THREE NATIONS’ RIVALRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1933, Page 12

THREE NATIONS’ RIVALRY

SHEPHERDS. SHEEP, AND DOOS. The shepherd has always been favoured by the poet; it is only since the war that he has enjoyed what one might call a popular vogue (writes a correspondent of the Manchester (Guardian). For this the International Sheep Dog Society is responsible. England and Wales meet in their respective national trials and finally in a severe international competition everyone is presented with the opportunity of studying such intelligence in dogs—pace the behaviourists —and such understanding betv/een dog and man that there is a strong temptation to talk in terms of miracles. This year the Scottish national trials take place on July 26 and 27 at Aberlady, the Welsh on August 24 and 25 at Margam, and the English on September 1 and 2 at Ilkley. At each of these there are prizes for hired shepherds, for farmers, and for the shepherd who excels in working two dogs at. one time, always a spectacular performance. But the great concern of most people will not be the destination of the many national shields, cups and money prizes. They will wait to discover the names of the twelve shepherds and dogs who by proving themselves the best in their country will earn the right to maintain its honour in the great international trials at Ayr on September 25, 26 and 27. Here the first day will bel occupied by a competition for hired) shepherds only and the “doubles” (or two-dog) championship; on the second day the thirty-six shepherds of the three countries will decide the following year’s home of the international shield, which goes to the country scoring most points; and on the third and last, day of the meeting the twelve 1 best shepherds of those thirty-six work < their dogs over a course of extreme * severity and the winner is declared • champion shepherd. <

THE DOG’S TASK. Least anyone should feel that prizewinning may be carried too far it is well to point out that the International Sheep Dog Society is a body’ of purists who would not in the least like to hear the trials referred to as sport and whose great strength has been that they’ revere the dignity’ of the working collie. Their courses are designed to bring out the capability of a dog for everyday’ work, and even the diflicul. individual championship course has no feature, except, the presence of spectators, which the collie might not encounter on the hill. The general principle of any “run” is that the dog should gather his distant sheep, fetch them through one or more gates to his master and then drive them through other gates. When these manoeuvres have been carried out the dog must “shed off" or separate two sheep from the rest of the flock, pen the sheep with his master’s help, and finally’ single out. one from the rest. Points are awarded for the style of the dog and the command of the handler. The society’s rule for the assessment of command throws some light on its idea, of a shepherd. It. says: “In considering command the handler who gives fewest commands and who works his dog quietly’ shall be l preferred to the. handler who overcommands and works his dog noisily, regard being had to the circumstances.” “Circumstances,” of course, ’ mean a windy’ day, an unruly batch of I sheep, or any of the other reasons for

the exercise of a judge’s discretion. Wherever sheepdogs are valued, and particularly in Australia New Zealand, the result of the trials is watched with attention, as there is always a demand for working dogs of the best strain. Once at least a. champion has 1 been sold for £175. The sheepdog of ! which I have been writing is not, by ■ the way, the Old English ‘‘bobtail” or (he narrow-headed show collie. It is the small Scots collie that cannot live in idleness but thrives on work. It varies in size and coat, and is bred not for appearance but for brains. Since .the war a society stud-book has beeni opened, and great developments are I expected to follow upon more scientific breeding. It is difficult to recall any other example of an animal bred for brain and with scarcely any thought of conformation to a physical type. TRAINING. Everyone who has seen a shepherd at work is anxious to know how his dog is trained. The most famous Scottish shepherd, Mr. Alexander Millar, whose Ayrshire farm rejoices in (he pleasant names of Highbowhill, is generally less approachable on the subject than Mr. Montagu Norman on the policy of the Bank of England, and that without assuming a disguise, but in a pamphlet published by the society he lets us into'some of his secrets. In his experience, the puppy itself announces the beginning of its training, and when it is three or four months old he can tell whether it is likely to become a champion or merely an efficient worker of ordinary class. It is his firm opinion that there must be an ■ inherited instinct for herding sheep. “More often than not,” he says, “this Instinct shows itself in the puppy, playing about the farmyard, in an irre- ; sistible impulse to round up poultry, 1 gathering them in and penning them in a corner or into the fowlhouse —all < just for the fun of the thing.” One ] of his own champions, Ben, was herd- : ing hens almost as soon as he could f walk.

At the age of three months serious training begins. Contrary’ to general belief, a, young dog is not trained in company with an old and experienced one. Mr. Millar lays great stress on the value of affection, friendship, understanding. and on the necessity of an undeviating standard of right and, wrong in the master. His own dogs are part of the family. His fireside is free to them, and they have comfortable sleeping quarters in an outhouse. Many’ shepherds, however, prefer their dogs to sleep in the house in order that: feelings of intimacy may’ be established. Mr. Millar says, and one has seen that he- talks a great deal to his dogs. It is not surprising that the prowess of animals so bred, reared, and cared for should have caught the imagination of many’ people who would otherwise have no interest in the pastoral life. By’ watching the trial for even a day the man from the city or the plain can acquire a sound idea of the astonishing part, played by’ the dog in gatherings, dippings, and clippings, in folding or buchting sheep, in forcing newly weaned lambs from their mothers. That the sheepdog does the work of twenty men is, if anything, an un-der-statement.