Evening Herding with Anson

Well, I haven’t gotten the tending pictures done yet. I think I told you that Tess and Nan were my tending dogs. I also had a third tender and that was Rigby the cat. It made for some very amusing tending. Perhaps tomorrow I can do that blog.

So what does that mean for today’s blog. We did some evening herding and Anson is the subject tonight. I bet you thought all of my blogs were about Tess or Nan? Close but no cigar.

However Anson is a son of Tess. Delmar Scott is Anson’s sire. Scott’s sire is Imp Jim who is by Bobby Dalziel Wisp. Scott worked the 2nd largest cattle ranch in Canada for many years before I got him. He came here and was my cow and sheep dog and won first places and is a good natured dog. I loved him when I saw him as a three year old and had to wait for 3.5 years before I was able to buy him. Tess is my Open dog and she has done well. She placed 6th in the 2001 USBCHA Sheepdog Nursery Finals and was the third dog to ever get the ABCA papers on Merit. It is called ROM – Registered on Merit. It’s not easy but by God, she earned it and her pups and grandpups have own Open sheep and Cowdogs trials so the program does work and she is on heck of a dog. Scott, not a shrinking violet himself, won Reserve Champion at 9 Mile, one of the premier Cowdog trials. Scott can move anything and is kind to the stock.

Anson is a good blend of the two. He is biddable like Tess but is coming into his power. He need to mature some more but each time we work him, you see a stronger dog emerge. He loves to please you but is fearless on stock. As a pup, he was one of the first to crawl out of the box and wander about. He was quite ugly with a huge white head but now that he has grown up, he has turned into a stunning male with one blue and one brown eye. He is very good natured and a *jolly good fellow*!!

Chuck came over and helped me with chores. I had to worm the ram and couldn’t hold him and worm him at the same time. I had overdid it on Saturday and pulled a muscle or did something to my chest where they wired it up. I also had a ewe that had a teat that was chewed on and it needed to be milked out and an antibiotic given to her. I tried to do that to her yesterday and after she dragged me around and flung me to the wall, the chest really started to hurt more. So, I called Chuck to see if he could come and help and he came to help me after work. He was a great help in snagging the two rodeo sheep and help them for me.

So after the chores, we did a little herding. Teddy, Clip and Anson got the honors. I’ll post later this week on Teddy and Clip’s herding. We worked on Teddy going into the pressure and by the end of the lesson, he was waltzing into the pressure like a pro.

Click on the pixsa for a larger view.

Tess waiting her turn at the gate. We used her during Clip's lesson to stop the runaways.

See the one blue and one brown eye. Anson trotting up to see what was happening. (click on this to see the detail)


Anson waiting at the gate. Just like his mama!!


Reflecting on something. I am not sure whatit was but it must have been important.

OK, Anson in the pasture. See the one paw on the ground. I love this pix!!

A nice steady walk up. His ears are tipped forward and he is listening to Chuck.

Coming around the bend ......going full out and look at the stretch he has.

Another one paw on the ground shots.

A nice strong walkup. Anson has matured so he is stronger now on stock.

This ewe tried to make a break for it. WRONG, as Anson did a nice wide flank and tucked her back into the flock. She is not happy about this and look at her ears. They show she is displeased.

Everyone lean now.....he is working yearling ewes that have not been worked much by dogs. They are VERY LIGHT!!

Nice and square the the top. He can really rate his stock well.

The last walk up before we quit for the night. I love how his ears are forward.

Anso is a very sweet and loving dog. He is a lot like Tess in the house. If you had read the prior blog, you will remember that Tess is a couch dog. So is Anson. He will cuddle up to you and be your best friend. He loves to be your lapdog. Apparently he did inherit the couch dog genes from Tess.