Brigand's HideOut - Experience Herding!

A section for stories and photographs!

Authored by Mr Jaz & Written by Mark Fisher

My journey with Mr. Jaz began six years ago when I fell in love with him at Kings Valley Collies located in Corvallis, OR. He, as an eight week old puppy, and I, a 40 year old man, jumped into each others arms. The love affair began.

Four years later, Mr. Jaz and I began taking herding lessons with Dave Viklund and working at Brigand’s Hideout as stock handlers during work days: trimming hooves, giving shots, shearing, feeding and cleaning up mounds of sheep pooh.

In February of 2008, Brigand’s Hideout sponsored a therapy dog seminar which Mr. Jaz and I attended. Because of Jaz’s herding and obedience skills, we became certified as a “Therapy Dog Team” through Therapy Dogs International, Inc. He also earned his “Canine Good Citizen” title, and so began our therapy dog work. Mr. Jaz and I make regular visits to nursing homes, hospitals and assisted living centers.

Good therapy dogs are grown and shaped over many years. Mr. Jaz has been working as a stock dog for about three years. He is use to all the weird farm machines, noises, other people, other dogs, strange smells, tight places, different stock and scary/alarming and stressful situations.

“Hey Jaz, Hey Jaz! Therapy dog! Therapy work! Let’s go, let’s go!!”

With those few words, Mr. Jaz is overcome with excitement. He jumps and prances around the house – yelping and barking with anticipation. I have to playfully wrestle with him to give him a good teeth brushing and try to give his rough collie coat one good grooming before meeting his favorite fans.

“Hey Jaz, walk with me.”

Mr. Jaz confidently, calmly and quietly stays by my side, knowing the rewarding, welcomed, yet serious work at hand as we walk through the doors of a nursing home.

Smiles broaden on the faces of the staff and residents as Mr. Jaz prances into the room.

“Hey Jaz, walk up, say hello!”

Mr. Jaz makes his way through a maze of wheel chairs, walkers, and ventilator machines, ignoring all the beeps, and medical alarms to give collie kisses and unconditional love to Josephine. She tells us her story of a tri-color collie she grew up with as a teenager in Carson, WA.

Mrs. Elsie, a partially paralyzed woman, holds out her hand and pets my collies’ soft and shiny coat while telling us her story of two collies she grew up with at a small farm in Iowa.

The staff also swarms around Mr. Jaz (the “Lassie Dog”, as he has become to be known as). Family members of the residents also open their arms for petting and unlimited collie kindness.

Mr. Jaz’s presence is intoxicating.

He’s a therapy dog, a Collie.

His herding training and experience is what makes him an exceptional therapy dog: He must work in tight places – negotiating through obstacles, wheel chairs, walkers, garbage cans and ventilator machines; ignoring the alarms, coughing, gagging and wheezing, while being calm, friendly and, most importantly, giving unconditional love, no matter what the situation.

Although many dogs make good house pets and companions, not all have the temperament and confidence to be therapy dogs. Collies, because of their nurturing and caring herding instinct, and because of their good looks and pre-conceived reputation (Lassie), make them very welcomed four footed therapists.

For more information regarding therapy dog work contact:

Therapy Dogs International, Inc.

88 Bartley Road, Flanders, NJ 07836

www.tdi-dog.org

“Hey Jaz! Hey Jaz! Hey Jaz!! Come with me!”

My collies’ ears prick up and a collie smile covers his face. His tail rises in excitement and anticipation. We walk into the spring morning and dew covered pasture towards the sheep.

He’s got a big task at hand – gathering, herding and sorting a large flock of sheep for an AKC trial!

He’s a trained herding stock dog, a collie!

*** More to come on our herding adventures***

(And we’re proud of her!)

Congratulations to Ashley who, with Caber, earned High In Trial on Course B Ducks (started) during the Oct 4th-5th (2008) herding trial. Caber now has his HSBd title (Herding Started, B Course on ducks) to go with his HSAs title.

Kathleen earned the second leg on Course B ducks with Vinnie her corgi during the same trial. Had she entered both days, she would have her Course B duck title now!

Ashley Hussey and Caber with Judge Debbie Pollard

“Chase,” owned by Marnie Harrison of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and “Pink,” owned by Lisa Harper of  Beaverton, Oregon, earned their PT herding titles August 22-23 (2008) and became the first Spanish Water Dogs with AKC herding titles.

“Herding in All Seasons”

This year’s camp was named “Herding in All Seasons” because you only needed to attend one day to experience it all!

Daily weather forecasts predicted temperatures well below normal for this time of year. Only one day did we have relatively clear weather – all other days included rain, hail, snow and even some sunshine!

Through all the weather changes, everyone seem to have a great time and learned a lot!