“Wil la”ALIOOP ‘N

CATCHPEN’S PILLOW TALK

Owned by:

Liz StenningPhoto by:

Jeff Ja quishzingpix.com

Spotlight on Breeder—Bendigo Kenels

Spotlight on a FIRST in the breed

Spotlight on Dogs With Jobs #2

Spotlight on Jeff Jaquish how to photograph

our dogs. ( this was a popular request for

reprint…)

Next issue breeder interview will be Hillhaven

Kennels; Louanne & Jim Brooks

Take  the  lead    Dog  are  smart  when  it  comes  to  fetching  slippers,  predicting  a  thunderstorm  or  looking  sheepish  when  the  sandwich  you  left  on  the  coffee  table  goes  missing.  But  when  it  comes  to  road  sense,  they  just  don’t  get  it!.    “Dogs  don’t  know  that  cars  are  potentially  dangerous,  and  that  if  they  step  in  front  of  one  it  could  hurt  them,”  says  dog  owner  Josie  Knowles.  "Noises  like  cars  and  trucks  can  worry  them,  but  as  a  species,  dogs  simply  aren’t  evolved  enough  to  cope  with  traffic  conditions."      Glen  Jones  from  the  Queensland  RSPCA  Superstore  agrees  that  road  sense  is  just  not  an  instinct  with  dogs.  "Dogs  are  like  little  children.  They  have  no  concept  of  traffic,”  he  says.  “They  don’t  look,  they  just  run  blindly  out  onto  the  road."    Making  your  pet  visible  With  the  autumn  and  winter  months  approaching,  it’s  never  been  a  more  dangerous  time  for  your  pet.  That’s  why  a  new  partnership  between  Orbiloc  and  EzyDog  has  been  formed,  providing  advice  to  prevent  both  you  and  your  dog  from  becoming  another  roadside  accident  statistic.    Walking  a  beloved  pet  outside  in  the  evening  sounds  like  a  lovely  idea.  But  in  reality,  strolling  with  a  dog  in  the  dark  can  have  many  pitfalls  -­‐  including  not  being  easily  visible  to  drivers.      Take  extra  care  with  your  dog  during  the  darker  months,  especially  if  your  pet  is  used  to  enjoying  life  off  the  lead.  A  dog  running  freely  in  the  dark  makes  it  a  prime  target  for  drivers,  who  have  decreased  visibility  when  the  sun  sets  early.      “Our  Orbiloc  Safety  Light  is  great  when  it  gets  dark,  as  my  black  Lab  is  visible  for  miles,”  says  James  Meekin,  owner  of  six-­‐year-­‐old  Labrador  Polly.  “Drivers  can  see  her  from  a  distance,  which  gives  me  peace  of  mind  if  she’s  off  the  lead  in  particular.”    Making  sure  that  your  dog  is  highly  visible  can  ensure  that  drivers  stop  in  time,  which  in  turn  can  help  save  lives,  both  yours  and  your  dog's.  If  

drivers  can’t  see  what’s  before  them,  you  both  risk  being  hit.    Dressing  up  for  safety  Many  dog  owners  indulge  their  pets  by  buying  them  fancy  coats,  collars  and  even  the  latest  trend:  canine  shoes.  But  making  sure  your  dog  has  the  proper  night-­‐time  attire  is  about  more  than  just  looking  good  and  staying  warm.    Fashion  aside,  perhaps  the  most  important  doggie  accoutrement  is  night-­‐time  visibility  gear,  including  a  bright  light  on  Fido’s  collar  and  lead  so  he  is  highly  visible  in  the  dark  to  motorists.      

   Other  safety  tips  include:    • Make  sure  to  use  a  reflective  collar  or  

harness  • Use  a  short  lead  in  traffic,  especially  at  night  • Use  a  strong  light  on  the  collar,  harness  or  

lead,  or  on  yourself  • Walk  on  the  right  hand  side,  with  your  dog  

facing  traffic    Your  dog  is  your  best  friend,  and  even  well-­‐trained  pets  often  have  behaviour  that  is  erratic  and  unpredictable.  To  ensure  traffic  safety,  dog  owners  must  always  be  cautious,  especially  when  it’s  dark  outside.    It’s  up  to  you  to  keep  your  dog  happy,  healthy  and  safe  –  all  year  long.

www.orbiloc.com

For more informationconnect on Facebook:www.facebook.com/havendesign1 or email: havendesign1@aol.com

Get on board with the “Special” ACD Spotlight Design Rate:■

■

OAKWOODCattle DogsMatthew &

Jacquelyn Johnsonwww.oakwoodacds.com

Group 4Thank you, judge Dr. Donald Gill

Handled by: Chris Ann Moore

Full Dentition • BAER Normal •

PRA Clear • OFA Hips Excellent •

Elbows Normal •

GCH Oakwood’s

Refried Beans

We think Mirk is a special boy w

Corral West Cattle Dogs

Thank YouSara Jo Gahm, with On The Lamb, for breeding this wonderful boy!

• Entered his first show Feb 15th… finished hisChampionship Feb 18th Undefeated from the classes.

• Finished with 4 — 4 point majors. 1 dog short of being a 5 point major, and overseveral major pointed dogs.

ALL AS A 71⁄2 MONTH OLD PUPPY!• At 9 months Mirk was entered in his next show as

a Champion and won BOB, over 4 other experiencedSpecials, and 2 professional handlers — Under Judge Dr Robert Smith. He was awarded Select the following day. Mirk has 11 points towards his Grand Champion.

FINISHED HIS GRAND CHAMPION AT 12 MONTHS!

with a lot to offer in the future!

Whelped: June 27th, 2012

Bilateral hearingprcd A

Sire: HC On The Lamb

Ride An Old Paint HSADSC HIADSC HXAd

Dam: GCH Corral West

Forever Entwined Safira HSASC

Serious inquiries welcome:

HILLHAVENAustralian Cattle Dog

Companions Who Work & ShowJim, Louanne & Amelia Brooks • 31835 Oak Ridge Ave Way • Lake City, MN 55041 • hillhaven1@gmail.com or phone 651-345-3749

GCH Hillhaven Journey the Rapids HSAsd

XCH Hillhaven’s Viva La Vie

Parents both are PRCD pattern A, hips good, elbows passing, full hearing, full dentition

*Top 5 ACD conformation in 2011 and top 10 ACD Herding; proven sire

• •

• •

2012ACDCA

VersatilityWinner!

The ACD Xtreme Juniors Newsletter is a subscription pFront cover is not for sale Back cover $75 All othe

All Junior ads are FREEFor more information, Contact

theresa@junct.com 918-256-2555

publication. er ads $30

E

x

x

Always Owner/Handler & AKC Breeder of Merit • www.vinita.net/buzzards • Jim Buzzard, Theresa Buzzard Couch & Colston Couch

Buzzards Australian Cattle Dogs

GROUP 2

Top 5 All Breed Standing

TAZ

GCH Buzzards

Tazmanian

B’Devil

HSAsd STDs

Owned by

Geri Calvert

& Mike Hunter

Professionally

presented by

Clint Livinigston

JEEP

New Champion

Buzzards Shiften’ Gears

Always Owner/Handler

Finished in Bred-By Class

TUCKER

New Canadian Champion

Int CH GCH Buzzards

Red Commander Tucker

Owned by Marc & Carol Moore

KATIE

GCH Buzzards Katarina

Finished her Grand Championship

Out of

Veterans Classes

SADIE

New Champion

Buzzards Designed by Mercedes

Finished before her 1st Birthday

Loved by Colston Couch

Owned by Rick & Judy Thomas

JAKE

New Champion

Buzzards King of Brokenhearts

Owned by Rick & Judy Thomas

Competitive by nature,capable by design.

