2017 Nov Dec

Finally, Finals!
to my pressure and so this becomes second nature and will result in Mystery Pup Biggie
a dog that works out of the flight zone and gives you square flanks.
***
Mystery Pups
Along with Donna Marsh and Tex we expected to see three
other Mystery Pups in the ASCA Stockdog Finals this year in Bryan.
The pups we have come to know as Esau, Topper, and Biggie were
all invited to the 2017 Finals in Bryan. Their true identities and the
identities of their handlers are revealed below.
Mystery Pup Topper
Revealed: Registered name – WTCH Chuckanut Man on the
Edge (“Edge”)
Edge is owned, trained and handled by Diane Menard. Edge
planned to go to Finals in Bryan to compete in cattle and sheep
and as an alternate on ducks.
Edge and I have had some success, but I am nowhere near
finished training him. I have been sick a lot this summer, and that
has cut into our training time. As if that were not enough, in August
he came up lame so he did not get the training that I intended for
him before Nationals. I expect he will just do okay, nothing great
and probably won’t embarrass me.
I have a problem these days working him at home because he
has gotten so sensitive to the dogs barking while he is working that
he quits. Sometimes I can’t even get him to come out of the house
with me if the other dogs are outside. So far that has only been a
problem if it is my dogs making noise not anybody else’s, and it
has not been a problem at trials yet. So I’m as ready as I am going
to get for Edge’s first Finals. We are going to have fun.
Edge”
Revealed: Registered name – WTCH Black Birch Farm the Kipster
(“Kip”)
Kip is also owned and trained and handled by Diane Menard. Kip
was entered in all three classes of stock at Bryan.
Kip and I have been working on taking the flank that I ask
for and not the one he deems necessary to catch and control the
livestock that really has nowhere to go anyway. He does not see it
that way. I tried this month to sharpen up his Stop with a thrown
hose and that was NOT the way to do it. Live and learn. He told me
in no uncertain terms that if I was going to get physical at all, then
he was leaving, and I could damn well go get those cows myself.
LOL. Okay, I’ll just walk over and make you stop. I can always
use more exercise. That worked much better. He is so sensitive to
what I ask, but I am like a bull in china shop with this dog. I am
trying, buddy; stick with me.
I have asked him to do things that I have never asked another
dog to do and he can do them. He is an amazing dog and I am so
lucky to have him. When I first got him, I didn’t think he would
amount to much, but I was so wrong. If he doesn’t do well at
FINALS, it will be because the other half of the team (me) let us
down. It’s been fun writing about my dogs and I hope I have been
entertaining. Thanks for reading.
Kip
78 AUSSIE TIMES November-December 2017
Mystery Pup Esau
Revealed: Registered name – WTCH Coosawattee Help on the
Way (“Patton”)
Patton is owned, trained and trialed by William Middleton. Patton
was goint to Bryan entered in all three classes of stock.
After a year of competition and many highs and lows, we
qualified in June for Finals in all three classes of stock. We went to
several new trials and met many new friends, and reconnected with
our old ones throughout the year. We competed in more trials than
were probably necessary, but my dog just turned four in July and
we both needed the experience. I see lots of people refer to Finals
as a “trailer race,” but we enjoy the camaraderie and the travel. But
most of all I enjoy seeing how my dog handles stock that is not his
own in unfamiliar surroundings. I don’t do it for the recognition, the
accolades, or the awards; I do it for my own enjoyment. Nothing
more, nothing less. And if our scores weren’t over 100 we’d still