Since then I have tried my hand at other things. My passion for working dogs never waned and I still bred the odd litter of pups, and in the last few years I trained a number of young dogs to the point of being ready to join someone’s team.
Many people are of the impression that I am regularly out with a team of dogs working stock - quite the contrary. It has only been in this last year, renting a cottage on 1300 acres that I have once again picked up the reins with some casual work, mustering sheep for a reason. Prior to that sheep were for training young dogs.
It was fun building up a small capable team again; woman, horse, 3 dogs back working as one to get the job done. They did me proud last docking. But there hasn’t been enough work to keep the dogs even remotely fit and it is unfair to expect them to perform as if they were fully employed.
I could look for more work but I no longer have the desire to be employed on a farm working with someone else’s stock – it gives me no satisfaction. If I was breeding and rearing my own flock, that would be a different story.
The dogs and I are heading north to Taupo. We will be centrally based, and we’ll concentrate on ‘teaching people dog training’. The girls won’t be expected to work at distance or need to handle predictably unpredictable lambs. However, they will need to keep ‘a paw in the paddock’ in order to demonstrate to people the message I am trying to convey.
Words cannot express the joy I have received over the years from breeding pups - the last litter was 18 months ago. But sadly the plight of many farm dogs has once again been bought to my attention and I doubt if I will breed pups again.
The thought of bringing a dog into this world to live a life of hell is more than I can bear. I don’t want to be responsible for their misery, so please don’t contact me if you are looking for a pup or trained dog – I won’t have anything. On the other hand, if you would like to learn how to train a dog or you are having problems with one, I am here for you and would love to help, but please bear in mind that I do need to eat and so too do my dogs – there is a fee. Consider it an investment; your return – more money.
If you are a farmer, good dogs = efficient sheep and cattle handling, making more time to do other things. Uncontrolled dogs injure stock, injured stock lose value.
If you are an honest capable shepherd with a well trained team you will be highly sort after and paid accordingly. A well trained dog is a priceless asset.
• Anna Holland is teaching people dog training. For more information www.annaholland.co.nz or Ph 027 28 44 639 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