Competitive by nature,capable by design.

STOCK OPTIONS ACDSSTOCK OPTIONS ACDS

Kim & Darren Brosterwww.stockoptionsacds.com ■ (270) 978-5599

AKC BREEDER of MERIT

Stock Options ACDs proudly announces our first Bred By Herding Champion/Dual Champion,

HC WTCH Stock Options Cowculated RiskHXAsd HXBd HIAcsd HIBd HSAcsd HSBd RN HRD1s HTAD1sd HTD1d QW

CHIC # 82307, PRA prcd pattern A, OFA Good Hips, Normal Elbows and Patellas, Cardiac and BAER Normal ad CERF Clear, PLL Clear and PRA rcd4 Clear

Reckon has earned multiple HIT and RHIT on cattle, sheep and ducks at al levels, including RHIT on Cattle at the 2011 ACDCA National Specialty. We are looking forward

to pursuing his AHBA Herding Trial CH next and seeing his pups follow in his paw prints.

BootsI first saw Boots on New Year’s Eve 2000 at the Mike Johnson’s World’s Richest Roping. It was very cold and had

been snowing off and on all day long. Some folk’s I was with found these pups and was pestering me to go see them. Ireally didn’t want a puppy but went to look at them anyway.

After spying Boots laying down in a crate full of puppies laying down eating puppy chow keeping the others awaywhile half way smiling about it. So I started talking the Lady that had him we started talking about price then aboutdoing some trading and she ended up with a hand carved toilet seat and I had a puppy named Boots.

I have a Small Saddle shop so I named him Boots. He would Become almost my constant companion first to theshop in the morning and early afternoon and sometimes even to work in the evenings. We went to Rodeo’s , TeamRopings , Horse Show’s and even a few Dance Halls. He would always seem to have a smile as long as he could gowith me . he had so much personality Just about everyone Loved Him Especially Children.

Thru many ups and downs Boots was always there looking out for me always there in a pinch. In the fall of 2005 Iwas at Judy’s place and wanted to take ride not having a saddle I just slipped a bridle on the ole yeller horse and tooka little ride bareback. Now Judy’s place was just full of rocks to make a long story short oleyeller wheeled out from under me leaving me hanging out in mid air and I crashed intoa large rock pile. Well ole yeller just turns around and walks back to and startedgrazing while there I am gasping for air like a fish. Boots didn’t like this at all andproceeds to run ole yeller thru the brush to the back side of 60 acres then beets apath to me licking my face and barking then runs to Judy’s barkin up a stormuntil she comes and gets me .

I know we all have a lot of stories I know I do. We are so Lucky when we havefriends like these they love with out question they give all they have just sothey can earn our love and affection that is all they want. They come into ourlives and pass back out leaving us better People than we were before. We aretruly blessed to have them in our lives the make life Richer then they leaveonly a short while .We will see them again.

Good bye my good friend Boots, & thank you for just being you!

CH Brokenhearts Hollywood Nightsx CH Buzzards Biscuit Girl

Thank you Jim for sharing this strong young dog and thankyou Theresa and Colston for showing him to his championship!Owned and Loved by: Rick and Judy Rogers

New Champion!CH Buzzards King of Brokenhearts

ACD

BreederSpotlight

Bendigo Kennels

Cathie Brown How long have you been in Dogs? I have been in dogs for 25 years. How long have you had the ACD and what is your background.? I purchased my first ACD in 1998. I started bathing dogs for a groomer in 1985. That groomer exhibited English Bulldogs and she was the one that introduced me to the dog show world.

Why did you choose the ACD? After being around different breeds at a grooming shop, I wanted a good companion for being around my horse and being able to have the stamina to be outside and ac-tive. How did you decide that this breed was for you? After being around them and seeing the versatility they had, I feel in love with the breed.

How did you first get involved in the ACD? My old boyfriend had an ACD and I decided to show it for him. Once I started to show that ACD, it led to more. What do you do with your dogs (i.e. herding, performance, conformation)? I have mostly done confirmation but have had a little bit of experience with agility. I would like to get more involved with agility in the future.

Ch Bendigo Renegade Laughter

What titles have your puppy buyers put on your dogs you have bred? My dogs have excelled in every venue. I have dogs with herding championships and several agility titles. I have bred over 25 AKC confirmation champions. Some of my puppy buyers have many titles on their dogs. One dog in specific “Mudd” has many titles: CD, RA, PT, NJP, NAP, NA, TD What made your decision to start breeding? I wanted to continue showing and wanted to have my own line of dogs to exhibit. What caused you to pick the particular dog/ bloodlines (S) that you did to start your breeding program? When I did my research, I continually liked the same type of dog so I looked for breed-ers with that pedigree. What dog/bitch to date is your best dog/ bitch pro-duced and why? CH Bendigo American Rebel is my best dog to date. Rebel finished his AKC Champion-ship in six shows and was un-defeated. He received an Award of Merit at the 2003 National Specialty. In 2007 Rebel was ranked number one in the county for breed from Jan to November. Ch Bendigo Reneagade Laughter was awarded winners bitch at the 2003 National specialty. There, success speaks for it’s self.

CH Bendigo American Rebel

When deciding on a breeding do you outcross, line breeding, in-breeding, or a combination of all? I seem to do mostly outcross breeding’s they have worked well for me. Do you breed to outside females and if so what is your criteria? I do from time to time bred to out-side girls, they must have all health testing completed. Who influenced your breeding choices the most & why? Pam Gipson, she has given me so much help and mentoring. Talking to breeders who had the years of experience What dog has made the biggest impact on your breeding program to date? Ch So los Hard Working Man What bitch has made the biggest impact on your breeding program to date? Ch Hilltops Ice Capade

Which Dog & Bitch in your breeding program was most successful or that you feel contributed the most to the breed? So far I have had a few dogs to help con-tributed to my program most of them going back to CH Brairmoor Bugle Boy How do you raise your puppies I am lucky to have a 13 year old son who is very helpful with my puppies, I am also trying to instill in him all that must take place to raise a good puppy. We raise them in the house for the first 4-5 weeks then put them in the barn/outside area for a different place and different surfaces for the to encounter.

Bendigo Look It UP

What bitch has made the biggest impact on your breeding program to date? Ch Hilltops Ice Capade Which Dog & Bitch in your breeding program was most successful or that you feel contributed the most to the breed? So far I have had a few dogs to help con-tributed to my program most of them going back to CH Brairmoor Bugle Boy What do you feed your puppies? Diamond chicken and rice, I get great results for this food. How did you come up with your kennel name? BENDIGO is a city in Australia, I chose that name as it is short and catchy Do you have a distinguishable line? I like to think so. If you were going to rate type, temperament, & soundness in what order of im-portance what would be the order & why? Temperament Soundness Type Temperament is so important without it you got nothing. Soundness Type is what makes me fall in love What do you think are the most serious faults in the breed today? Temperament Do you consider yourself a mentor to others coming in the breed? I try to be helpful and encourage anyone in the breed. What advice would you give them in starting out on the right road?To do right by your dog, You are their voice and protector. Describe an average day living with your dogs? The first thing I want to kiss in the morning, someone usually goes to work with me in my mobile grooming van. Then home to play feed and do a little training.

What should people who are interested in this breed know before they bring one into their homes? They are able to do anything, and they will only be as good as you make them Do you feel the current AKC/UKC/ANC/FCI/ANKC standard is adequate? Yes I think It fits the breed correctly

Bendigo Stare Into The Sun & Bendigo The Cats Out of the Bag

Will Brown with his first champion.

