Profit margins on a ranch are tight and it takes a fairly large operation to support a full time cowboy. Fortunately, humans aren’t the only mammals with the ability to heard and work livestock.
It has been said that a good dog is worth a several cowboys. In my experience this is defiantly the case. Instincts in the dogs ancestors in moving and hunting prey have been honed through breeding and training to produce dogs today with a uncanny ability to read livestock, and access what needs to be done, and assist a cowboy in getting the job done.
Of course, anyone who has spent much time around dogs knows that they are much more than just ranch help. They are friends and companions. They help to remind us that there is a lot of joy to be found in the simple things of life, like cooling down in a water trough on a hot day.
These videos were taken last summer. Match is a few months shy of two and Diddy is just of one year old. While they still have a lot to learn, I think this video shows the natural feel theses dogs have and the ability to read and influence livestock, even though it is sometimes compromised by their eagerness.
Love the videos, the dogs look great!