Faces of Dog

Athletic Dogs

At Agility Trials in Van Nuys over a hundred dogs joyfully, gleefully leaped over hurdles, tunnelled through tubes, balanced on teeter totters, jumped through hoops, weaved through poles, negotiated a-frames. Flights (!) were organized by weight and skill level. But it was abundantly clear, every dog had a great time. If there was any stress, it was the handlers who felt it, having to guide the dog at a fast pace around a complex course. Breeds varied from featherweight Chinese Crested to Labs and Goldens, King Charles Spaniels to Bearded Collies. Lots of Aussies and Border Collies, who excel at canine athletics.

The last image is of Lucy, who gained her Championship in Agility, after being rescued from a pound and serving as a service dog.

Herding at Bel Canto

Following Saturday’s Cattle, Sheep, and Duck Herding at Pomona, I headed north on Sunday to the Bel Canto Ranch on the high desert near Lancaster. Here premium dogs showed their stuff, including renowned Border Collies, Nell and Lass, handled by Robin Elliot, herself an internationally famous breeder, trainer, handler of Border Collies (she’s the herder in the plum blouse). Dogs moving the sheep including Belgian Sheep Dogs, Tervurens, and Corgis. I was captivated by the Corgis — who, although outclassed by the Border Collies — valiantly went after the sheep. Elliot, the black and white Cardigan Corgi, was a delight to watch.

Images 9 through 11 show the intrepid Lass at work. The last five images feature the incredible Nell, working soon after giving birth to a litter of puppies.

Herding (Cattle, Sheep, and Ducks)

This gallery has photographs taken on Saturday at the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) herding trials in Pomona. Open to all herding breeds, the dogs must herd cattle, sheep, and ducks. For each species the dog must herd the animals out of a small holding pen, through “gates,” through a narrow passage, and into an enclosed pen. The very large Black Angus cattle pose a robust challenge through their feistiness and size. The sheep, elegant, goatlike Barbadans, challenge with their skittishness and speed; the ducks, because they obviously believe the dog wants to hunt, not herd them, require the dog to move with patience, subtlety.

One of the most charming aspects of herding trials is the intense interest the dogs take in watching the dog in the arena — sometimes a counterpoint to their owners.

Dogs in Drag

Saturday was the Howl-o-ween Pooch Parade, a benefit for shelter dogs, featuring a dog costume competition. There were some conventional get-ups - dachshunds as wieners, quite a few pirates, red devils, lobsters — but several costumes were amusing and imaginative. My favorites were the Jack Russell as Dorothy, the big black Cane Corso as a ballerina, the Basset-Corgi mix as Cerberus the three-headed dog, the bulldog as a ladybug among daisies, the Pit Bull as Mr. T, and the Australian Shepherd as a sheep (!).

Click on the image to see the gallery.

Sheep Herding Dogs at the Lucky Ewe Ranch (in the high desert)

The dogs were mainly Border Collies, the aristocrats of herding, with a sprinkling of Corgis, German Shepherds, Australian Shepherd, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Terveran, Shetland Sheepdog. It is absolutely breathtaking to watch the Border Collies work: utter intensity, intelligence, swiftness, all manifested in absolute silence moving the sheep with the famous Border Collie “stalk and stare” (seen in this gallery in Sport, the grey, black, and white dog). Biting is absolutely verboten — even though it seems the sheep expect it, a la Babe. Incidentally, the only bite was administered by a German Shepherd.

In one course, the dog must herd the sheep through “gates,” through a narrow passage, and into an enclosed pen. In the second course, the sheep are brought out at the opposite end to the dog, who must whizz along the perimeter of the field and come up behind the sheep so as not to spook them, then bring them down the length of the field to the handler, then herd them through a gully and gates, another set of gates, into the pen, and, finally — the most challenging — into a ring marked with white powder, and them split the sheep apart, guided only by whistles and voice commands.

Click on the image to see the gallery.

More Salty Dogs

Boston Terriers, Chihuahuas, Jack Russell surfing in the Huntington Beach Dog Surf-athon. Joy, apprehension,resignation, endurance, and fun.

Saltwater Dogs Encore

Sunday at the Huntington Beach’s Dog Beach showcased more surfing dogs. In the small dog group Jack Russell and Boston Terriers dominated. But the thrill was seeing the big dogs — really big dogs! Rottweiler, Goldendoodle (black in this case), German Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, and, yes, a Newfoundland (a Landseer Newfie, black and white)! Bulldogs were also well represented — it’s that gravity.

Click on the image to see the gallery.