Ch. Bendigo Blue High Heels

www.bendigokennels.com

“Bindi”

CH Castle Butte Bindi CD RE HXAds HXAcM NA OAJ OAP MJP NFP CGC

HTADIcgs HTADII cs HTADIII ge,s HRDIs STDdsc OTDcd ATDc

Is the first Australian Cattle Dog to earn the Herding Masters title in

Advanced Cattle and the second dog in AKC history to do so.

Bindi is the Blessing that opened the door which started us in competitive herding.

She came from Castle Butte Kennels (Paul & Marilyn Myers) and was originally going

to be my conformation and agility dog. All of that changed after we watched Steve

Waltenburg and “Kate’ work cattle together at the 2004 National Specialty. Bindi was a

6 month old puppy at the time and we had no idea how old or young they could start

herding, but knew it was something that we wanted to try someday.

At the age of 3, Bindi and Jesse started training with Steve Waltenburg and after only

3 lessons on cattle we entered her in her first cattle class which was at the 2007 Na-

tional Specialty. Bindi really stood out in the started cattle class and she and Jesse did

a great job the first day but timed out at the gate. (Cattle classes were 10 min then)

The second day, they came back and made sure they were able to finish the run and

even placed 4th and we were thrilled with that.

From there, Bindi

and Jesse have con-

tinued to improve

and learn together

and have really tried

to develop that

‘team’ for herding

that we had previ-

ously seen in Steve

and Kate. I showed

Bindi in conformation

to her Championship

and trialed her some

in agility, obedience

and rally, but herding

is what Bindi has

made it clear that she wants to do most. She loves working cattle the best, and will tol-

erate ducks and geese. She really enjoys goats and works sheep with a lot of enthusi-

asm.

When not competing in AKC trials Bindi & Jesse have also competed in a few horse-

back trials. She enjoys helping with daily chores around our home and makes it clear

to the other dogs that the stock is ‘hers’. Bindi has a very sweet and kind disposition,

so when folks see pictures of her on cattle, they are surprised at the change of

‘attitude’ that they see in her.

In 2012, Bindi received an award from the ACDCA for the Dam of Most Herding Titlists

during 2011. This meant a lot to us as we only bred her once. All of her offspring seem

to be following in Bindi’s paw prints as we have so far 2 Champions out of her. My

dog, who is her son, “Dozer” GCH Bar H Blue Bulldozer BN RN HSAdsc CGC is also

a Grand Champion. In fact, all of her pups are titled on sheep and ducks/geese and 2

are now titled on cattle. Her daughter, who is Jesse’s girl, ‘Lash” CH Bar H I’m A Cov-

er Girl RN HSAdc HSAsM CGC HTADI-s was the first ACD to earn the Herding Mas-

ters title in started sheep. Bindi has another daughter in Oregon, Bar H Pistol Packing

Lakota Cowgirl HSAs HRDI-s who is titled on sheep and very close to receiving her started

cattle title. She is pointed in conformation as well. Our other little girl, “Belle” Bar H Tinker-

belle Trail RN HSAds CGC is also very close to her conformation Championship. There is a

fifth puppy girl who is very happy on a working ranch here in our area.

One of the most rewarding accomplishments is that all of the titles earned and training on

all of the dogs has been owner/handled and we are very proud of that.

We were pleasantly surprised when we were told by AKC that Bindi was the first ACD to

earn The Herding Master’s Title in Advanced Cattle! And, to be the second dog in AKC His-

tory (after a Border Collie) was really exciting as well.

Bindi and Jesse were at a trial down in Escondido, Calif. But I didn’t let him know how

many more Q’s they needed for her Advanced Masters Title, as I didn’t want him to be

thinking about it. After he called with his news of his runs for the day, I told him about

Bindi’s accomplishment! I could tell by Jesse’s voice that he was grinning ear to ear

and very proud of his girl.

Bindi and Jesse are currently going for those hard to earn CH pts in herding and also

close to earning her WTCh. She has done everything we’ve asked of her and more

and she is truly enjoying her job along the way. We are very thankful for the friends

that we have made throughout this journey and how this little Blue girl has changed

our lives. We’ve learned and continue to learn something from everyone we’ve met

and we have come to appreciate each and every day with our girl, Bindi and all of our

other dogs. Every run we run is special and we try to continue to keep it fun for both

the dogs and us. Bindi’s love and passion for herding has really showed us that the

Cattle Dog is happiest when they’re doing what they’ve been bred to do. We hope to

keep this going on in the generations to come as the Herding Bug has bitten us for

good!

Submitted by Lisa Hampton

Bar H Australian Cattle Dogs

Lisa and Jesse Hampton

Barhcattledogs1@verizon.net

Www.barhcattledogs.com

Bindi’s 2nd High In Trial

With Jesse and Lisa Hampton

Dogs With Jobs

serious jobs,

every day jobs & of course the

fun jobs

Dogs With Jobs

serious jobs,

every day jobs & of course the

fun jobs

SevenSevenSeven is my Search and Rescue K9 partner. He's 4.5 yrs old and has been certified

for about a year and a half.

We are certified and deploy with the California Rescue Dog Association and we are also

members of and deploy with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit

and the Yosemite National Park Service Search and Rescue K9 Unit, YODOGS.

Seven is certified in several ways and therefor gets to work a great deal: Area 1 (finding

live missing persons in the back country high elevation), Avalanche 1 (finding buried live

persons under snow in the back country at high elevations),

Cadaver 1 (human remains detection, including buried, in buildings, hanging and small

disarticulated sources), Cadaver 2 (human remains detection whole surface in a large ar-

ea while still also finding and reporting live finds as an Area Dog) Cadaver 3 (human re-

mains detection under the water from boats and shoreline).

Seven has been sent on 30 searches so far and gotten to work on 28 of them (we get can-

celled if the subject is located). He recently got back from a three day search to the high

back country with me. He has finds, but we cannot discuss them since our work was for

Law Enforcement. Seven has ridden in helos, under helos on short hauls several times, on

many different types of boats and of course trucks. Seven recently has worked from the

Sierra Crest at 12K ft to the waterways of Oakland in one week's time, and is always up for

more. He has travelled across much of California and is comfortable in just about all ter-

rain.

CH. Pioneers Tip’s Lucky Seven PT, SAR-W

Seven is my third Search and Rescue Dog. Bandit, his grandfather was my first and Tiger,

his uncle, was my second. I am lucky to have him and am grateful to his breeder, Lorrie

Pruett, for him. Seven is now also a Champion and has a PT on sheep. Unlike his grandpa

and uncle, he doesn't get to work stock or compete at those events, because I have cho-

sen to focus as much energy and time as I have to making him the best, most effective

search dog he can be.

Please stop by and say hi to Seven at this year's Nationals!

Eric Sheets

Duck Dog Dynasty

Jeff Long’s ACDs in California are showing the versatility of the breed, as they have an un-

conventional job as waterfowl hunting/retrieving dogs.

Jeff is a lifelong fowl hunter and before ACDs, trained Labs and other retriever breeds for

his hunting partners. Then, along came Scrappy, an ACD from Gwen Shepperson (KS

Ranch ACDs) in Wyoming. “He wanted to learn whatever I would teach him, and he was so

eager, I thought, why not see if he can retrieve for me? He wanted to be wherever I went

anyways, so I thought I might as well try!” Scrappy went off to a trainer and “retrieving

school”, where he graduated top of his class ahead of all the other, more traditional bird

dog breeds. “Even the trainer thought it was a crazy idea at first, but Scrappy proved him

wrong at every turn!”, recalls Jeff. And he started a trend in the Long household of having

ACD retrievers that continues to this day. Jeff now owns 4 KS Ranch ACDs: Scrappy, Teddy,

Holli and Luna; and they all participate in a variety of bird hunting activities. Jeff says,

“They are just as reliable, consistent and suited for retrieving work as any other breed I

have owned, and definitely love their job.”

