One day I was building a fence for some clients. The people owned a blue heeler and it was allowed to run loose. I was there early one morning and when the people left for work the dog started chasing and biting at the horses that were in the corral. I was there the whole day and this dog would chase the horses, then it would quit for awhile and then it’d start again. The people got home that afternoon and the dog ran out and laid in the drive way to greet them. When they got out of the truck the dog ran over and got its pat on the head.

The man came over to me and started talking and I asked him if he knew his dog had been chasing and biting at his horses most of the day. He said “no way”, his dog would never do that. So I told him he should sneak home some day and see what his dog was doing while he was gone!

I build a lot of fence on farms and I constantly see dogs that chase horses and cattle when they’re not suppose to. A lot of times the owners just laugh about it. If the truth was known I bet a lot of horses and livestock are hurt due to unruly, untrained dogs. Some people don’t understand the trouble a stock dog can cause. Of course once they get one of these dogs they fall in love with it and can never part with him or her. So they’re forced to try and figure out how to keep him out of trouble. My solution to this is keeping my dogs in nice kennels with runs and then turning them out to run and play at least every morning and every evening under SUPERVISION, even though they have a big acre-sized turnout. Of course I also work my dogs on cattle regularly and start basic obedience with them when they’re just pups. Between the cattle training, the constant obedience work, nice kennel setups and good supervision I know my dogs won’t be causing a big wreak with the other livestock.

I have had a few dogs that slept by my bed, would sleep in my lap if I let them and they were still super working cow dogs.

When it comes to dogs, I’m not a person who will pet and love on my dogs all the time but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about them. I treat my dogs very well. If they need a vet they get one. They are wormed when they should be, have a dry bed to sleep on and nice, clean kennel runs.

My Hanging Tree Sport dog will lay by my feet and be as happy as a dog can be and he will let me pet on him anytime I want. But he doesn’t bug me to pet on him and that is what I like. But don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great thing if people want to pet on their dogs a lot.

I sold a nice cattle dog a few months ago because she really wanted to be loved and petted on when she wasn’t working and she wasn’t getting enough of that from me. I thought she’d be happier with someone who’d pet on her all the time like she wanted.

I believe one of the things people don’t understand about a cattle dog is that if they’re from the right bloodlines of great working dogs then they’re going to live to work. If they’re going to be a good companion and a good working dog, then besides coming from good bloodlines, you’re also going to have to spend a lot of time with them to get them where they will do whatever you tell them, when you tell them.

My dogs Sport and Chic with my granddaughter

Hanging Tree Sport is not only my buddy, traveling companion and family dog, he also lives to work cattle! Sport is 10 years old now and has been one of my greatest working cow dogs as well as a fantastic family dog.

I owned a Border collie about 11 years ago who was the coolest dog. To him, me and “live stock” were the only things that he cared about. He wouldn’t work for anyone but me, no exceptions, and he would work anything I asked him to. If I let him loose, he would gather stock and put them in my roping  arena or at the gate and hold them till I found him, it didn’t matter if it was 5 minutes or 5 hours, he would hold the stock and wait for me. But he was all “work dog”…and none of the other stuff mattered to him.

So a cattle dog is not for everyone. But they can make great pets. They need exercise and a lot of it, especially when they’re young.

I have seen my wife, Jodi, play ball with her dog Tren in our living room when we’re watching TV. Her dog is so amazing because she can throw her ball 10 feet and that dog will get it time and time again without breaking anything and be the happiest dog alive. Now that Tren has gotten older she doesn’t need the ball thrown for her as much. The thing is, when Tren was younger and needed the exercise all the time, she got it even though sometimes she wanted to play in the house. Jodi taught her to be careful and not break anything. If you go to the Montana story you’ll see Jodi and Tren working cattle on the ranch. So you can have both a working dog that’s also a great pet.

Cattle Master Female Chic

I also own a Cattle Master female who is about 5 years old now and she is the most extraordinary female dog I have ever owned as well as one of the toughest. She would definitely sleep in my lap if I let her though!

So my thoughts are, if you want both a good pet and good working cow dog, find one from the right parents, train it well, give it lots of exercise and I believe you can have both in the same dog.

If you would like more on this subject, drop me a comment and I will be glad to try and help you!  Thanks