have known the McNab family personally and to have had these great dogs,” declared Prentice.

When it comes to the most popular working dog, there’s no doubt the Border Collie lives up to its reputation. Many don’t feel the breed is aggressive enough to be effective on bucking cattle, but Rod Chumley of Selah, Wash. isn’t one of them. As the owner of some of the most successful buckers on the West Coast, Chumley knows good buckers and good working dogs. He’s spent much time learning about working good Border Collies from some legendary men in working dog circles.

Chumley’s intense dedication to his dog’s working ability gives him reason to be confident in their ability. “Most people don’t think these dogs have what it takes to work bucking bred cattle. They don’t think they’ll really go to the head hard on a big, bucking-type bull. My dogs know what going to the head means and I would put my dogs up against anyone’s when it comes to aggressiveness. A dog that won’t go to the head won’t last in my program, and believe me, I’ve turned my share away. I can spend about 10 minutes with a dog and tell if he’s going to make it on cattle like these. There’s a lot of Border Collies out there that, I agree, won’t work on these cattle, but there’s also guys who know and have the kind of dog it takes.”

It’s relatively easy to see that there’s something special about Chumley’s Border Collies. If you don’t get to see them in action, simply studying a photo of his dog Kate reveals she is different physically than many Border Collies. With her streamline appearance and the width of her chest, it’s clear she’s built for speed and stealth. Besides exceptional breeding, Chumley’s dogs have an incredible handle (owner’s control over the dog) which never gets in the way when it comes to being aggressive. Another interesting aspect of what Chumley prefers in a working dog is that you won’t see any males out there. “Females are much cleaner. Males make a mess in kennels and pens and lift their leg on the gooseneck in the back of your truck. There’s nothing I hate more than a dog lifting its leg on my kid’s Tonka. That’s one thing I can’t stand. I just won’t keep males and really do prefer females—and they work just as good if not better.”
Chumley’s dogs are not cheap when he does have a started one for sale, but they’re worth it, according to happy owners like Ross Coleman’s dad, Steve, who Chumley gifted one of his started dogs to.

“My dad and I both have a dog from Rod,” informed Ross. “We love them and they're by far the best working dogs we have ever owned. I will tell you one thing about my dog—he's a working son of a gun when it comes to cattle.”
Another ABBI breeder that’s a fan of the Border Collie is the Shippy family of Colome, S.D. Their dogs battle hot, humid summers and cold, frigid winters, so the means that they use to keep them comfortable are a bit different than some.

“The dogs sleep in the barn during the winter when it’s cold, otherwise they stay penned by the house,” said Shippy. “Both our Border Collies are long-haired so they stay warm in the winter. It can get pretty hot in the summer so we clip them to help them stay more comfortable when it’s hot. When you’re working, if they get too hot, they will usually go to the water tank to cool off. By the time the weather starts to cool, their hair is usually grown back for the winter.”

With more than 350 head of registered ABBI cattle, Shippy Rodeo Bulls could use an extra hand or two when working bucking-bred cattle. Jennie Shippy elaborated, “Scooter is way more aggressive than Snuff. They both push and herd or gather and bring cattle. Scooter is kind of different. All he thinks about constantly is working cattle, period. Their natural cattle instinct comes in handy when bringing in bulls to the corrals to grain or buck them. If you tell them to bring them, they go around the pasture, gather them and bring them into you.”

Jennie Shippy echoed the recurrent theme of not letting dogs in the arena. “When we bring in bulls, or sort, they’re used; but if we’re bucking bulls they get tied up.”
The Shippys teach their dogs to “down” and “come here” as pups, once they are trusting them well, but note that the younger you can start a dog, the better luck you will most likely have.

PBR bull rider and ABBI breeder Brendon Clark also knows how useful working dogs can be when dealing with bucking bulls and cattle. While Clark has one Border Collie named “Please,” his heavy-duty working Kelpie named “Gage” pulls a lot of the weight.

“Gage is aggressive and can be put in any position. He's trained like a sheep dog so he has all the commands. He’s naturally a head dog and won’t go to the heels, but he will drive or bring cattle to you. He doesn’t bark, but will go to the nose if you command him,” explained Clark.
The Kelpie as a breed is comprised of hardy British working herders that were imported to Australia in the 19th century. Although they may seem to be relatively small, they are without limitation, are capable of working multiple species of livestock and excel in competitive obedience. Clark’s Kelpie reflects those qualities. “I got Gage from a local dog trainer here in California named Mike Canaday. He was a finished dog when I got him and you can control him by voice and whistle. Although Gage looks pretty intimidating to people, he is friendly and loyal. He’s super smart and is always thinking ahead of you. Most of the work I do with my bulls, I am by myself with him. His willingness to work is impeccable—and he has saved me a lot of times.”

Clark, whose bull riding career has given him great insight to the bucking bull industry, has his own breeding program. His genetics include Oscar’s Velvet, Houdini, Playboy, Panhandle Slim, Kish, Naccarato and Floyd. Clark finishes with helpful hints regarding working with bucking-bred cattle and dogs. “If you're working with bucking-bred cattle, get the bulls dog-broke with a good dog or get someone to do it for you. Don't expect to do it with your new pup or dog the first time. It takes awhile. It is also good to work a dog with a mate because it gives them confidence.”

When asked if there is anything specific that he does when working bulls with his dogs to help prevent injury, the bull rider said with a chuckle, “They're just like bull riders! It’s going to happen one day if you're around bulls.”

NEXT ISSUE:

The last group of dogs are breeds most often used by our breeders from the Gulf Coast regions; the southeast, Texas and Oklahoma where conditions can be steep, rough, hot, humid and daunting:

THE HUNTERS and WORK-HORSES
Cow-Bred Catahoulas/Hangin’ Tree Cow Dogs/Black Mouth Curs