Scrappy started out retrieving ducks and geese, but these days, he has traded in his

boat and float vest for quail hunting. “He decided quail hunting was much more fun, most-

ly because it does not involve cold water!”, laughs Jeff. But Scrappy spent many years

watching the sun come up from the deck of a boat. “He was such a fast learner, we were

out hunting and retrieving with just a few months of training, and he was having a blast.

But I think he likes the quail hunting because he gets to both find and retrieve the birds.”

Then, along came Teddy and Luna, who came to Jeff as adult dogs. They had lived their

first years as “city dogs” in Vancouver, BC, but quickly fit right in. “They rode in the ATV the

first day at our house, and Teddy jumped into the passenger seat like he’d lived here all

his life.” They both were a little apprehensive about gun noise at first, but now are old

pros at days on the duck boat. “Teddy sees me with a gun now and is ready to go. He will

retrieve anything I put in the water and really enjoys hunting. He is my go-to dog for duck

and geese.” Luna loves to ride on the boat and swim out with Teddy to get the fowl, but

Teddy usually beats her to the retrieve, as he is the stronger swimmer of the two.

Holli, the last to join the Long hunting crew, came to Jeff as a puppy in 2011. “Holli was

sporting a float vest and riding on the boat with the other dogs from the first week I had

her” says Jeff. “She learned a lot by just watching the other dogs, before any of her formal

training began.” Holli is a great swimmer, loves the water and has spent many days hunt-

ing ducks and geese with Jeff. “She is great swimming through the thick marsh, bringing

the fowl back into the blind when we are hunting, and she loves to practice with the retriev-

ing dummy too.”

When not out hunting, Jeff’s dogs enjoy life on the ranch in Chilcoot, California. “They are

great at keeping the antelope out of the alfalfa hay, and Luna is a terrific watch dog.” They

also enjoy hiking in the mountains nearby and go with Jeff whatever he’s doing. Jeff says,

“They are just great dogs, ready to do anything you ask, and we just have a lot of great

times together. Life without them wouldn’t be nearly as much fun!”

Reprinted from Extreme Juniors Newsletter.

World's first 'bionic dog' steps up to challenge

There isn't much Naki'o, a 2-year-old red heeler mix, can't do. He just might do it a bit differently than your

average canine.

Two years ago, Naki'o was abandoned in a foreclosed home in Nebraska. He lost all four of his paws to

frostbite before he was rescued by Colorado's All Aboard Animal Rescue.

As soon as Christie Pace, a veterinary technician who lives in Colorado Springs, saw Naki'o's photo, she

knew she had fallen in love.

"When I got him he was 8 weeks, 4 pounds, and he was missing patches of fur because he had mange.

But, he was just such a happy guy," Pace said.

She knew Naki'o was missing all four paws, as well as part of his tail and nose, but she also knew she

would be able to find a solution down the road.

"As he started getting older, I started seeing changes and he started limping and going three-legged.

That's when I knew I needed to do something," Pace said.

She says it was a blessing when she discovered OrthoPets, a Denver-based company, and the only in the

world, to design and make custom animal prosthetics.

Veterinary Anesthesiologist Dr. Patsy Mich with Orthopets knew Naki'o's situation would be a challenge.

"He can't really feel the ground at all with any of his four limbs, which is different than most patients. His

contact to the earth is entirely mechanical," Mich said, "So the challenge was to create the world's first

dog with four prosthetic limbs."

Naki'o has a can-do attitude. Obstacle? He can step over it. Challenge? Bring it on. So he jumped into his

prosthetics, and his rehabilitation training, with all four paws.

At first, he would collapse as he was learning to walk with his prosthetics, but he never gave up. Now,

Pace says, he runs and plays with her other dogs without a care in the world. He even gets excited when

she takes the prosthetics out to go for a walk.

Pace has now made it her mission to rescue other disabled animals. Naki'o is the 'spokesdog' for her res-

cue organization, Naki'o's Underdog Rescue.

"Love has no boundaries. I love to help any animal with a disability and show the world how capable they

are. Now that he has prosthetics I don't think he realizes he's different at all," Pace said.

Even Dr. Mich has taken a lesson from the world's first bionic dog, "What I've learned personally and as a

doctor is courage. My patients teach me every day that you just have to take the next step, literally, and

boldly."

Naki'o is also up for an award as the 'Emerging Hero Dog' at the Hero Dog Awards. You can vote for Naki'o

beginning on May 7 here.

(KUSA-TV © 2013 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)

http://www.9news.com/pets/petline9/334171/250/Worlds-first-bionic-dog-steps-up-to-challenge-----

FLYING WITH Man’s Best Friend

Text and Photos by Jim Urquhart/Reuters

Dan McManus is a professional paraglid-

ing and hang gliding instructor in Utah. He

has been flying for about 37 years and he

can be found most days catching the

breeze at the flight park on a mountain

ridge at the south end of the Salt Lake val-

ley. However, in recent years he has also

been joined on many flights by his service

dog Shadow. McManus suffers from a

general anxiety disorder but manages to

keep many of the symptoms in check with

the constant companionship of his Aus-

tralian cattle dog. While flying in itself has

been a calming pursuit he soon found out

that his service dog never wanted to be

away from him (a bit of separation anxiety

for Shadow).

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/flying-with

-man-s-best-friend-1374525195-

slideshow/

My name is Bill and I have a Blue Heeler

Harlequin Dane mix named Blu. His

mother was ACD, and by appearances a

pure breed but the father was unknown

as she was a pound rescue with pups. I

picked the most aggressive feeder when

the pups were two days old and the pup

that most resembled the mother. I fig-

ured out the father when I noticed simi-

lar markings on a television ad to my

puppy. Most of the litter was predomi-

nantly white in color but he has the cat-

tle dog color. He has stayed outside

since he was brought home at 7 weeks and I had to instruct him how to climb the stairs to the deck. I only

had to show him once.

My wife ranted for about a week about the

new puppy, she did not want another dog,

but Blu is the reason I get out of bed in the

morning. I am disabled with multiple health

issues and my ACD mix is the reason I still

keep going. He is my therapy and I am his. I

brush him every morning with a brush coated

with pine tar & turpentine and the fleas, ticks

& mosquitoes leave him alone. I have never

seen him scratch. I give him fresh water @

eight gallons daily and feed him dry food

Lamb & Rice for large breed puppies. He

weighed 42.6 pounds at six months and 70

pounds at 18 months and in perfect health.

The vet said he will groom until he is two

years old and maybe a bit longer. He was

born on Halloween 2011. I make his dog bis-

cuits with either beef or pork broth and rolled

oats & brown rice.

He gets three of those per day and a can of sardines in olive oil once per week.

He has the ACD skills from his mother and even my daughter noticed when he ran sideways as a puppy. I

work with him everyday in his limited backyard and he runs and cuts for me as I turn and use a walking

stick to direct him. He also sits, stays, retrieves and looks for things on command and he finds his collar

(which he is always taking off) and will give you five and go to his bed on command also. He is very intelli-

gent and has great natural instincts which I have tried to enhance by using only positive reinforcement in

his training. He has never even gotten a scolding. He has learned a lot and is still learning and I try to nur-

ture his positive natural instincts. He does not mind the rain but hates the water hose turned on him and

he has webbed feet. I do not know if that is from his mom or not.

