Red Bob and I 

 

This is a story about Red Bob (ACD) and I (Ron) during one year on the ASCA trial circuit. Thank you ASCA for allowing other breed dogs to participate in your events.

This is true and as close as I can remember it. This is how to start and WTCH (ASCA Working Trial Champion) a dog the hard way. There are a lot of people to thank for this happening, including some who don’t even know they helped! The one most supportive of course is my wife Vickye, who without I could have never accomplished any feat at all.

The one person who did more than any other though was Teri . She is a very wonderful, trusting, and kind person. I met Teri on the net ICQ. She had herding dogs as her subject to talk about, so I messaged her. She encouraged me to bring my dog to a clinic to see if he had any ability. She encouraged me after this to enter trials and compete against others She set me up with Tami, who owned some sheep, so I could practice. Thank you Tami for letting Bob floss his teeth with your sheep. ACD’s don’t have much respect for sheep!  

Our first trial was on Labor Day 1999, in Deer Park, Washington. My goodness, I was so nervous only those who have been there can understand. I helped work stock in advanced and open as Bob was entered into started division. I got to see some good dogs work, but being first in started I had never seen a started dog work, so I didn’t have a clue. When I got out there I was lost, unsure, scared, sweating, to mention just a few and Bob wanted to eat sheep. Needless to say we didn’t qualify that day on sheep or cattle or ducks. When the awards were given he placed first on sheep and cattle, so I guess he still did better than the next dog no thanks to me.  

Second day I found out I could go and help my dog. I know how to move cattle; sheep couldn’t be all that different. Now ducks, another story. We didn’t qualify on those again, but scored well on sheep and cattle qualifying on both. Now I have it figured out a little, hahaha.  

The next morning, oh my goodness, we did a good job on ducks. I was shocked and very happy! We took it a step further on sheep and cattle, we worked them from the open line and he scored very well. Bob won first out of six trips, three in sheep and three in cattle. At the awards, we won Most Promising Started. Our first belt buckle, we’re addicted. Now he moved into open cattle and sheep. Neither of us knew commands for anything except “down.” Oh well, we have the whole winter to learn. 

Winter training has arrived. Once again my training partner bought some sheep. I had a place to keep them, so I was able to do a load of work. Training is work! We learned our “away” our “come bye” and “get through.” I got to know some ranchers, and they let me work their cattle. I think it was cheap entertainment for them. Payment was by watching a total idiot running around chasing cattle with a dog. So thank you Lee and Renee, some very wonderful people.

April arrives. Off to California We are entered into the Silver Bullet. I was told some of the best dogs in the USA would be there competing, and we wouldn’t stand a chance. Duhhhhhh….. Don’t tell me this. I knew we could learn even if we weren’t good enough to compete and after all I have a good friend there that I haven’t visited in years.  

Have you ever seen Barbados sheep!!!! We never had. OH MY GOSH! They can run. No way can Bob and I work these critters. What am I going to do??? We are going to look like fools out there. No, I wasn’t scared, nervous, lost, unsure, and sweating again. I was completely sick I even dreamed about Barbados sheep all night long, trying to figure out how to work them in my sleep.  

Trial day arrives! Well at least we had ducks to do first. Wow, we did great! And we qualified. Then we went to watch the advanced and other open handlers work those sheep. I don’t know how to express the feelings that came over me, especially when I was watching the advanced handlers working those sheep. It was like a relief, because after watching them I knew we could do at least as good. My sickness went away. I couldn’t wait to mix it up with those deer. I watched Sherry Baker work; she just kept her dog back. Hmmmmmmmm, I think I can do that! It worked. We qualified. Cattle were a cinch. We know how to do them, and we easily qualified.  

The second day was great; I couldn’t wait. We had placed on everything the first day. We were still in started on ducks, so we did them first. Once again all went great. The winds came up, blowing so hard that you had to have help opening the take pens. Can Bob hear me???? Is he going to listen to me out there in the wind? This is just a few of the things that go through a new trailers mind. The cattle worked well for us; the center pen was easy. Wow, we’re getting the hang of this!!!!! Everyone was having troubles with those sheep though. They wanted back into their pens and were running back up and down the wall at the take pen. Hmmmmmm, now how can you make them get off that wall??? I told Vic before we went in we were going to make them run right out of there or get a fast, “Thank you.” When I sent Bob into the take pen, I pushed him upon them fast and they shot out of there. OH MY GOSH RON, hurry up, they are leaving you! I ran after them and Bob. They were at first obstacle before I could get to the advanced line and headed for the second obstacle before I could reach the open line. Bob was responding to every command right away. Through the second obstacle they came, he lifted them off the fence without commands one “come bye” command and they were headed through the chute. Honest, it was that easy! The take pen, heck they wanted to go there. People I had never met before were cheering and clapping for us. Telling us what a good job we had done. I was so proud of my little red dog. The trial was over. I was very happy with my dog and myself. At the awards something happened I never dreamed of this happening. The judge said, “High scoring other breed of trial: RED BOB!!” Tears came to my eyes right away!!!!!! All I could say was “No Way.” It wasn’t a joke. She handed me the biggest belt buckle I have ever seen. I still wear it to this day!!!!! PROUDLY. 

