ASC of B.C.

Working Aussies

A sequence of Kya that Pam Burton
took while working ducks at Ruth's. These are some Pam
Arlitt's ducks that we will use for our July 2005 trial.

Kya (Windsong's The Ever Redi Kid STDcsd DNA-VP) owned by Joan Holmes of LBarJ, finished her Started Ducks title and got one leg in Open Sheep.

At one of the trials she also went High Score Open, High Score Sheep (over the weekend) and HIT.

Congratulations Joan and Kya from all the ASCofBC members!

Pip working ducks at the Fall fair with Ruth Bridges

Pip and I spent our weekend at the Comox Valley Fall Fair, doing duck
herding demos. It was lots of fun, and a great opportunity to showcase
the Aussie as a working dog.

When I was asked to bring my ducks to the Fair, I was apprehensive and
worried that the ducks might panic and create a bad impression, but my
fears turned out to be unfounded For each demo, we had to bring the
ducks out of their stall, through the crowds, to the sheep arena and
hold the ducks in an unfenced area while the sheep herding dogs did
their thing. Pip was wonderful, keeping her ducks in order even though
there were sheep being worked just a few feet away. She did, however,
look longingly at the sheep every time they came close. One spectator
told me, "I know what she's thinking--why do I have to watch these damn
ducks while the other dogs get to have fun with the sheep?"

I was very proud of the way Pip kept the ducks under control even though
several people (not just kids) tried to pat the "nice doggie" and even
tried to pat the ducks!

On Sunday, she did get a chance to work with the sheep, and she did an
outstanding job, fetching the sheep through the equivalent of a Started
course without ever pushing them past me. It was great for the audience
to see her classic Aussie upright herding style could be just as
effective as the Border Collies using lots of eye.

We had a terrific time, and I hope we get a chance to do it again next
year.

Ruth Bridges & Justus Pip, CKC CD, ASCA STDd

Ellie working cattle at the ASC of BC stockdog trial

WTCH Westwind's Gale Force RD RTDs DNA-VP

owned by Joan and Larry Holmes

Pip working sheep at Joan and Larry's farm

Pip is owned by Ruth Bridges

Bram carting Pippen

Owned by Melanie Shepherd of Berghof Aussies