Anyway, I saw you list about submitting ACD stories so here is mine, even though he is only part ACD.

Thank you,

Bill D. Jennings

Woylie's Freddy has been

voted Dog of the Year 2012 by

French ACD & Kelpie Club

(CF-BAK)

Imported from Germany, Woylie’s

Freddy owned by Mathieu Nicourt

He stood out last year in several differ-

ent ways and was therefore congratu-

lated by the French ACD & Kelpie Club.

When it comes to showing, he achieved

the title of Champion of France within

less than 4 months.

To this end, he had to also supply clear

health tests (PRA, hips, elbows and

hearing) as well as a herding instinct

test.

As for sporting titles, he obtained enough points from his first two competitions in IPO 1, to

move on to level II.

His following two compétitions in level

II qualified him for the French IPO

Grand Prix, equally in the level II cate-

gory and to move on to level III. Last

but not least, he was also successfully

Herding Instinct Tested on both sheep

and cattle and obtained the title of

recommended stud dog.

Indeed, just four years old Freddy has

got IPO 3 level, obtaining the first

place and become the first French

ACD to go to this level. He is already

the proud father of three French litters

and soon of a new one in Sweden.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/

pages/Freddy-Australian-Cattle-

Dog/110729019180?fref=ts

Email: mathieu.nicourt@free.fr

Woylie's Freddy:

Date of birth: 07/05/2009, LOF

1AUST.CA 595/79, VDH

09/180 0032,

(Red Manor Barak vom Landhof

Rothaus X Danbar's River of

Dream) IPO 3; recommended

Stud Dog, champion of France

2012

PRA A (tested by Laboklin);

Full hearing, Full dentition

Hips B/B- Elbows 0/0

Height - 50 cm

Herding tested on sheep and

cattle

Good behaviour tested

Activities - IPO and Herding

Available for stud services

Proven sire (three litters)

I ran across your website

when I was researching infor-

mation about my Australian

Blue Heeler. He is 20 months

old beautiful dog. I rescued

him from the American Hu-

mane Society, and he saves

my life every day. I am hear-

ing impaired, and have a de-

bilitating medical condition

that causes me to lose my

balance, my ability to see,

and to hear. Blue helps keep

me steady on my feet, goes

with me everywhere, alerts

me to alarms and bells, people, and traffic. He travels with me on the Metro Mobility buses. We shop to-

gether and he travels with me to work every day. Blue lets me know when people are approaching from

the side or behind me, prevents me from walking into someone coming around a corner, keeps me from

running into things, carries my medicine and ice pack.

Blue is an absolute dream. He is sweet, loving, completely protective and loyal. When I am down on the

ground, he helps me regain my feet. He stays right with me until I have help when I need it. Blue tells me

when the phone rings, someone is at the door, and when the alarm clock goes off in the morning.

He loves to run and play. His favorite inside game is to chase a laser light and dog bones used for fetch

up and down the stairs. When we are out at the park he chases balls and toys. When he is working he is

attentive to everything and everyone. He is patient and gentle when children run up to him. People think I

saved his life – but he really saved mine.

I named him Blue, not because of his breed, but because when he is out in the sunlight – the silver in his

fur is absolutely blue!

Blue works from 4 in the morning, until 11 at night – he is right with me all the time. I often thing about

what life was like before he was part of my life and realize how much he is a miracle for me every single

day. The Christmas photo is Blue with his best friend Raven.

Dona

Blue, Donna and Raven

Angelyne

“The Amazing”

DEAF Cattle Dog

A special dog partnered with a

special human for many

special jobs.

By Eric Melvin (human, trainer

and chauffeur of Angelyne)

With opportunity comes respon-

sibility and Angelyne and I have

an abundance of both.

My life changed when I kept

Angelyne and started an uncer-

tain future with her after learning

5 weeks after I brought her home

that she was born bi-laterally

deaf. What we are today as com-

pared to how we began astounds

me. Life with Angelyne trans-

formed me from a guy with type

1 diabetes challenged with living

a normal life despite complica-

tions to an accomplished public

speaker, published author, sought-after deaf dog trainer and one half of a unique and in-

spiring partnership that has touched lives all over the globe. Angelyne was an unexpected

gift that was meant to be shared. I have dedicated my life to her and our job is to share

both of our talents and gifts with others.

The following is a testimonial from a recent character education show and appearance we

made at a middle school. It describes the goal and mission for my work with Angelyne

and explains perfectly who we are, what we do and why we do what we do.

“ Eric & Angelyne are a dynamic duo, who portray a heartfelt story about the life-altering

impact that a canine companion can generate. In addition, their saga illustrates timeless

lessons about overcoming adversity and turning challenges into strengths. Our students

were captivated by the knowledge & feats Angelyne demonstrated, along with Eric's skill

and dedication in facilitating her keen sense of visual observation. The pair inspired a few

of our students to create a video recognition of the show in response to the overarching

and profound message that Eric &

Angelyne convey, which is, 'make a

positive contribution to your world &

never give up'....a lesson that was

readily evident in their life

work !"

Thank you again for your kindness,

generosity and leading by example!

Heather Study

Student Services Director

Mountain Middle School

Durango, CO

Angelyne and I surpassed our 300th

appearance and presentation in early

2013. We’ve consistently performed

for over 15,000 people in each con-

secutive year since 2010 for a wide

variety of audiences and it continues

to grow despite our focus on character

education and advocacy for animals

and people with disabilities. Our story

has been published in three books

and we’ve shared the stage with such

famous “dog-people” as Wendy Fran-

cisco, author / singer of “GoD-DoG,” Guy Gilchrist, cartoonist for Today’s Dogg, The Mup-

pets and Nancy as well as Shorty Rossi of the television show “Pit Boss.” We also per-

formed at Erik Weihenmayer’s “No Barriers Summit” for people with disabilities.” We’ve

donated over 300 hours to advocate for rescues and various non-profits, schools and

more. We hold an educational exhibitors license with the U.S.D.A. Animal Welfare Act and

Angelyne is also registered as my ESA (Emotional Support Animal) for my type 1 diabetes.

Sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect them. Angelyne’s deaf-

ness, my type 1 diabetes and the many other forms of disabilities are unexpected chal-

lenges but that’s where the triumph begins. Angelyne has profoundly changed who I am

and who I want to be. My life and work with her have taught me how to be a teacher, in-

spirer, leader, companion, provider, buddy and best friend. Angelyne is exceptional despite

her deafness / disability and our job /show illustrates my point. Once people see what

we’ve accomplished despite our “disabilities” no one feels sorry anymore. Eyes light up,

smiles widen and hearts melt when people see what Angelyne and I can do by each oth-

er’s side. To be able to inspire people with our story, talents and skills makes me feel like

I’m the luckiest man and dog owner on earth.