Now off to Oregon. Bob could have run cattle and sheep in advanced, but I decided to keep him in open. I didn’t think we were ready, and we still needed to finish open ducks. I’m sorry we did it that way now. Bob was right on, it was almost embarrassing how easy he took the animals through the obstacles. The center pen was easy for a change; gosh I think we are getting the hang of this. I worked him from just in front of the advanced line, but it would have been just as easy to work him from behind. On the last day he took a very hard stomping from an irate steer. He scored a 114 on that run. Awards: he took everything an open dog can win, and he also took High in Trial Other Breed. Now we are getting confident. Off to Idaho. 

Here we are in Idaho, in advanced and believing we belong there. Up until now we have won everywhere we have been. Why should here be any different??? I felt like a winner! Bob was going to show them. Ducks not our good suit, but he qualified. Good start. Sheep were the woolies we were used to. No problem! We didn’t even qualify! Cattle was no different. Bob chased the heck out of them, but without any desire to direction. Was pretty embarrassing. Second day was not much better. Qualified on ducks, but chased the sheep ragged. He did a little better on cattle and qualified on those. He’s a cattle dog after all. The best we did was fourth!!! I knew we could do better. Off to Washington. 

Some very good dogs were in Graham. I was looking forward to competing. Once again, Bob didn’t seem to listen well, qualifying on only sheep the first day. What's up Bob??? Second day ducks no way. Couldn’t get to head on them splitting them badly chasing Bob what's going on??? Sheep he qualified on. Whewwwwwwwww, sigh of relief. But still not up to the style I had become used to. Now cattle, he is a cow dog you know. The take pen went smooth. The cattle walked through the first obstacle. A slight hesitation, they wanted to follow a truck that went by. A bite on the nose and they were back on track, Bob walking right behind. The prettiest center chute you have ever seen. The take pen was not any problem, Wow, all is ok. Bob is back to form! And my Bob WTCHed. From started to champion, ducks, sheep, and cattle. Earning his Working Trial Dog Championship in less than a year! I’m told that is something to be proud of and I was. On our way to Montana.

Well we finished well on cattle last trial. Things should go well here. NOTTTTTTTT. We didn’t qualify on anything!!! What is going on??? They had the easiest stock I have ever worked, and we couldn’t qualify!!!!!! All Bob would do is run behind biting at heels, scattering them all over. What a jerk. 

 

 

Vic what’s going on ??? Am I messing up that bad or what?? Is he afraid to go to head??? Why won’t he listen??? I don’t understand what is going on!!! He bit a sheep and got a “Thank You.” Why??? Is he loosing his hearing has he been kicked in the head so hard that he can’t hear??? I’m stunned, what is going on Bob? 

Vic and I decided that something might be physically wrong with Bob. When we got home Bob, went to the vet right away. They were told to check under every hair. Isn’t it funny when things are going right, your dog is the, very best. When it isn’t, it’s what’s his/her problem? When we got the results of Bob’s tests, we found that any turning put him into unbearable pain. He had osteoporosis, in his back ever since Oregon. Who wasn’t listening?? What was wrong with me?? He was giving me all his heart to the best of his ability, and I was mad at him. Who is the jerk here??? I have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I type right now. He gave me his all, and I was mad!!! I didn’t listen; I was wrong. I was mad, and he still loved me enough to go out there in pain and give me everything he could. I LOVE THAT LITTLE RED DOG!!!!

Labor day 2000, one year later in Deer Park Where it all started. Should I enter him??? NO! He hasn’t healed. The vet gave him some pain pills. Will he be in top form??? NO! Did he want to go? YES! I entered him. Did he try? YES! Did he win? NO! But he did place every day. Was I proud? YES!  

He should with the right treatments be ready to go next year. Will he listen??? Will I listen to him??? I know I learned more this year about dogs than I knew in the 48 years before! Yes, I do have two more dogs to trial if Bob isn’t able. I will let him tell me this time. And guess what. I’m going to listen to those two new dogs, but they will never replace Bob! Thank you for listening to my story. If I didn’t mention you, don’t be upset please! I know who you are, and honestly I don’t want to share you.

To all you beginners, go try your hardest. Don’t worry about being embarrassed, that’s the job of the elite trainers. To all the wonderful people I have met, thank your so much from my heart for making me and mine feel welcome. Every single place we were at, we felt that way. Folks from the herding world are the best.