For more information about Eric & Angelyne please see www.amazingangelyne.com or like

their Facebook page - “Angelyne the Amazing DEAF Cattle Dog ”

Eric & Angelyne story links

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-local-news/ci_20415237/deaf-dog-inspires

-cdot-leaders

http://www.reporterherald.com/news/education/ci_20545509/mary-blair-students-

loveland-learn-theres-more-than

http://www.coloradohometownweekly.com/news/louisville/ci_20841142/amazing-deaf-

cattle-dog-owner-teach-lessons-compassion

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19073413

http://milehighdog.com/images/Mile_High_Dog_-_April_2012_Angelyne_story.pdf

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110929/NEWS/709299981?layout=default

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20110508/

NEWS/110509819&parentprofile=search

http://durangoherald.com/article/20130424/NEWS01/130429766/0/SEARCH/Doggie-

sign-language

http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20111016/NEWS02/710169970/-1/News01/

Deaf-cattle-dog-teaches-Colorado-kids-life-skills

http://issuu.com/thedenverdog/docs/denver_dog_summer_2013/43

Eric & Angelyne Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJkZJuil_70

Eric & Angelyne Books

http://www.happytailsbooks.com/books/dog-breeds-e-l/herding-breeds/

http://www.bearportpublishing.com/productdetails.cfm?SKU=26972

--

Angelyne

www.amazingangelyne.com

Croco - Working champion

Croco Dundee Cidabro

(C.I.B. Windwarrior´s Flying Force x Bush-

ranger´s Celtic Queen), dob 10.5.2002.

Croco won Czech championship of rescue

dogs of all breeds in 2008 + 2010!!! , 3rd

place in championship 2006, won many fa-

mous competitions in our country including

cadaver. Croco passed 21 working exams.

Racy = Racy Blue Rebecca Cidabro

(Grand Ch. Durango z Lodice x x C.I.B. Miss Aussie Cidabro),

dob. 6.5.2010 - agility, coursing

Sophie and Sheila

taking their job seriously

.

KS RANCH

Gwen Shepperson

38605 Buffalo Creek Rd

Arminto, WY 82630

307-267-1956

ksranchcattledogs@gmail.com

This is Uluru(red) and Boomerang(blue). They are The Mobile Dog

Wash Dogs and they come to work everyday with me. They live

with Diesel the Poodle,6 cats,2 shetlands, a horse, a goose and 5

chickens. They work very hard and get a £1 a day. We live in

Margam village Sth Wales.

Gregg Booth

ACK ACK

SALT WATER

Dobie and Butter

?? Who Ya Gonna Call ??

GOOSE BUSTERS

The 2013 Goose Bustin’ Crew (left to right): Denali, Bert (who live with my Aunt Lynn around the corner), Free-da, Jess, Goose (pup), Dinka, Sally (my oldie) & Jackie (my failed foster gal).

GOOSE BUSTERS

The Life and Times of Goose Bustin’ with ACDs in New Jersey.

My name is Karen ‘Cattledog’ Cox and I’ve been hopelessly addicted to the Australian Cattle Dog since 1993…oh wait, singular ‘cattle dog’ isn’t correct, for me it’s practically always been MULTIPLE cattle dogS. I am currently owned by a whole crew and I’m seriously outnumbered in my house. There are currently EIGHT Australian Cattle Dog mouths to feed and exercise. But this Cattle Dog Crew does not sit around or rest on their hind-quarters, they work and bring in the money by chasing geese away.

I am the Goose Van driver and their Cattle Dog Butt Hauler. I live and work in central NJ. This area along with many others has a huge problem with resident and migrating

Canada Geese. The birds are a nuisance and leave behind a mess of goose poop where ever they go (up to 2lbs per bird per day). Poop is left on driveways, walkways, lawns, basically everywhere they visit and feed. During the nesting season geese become very aggressive and have been known to attack people.

This is where we enter the scene. People contract with us and we show up every day to chase the geese.

My Goose Busters business began in late 1999 when I was told by a friend, that there was a local corporate property that was having a huge Canada Goose problem. They were looking for a local dog owner that could come by and chase the geese away. The corporation had tried all sorts of things in the past to keep the geese away, but nothing worked for any length of time.

I thought, I’m sure my dogs could do that. They’d probably even LOVE it.

I was local enough, had time available and was working from home. I contacted the company and set up an appointment to “demo” (fake) my service.

A few days later I met up with several men in suits on the front lawn of the property with the first ACD I owned, Dingo. He was a 1992 pup out of the Pittsburgh PA area and my heart dog (aka:CH Jems Prized Dingo For Karen). I got out of the truck (no Goose Van

yet), put a leash on Dingo and introduced myself to the men standing around. I then walked towards the front lawn full of geese, took the leash off and told him to “go-get-em” while walking in the direction of the geese. Dingo bounced a little, barked a little and trotted towards the geese. All of a sudden the geese took flight. They honked and carried on all the while flapping their way skyward. It was amazing, even to me! I knew an ACD could do it. After the sky lightened up and the birds were gone, I called Dingo back, put him on his leash, gave him a treat and turned to see the men in suits all clapping and quite happy with our (faked) demo.

Needless to say we got that client and have them to this day.

From there, Goose Busters developed into a full time company picking up more clients, mostly by word of mouth and soon after, by driving around the now highly decorated Goose Busters Van. Goose Busters is our name and geese are our game (pardon the pun). Yes, it’s a little dated, taken from the Ghostbusters movies, but it fits the business and the logo was a free-bie. Instead of Ghosts, we bust Canada geese.

Then, with a growing clientele, more properties, along with my aging ACDs I found the need for more dog-power. I adopted/rescued an ACD, had my first litter of ACDs out of Dingo/Rodeo and gained pups from other breeders -- Thanks to Monica, Claire & Tina. Since that time, some have passed away, I recently had two litters at one time, kept a pup now named ‘Goose’ and failed a foster dog I had through ACDRA.Org.

Jackie, the failed foster gal was a feral pup that came up from NC with her momma dog and siblings. She has become one of my best goose chasing dogs. She runs like a deer and looks almost as pretty. Her mom and siblings were placed in good homes via ACDRA.

Over the years, I’ve learned a ton about training the dogs on geese. I’ve also found I can ruin a dog by overwhelming them. Thankfully, those dogs have been few and far between because ACDs are so driven, bold and tough. I know I cannot afford to keep a dog that does not pull its weight or enjoy itself

chasing geese. A goose dog must ride well in the van, have good herding instincts, enjoy the job and ‘turn on’ to the chase. I’ve been lucky with the dogs that didn’t like chasing geese and I’ve found them wonderful homes. The job needs to be FUN for a dog, although ACDs take it pretty seriously just like everything else in their world.

If only cattle or sheep could fly!?! Other than that, Goose Bustin’ seems to be one of the best gigs for a cattle dog in suburbia.

Once a client is on our schedule, we hit the road, visiting every client’s property at least once a day. Thankfully the properties are local, because gas for the van does not come cheap, but the doggie employees work for treats which is a great trade off. And no health insurance premiums need to be paid!

Most companies that contract my service have a year round problem with Canada Geese and a few we service for only a few weeks a year. I’m told there over 800,000 resident Canada Geese in the State of NJ. Yes, that’s “resident” geese. They no longer know how to migrate and unlike the migratory flocks, they are a constant problem. I think the resident geese have come to know and love NJ with lush lawns and plenty of ponds, lakes, streams and rivers for nesting. Why should they bother with flying north and south any longer? NJ is perfect year round.

So as permanent resident geese the dogs and I have to work in all kinds of weather --summer heat, mud, rain, snow and ice from dawn to after dusk and 365 days a year. I've never been successful in training geese to take weekends or holidays off.

Geese can learn and adapt to a routine, so we do not have a set schedule and show up at random times from dawn to dusk, at times visiting a client up to six times a day.

Sometimes I think I’ve been busting geese far too long. I know more than anybody wants or needs to know about Canada Geese and their habits.

Geese are not stupid, geese are lazy and don’t like being asked to leave. That’s one question I get asked most often about Goose Busters; “When your dogs chase the geese, where do they go?” I tell people that they go someplace else and hopefully that place will call me for their Goose Removal Service. I’m also asked; “Don’t they come right back?” I say yes, and that’s why it’s a year-round gig. Some geese can be persistent, but showing up several times a day gives them the idea to go elsewhere. The migrating geese are easy to push off and they continue with their travels.

I rarely get bored Goose Bustin’. Every day is different and I must be on my toes at all times. I’ve come to learn which one of my dogs does best on which property or in what instance and under what circumstances. Some are long legged and can cover ground quicker, some work best alone, some work near people without interfering while some are over-friendly (Dinka!) and want to visit with people we come across. Some work better with other dogs or in a group and then they compete with each other racing to get to the geese first. Some are great swimmers and love being wet and muddy – and you can tell by looking at the inside of the Goose Van, yuck!

Although no dog can out-swim a goose, I have battery powered back-up for chasing geese off lakes and ponds which is a remote control boat. And on occasion I will use a kayak in conjunction with a dog, either in the kayak or swimming along side in a doggie life vest.

The ACD work ethic is the best! They are so very versatile, loyal, honest and they adapt very well. They love to work, learn, and please. I find mine arguing

several times a day, who's 'turn' it is to chase the geese and often *bark* their frustration, whether we’re going out of the house to the van or out of the van at a client.

As a side benefit this job keeps my dogs in shape!

An obedient and thoroughly trained dog is a huge necessity. So I work and train the crew constantly --at home, at the clients’, in the open and I dabble a bit in obedience and agility. Think about the traffic, other dogs or animals, and people we come across daily - a ‘stop whatever you are doing’ and return to me, is one of the most important things I need in a goose dog. My crew is taught to respond to my verbal commands, hand signals and whistle cues and to ignore most distractions such as other dogs, people who may be on a golf course or on a campus (although the occasional squirrel may take precedence). We are there for one job and one job only; ridding the property of GEESE!

We get them out and then it's a short ride and on to the next property.

In my opinion there is no better canine for this job than the Australian Cattle Dog. Highly trainable, smart, fast, intelligent, food motivated, perfectly sized along with the never-ending desire to work. The ACD does this job so well and it surprises me that almost all companies in this business use Border Collies, although I’ve recently heard of some using an ACD/BC mix, so they may be getting wiser. I believe the ACD surpasses the BC in speed, with the return to the Goose Van as fast as the 'Go-Out' and chase. My dogs harass and chase, not hunt or hurt geese. I utilize and build on the cattle dogs’ herding instinct to bring the geese to me. Of course the geese take flight instead of being 'rounded-up' and penned like cattle or sheep. After a short time it becomes more like a race for the dog and they blast out of the van and return in a flash.

Sometimes the dog must run a long distance, out of sight and basically be on its own to find and chase geese. I watch the sky to see geese flying off knowing the dog is still working on clearing the property. The whistle I use is mostly for distant work to let the dog know where I‘m located. I’ve had some dogs get 'lost' in the chase and forget which direction they came from. Other times a short run is all that is needed. According to the dogs, the worse of all are when the geese that fly off as soon as I pull the Goose Van onto a property. Those times I can almost hear my dogs cursing that they didn’t get a chance to run or get out of the van. Geese are smart, they learn to recognize the van and that the dogs are next if they don’t leave.

Starting a new client is always interesting and it can take a few days before the dog gets used to the property and marks (pees on) it up sufficiently. I find most clients’ properties become an extension of my dogs’ back yard with the focus only on geese.

Even the geese we pass around town lift their heads and 'honk' as we drive by wondering if they're going to be harassed and chased.

My cattle dog crew eagerly jumps into the Goose Busters van and off we go to earn our pay. These dogs make it possible to earn a pretty decent living. Life with the Goose Bustin' crew is not only about work, they are my companions 24/7. They live in the house, hog the couch, steal the covers, torment and play with one another as only an ACD would. I am very fortunate that when I leave for work...morning, noon, or night my crew of ACDs gets to go with me. It is a special bond we share as my team and I spend our days working, training and playing in New Jersey.

Yes, I get paid to exercise and work with my dogs! Could there be a better gig? I think not.

The loyalty of the ACD is true blue ......and so is my whole crew.

Karen ‘Cattledog’ Cox & Goose Busters with ACD crew in New Jersey

Portrait-izing Your Dog

By Jeff Jaquish

When we last met, we talked about some tips and techniques about how to capture some action shots of dogs at herding trials. In this installment we are going to talk about getting a portrait of your dog that is good enough to have enlarged, framed and displayed on your wall or to display on a website.

My tips will apply mostly to people using a single lens reflex (SLR) camera. If you are using a point-and-shoot camera, there are some tips here that may also be of some value. In this article we will examine lighting, focus, f-stop, lens selection, composition and backgrounds. I'll also let you in on a little secret when it comes to post-processing an image of a “blue” cattle dog. So, let's get started!

I always like to encourage people to know their camera and to know the basics of exposure. To do this, take an evening to sit down with the camera in your lap and the camera's manual at your side. Go through each page and make the camera do what the manual is illustrating. Knowing what your camera is capable of doing and how to do it is fundamental. In addition, I always suggest reading and understanding a book about exposure. Learning the triad of exposure is essential in photography. The book I always recommend is Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition by Bryan Peterson. It is richly illustrated and covers the essentials in an easy to understand format. It is a good investment at $14.99!

When I am referring to a dog portrait, I am thinking about the traditional idea of a portrait which mostly contains the head, neck and “upper” torso of the dog or what is commonly referred to as the “headshot”. In my view, there is only one required element in a great dog portrait. I have boiled it down to this and it makes life so simple when shooting a dog portrait (and for human portraits). There must be at least one eye that is in focus. That's it. With few exceptions this simple rule works very well. It almost always works better if there is only one eye that is in focus that it be the eye that is closest to the camera. As humans, our brains are engineered to look at the eyes and to study them even if it just for a microsecond. Because of that, an in-focus eye is usually the fundamental element in a good dog portrait. It forms the basis for us to make a connection to the subject.

When selecting a lens for a portrait, generally speaking, the same lenses that work with humans will work with dogs. The only different consideration is the dog has a longer

distance from the tip of the nose to the plane of the eyes than (most) humans. For that

reason, your lens selection and f-stop selection may vary from what you may use for

humans if you want the nose and eyes of the dog to both be in focus. For most human

portraiture, we usually will select a lens in the range from 50mm to 200mm depending

how far away from the subject we are working. Some dogs may feel much more

comfortable with you working 10-20 feet away. In that case a longer lens may be best.

The other bonus with using a longer lens is that you can choose a narrower, simpler

background. With a wider angle lens, you are taking in more background which may or

may not be beneficial to your portrait. In essence, usually almost any lens can be used

for a successful portrait lens. Keep in mind that a wide-angle lens (30mm and under)

will most likely distort the features of the dog making it look more like a caricature of a

dog than a dignified portrait. The nose will be out of proportion to the rest of the face,

for example, when the nose is closest to the lens.

Illustration 1 – My model was Dot. She is my most experienced model and she willingly works for a

few biscuits. The 15mm image shows a lot of distortion to the nose. The working distance is very short

and the lens is taking in a large amount of background. This may be a good lens to use if you want to

show a lot of the environment. The 30mm is a step better but there is still some distortion. The working

distance improves but you may be too close for some dogs. Of these three, the 50 mm is probably the

best over-all choice. There is less distortion, a better working distance and reduced background to

worry about. In all these sample images, I placed Dot 6 feet from the shrubs. With the 15mm lens, it

looks like she is much farther away. Again, that all has to do with the characteristics of wide angle

lenses

These demo images were taken in stark, mid-day light. I don't recommend shooting in these lighting

conditions.

Illustration 2 – Most times when I shoot a portrait, I'll use a lens in the 70 – 100 range. With the

images shown here from 100 – 200 you are not seeing any dramatic differences. The only differences

will be a slight change in the depth of field and a narrowing of the background angle. You may not

want to be so far from your subject as with the 200mm.

When choosing lighting for your portrait, you can effect the whole mood of the image. If

you are outdoors, try to avoid the direct sunlight and choose an area of open shade. An

overcast day can work to your advantage by providing a soft, even light similar to a

photographer’s softbox. If you can utilize the outside light in the Golden Hour (one hour

after sunrise and one hour before sunset) you may be able to create a very warm and

dramatic mood. As you are setting up your shooting position and the dog's position,

make sure you don't have the dog's face both in severe light and shadow. Most cameras

won't be able to handle the exposure very well. If you can position the dog so that there

is even lighting on the face and the glint of the sun reflected off-center in the eye, you'll

be on your way to a nice portrait. Also, place the dog at least 8-10 feet away from any

objects in the background. If you are ever forced to use flash, it is always best to use off-

camera flash and use it only for fill flash (to fill in the shadow areas). Any on-camera

flash is going to most likely play havoc with your portrait by creating stark light, casting

shadows and giving your dog those intolerable, yellow, monster eyes. Spooky!

Now you have selected the lens, you know the lighting and how you are going to

position yourselves for the best lighting and background. I prefer shooting in manual

mode in these situations. When I am not in manual mode, for portraits I will shoot in Av

mode (aperture priority). If you shoot in AV mode, choose the widest f-stop to begin

with and the pick an ISO that will support the shutter speeds you need. If you are

shooting in manual mode, now it's time to set your f-stop, shutter speed and ISO. For

shutter speed, usually you'll choose something in the range of 1/60 to 1/125 of a second.

Remember the dog is usually not very good at maintaining a stoic pose for your

convenience and a faster shutter speed may be in order. You will also make sure you

maintain that rule-of-thumb that minimally matches your shutter speed to the

millimeters of your lens. So if you are shooting with a 200mm lens you want a minimum

shutter speed of 1/200 of a second. A 50mm lens would demand a minimum of about

1/50 sec. If you are using a camera that is not a full-frame camera (most SLRs have a

crop sensor formula) then you have to take into account the crop sensor size and add that

to your shutter speed. For example, if you are using a lens at 50mm, multiply that by

your crop sensor size 1.6 (a common Canon crop sensor size) which would equal 1/80

sec. Next, most portraits are shot with what ever the widest f-stop setting (i.e. f2.8) the

camera is capable of. The wider the f-stop, the narrower the depth-of-field which will

result in a nice out-of-focus background (bokeh) especially if your subject is set a

distance away from any objects in the background. But as I mentioned before, a wide f-

stop may not get the dog's nose and eyes in focus. You may have to narrow the f-stop a

half or full stop to get the full face in focus if that's what you want. Different lenses at

different f-stops and different focus distances will have a different depth-of-field.

Having a depth-of-field chart at hand will help determine the specifics but you can

always take a few test shots and adjust for your intentions. Lastly, choose an ISO that

will support your shutter and f-stop decisions. Remember, a lower ISO setting will

deliver an image with less noise. Lastly, capture your portrait using the RAW file

selection. The RAW file is your negative and for post-processing it is the best file to

work with for professionals and amateurs alike.

Illustration 3 – Using the widest (smaller number) f-stop will blur the background in a pleasing sort of

way, but it will make focussing more critical. The f2.8 setting removes distractions and sometimes,

depending on the lens quality, a pleasing “bokeh” or out-of-focus area can add to the image.

Now it is time to take your image. It is always necessary to have some quality treats and

a variety of squeaky toys at hand to get the dog's attention. Once the dog is positioned,

try to get the dog to look at the camera. Some dogs may do this naturally but others may

need to be convinced with a treat or a squeak. Have the dog's owner/handler stand next

to you or behind you and have them hold the toy or treat just above the lens of the

camera almost touching it. This will get the dog to make “eye contact” with the lens an

create an engaging image. With a little bit of good fortune, you may even get a head tilt

with the eye contact. Another thing to try is to throw an article of interest into the air in

proximity to the camera. As it comes down near the camera, and with good timing on

your part, you may get the dog looking towards the camera. One of my ultimate dog

attention-getting tricks is to use an electronic device that is sold to attract coyotes. It

consists of a remote control and a separate speaker containing a chip that emits sounds

of distressed small animal that a coyote would love to eat. I haven’t yet met a dog who

wouldn't respond to that.

Illustration 4 – The image on the left was taken while I was kneeling on the ground and the lens was at

the same level as Dot's head. Note the focus and nearly focused areas. This angle provides a view that

is not normally seen from humans and adds some 'dignity' to the over-all image. The image on the right

was taken with me in the standing position pointing down to Dot's head. This is the view we normally

see. Since the camera was pointed down at an angle, the focus plane has shifted to only allow her head

and face to be in focus. Also, in the downward position I am using the grass as the uncluttered, simple

background. You can use this to your advantage if you don't have any other good background choices.

While getting the dog to look to the camera is great, sometimes it just doesn't work.

Getting a pose where the dog is looking off to the side with both the dog's eyes in view

(¾ view) can be a great image. In this case, you can have the handler a few feet off to

your left or right and have the treat or squeaky positioned so the dog is looking upward

slightly. Don't be afraid to try something different. Whatever you can do to get that great

portrait is all that matters.

All cameras are sold with a disc containing software for you to “develop” your images.

You don't have to have the very expensive and difficult to learn Adobe Photoshop. There

are many other alternatives and some that are free. But no matter what software you use,

there is one thing I want you to consider that effects dogs that are “blue”. As you know,

we call a dog “blue” because sometimes when the black and white hairs combine they

often have a blue appearance. Sometimes cameras will capture the color of a blue cattle

dog as blue. The sensors in the camera will sometimes be confused and actually capture

the blue dog with blue colors. I find this very irritating but in one step, I can change the

blue dog from a fantasy blue color back to a combination of black and white fur. In your

software adjustment toolbox, choose the Hue/Saturation tool. Choose the “Blues” option

and then desaturate just the blues in your image. You'll end up with more realistic

looking “blue” cattle dogs and you'll also be surprised how much blue tint your camera

was interpreting in the image.

Illustration 5 – In this portrait of Mr. Spud, on the left you can see the camera processed the blue cattle

dog as BLUE! I don't know about your dogs, but my blues are a mix of black, white and red hairs. To

make your blue dog look more realistic, lower the blue saturation with the Hue/Sat tool.

Those are the basics and I hope you find my hints valuable as you try to capture that

great portrait. Remember it is not just the equipment but the photographer's knowledge,

experience, skill (and luck) that captures the image. Shooting digitally allows you to

practice and take many different images with different settings. So, get out and shoot

and shoot often. With a little knowledge and a lot of practice you'll soon be capturing

many memorable shots.

If you have questions, you can contact me using my email, jeff@zingpix.com . You can

also visit my site www.zingpix.com .

Thanks and keep shooting the dogs (with a camera).

Information about me:

I started photography in high school and continued to learn and improve little by little. I

had a commercial photography course in college, numerous workshops, seminars and

read photography related materials for enjoyment. Today I supply advertising agencies,

book publishers, magazines, websites and corporate clients with images mostly of dogs.

I self-published an Australian Cattle Dog calendar for 2011 and am currently working on

a new calendar of working ACDs for 2012.

All photographs are © Jeff Jaquish – www.zingpix.com