This gallery has photographs taken on Saturday at the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) herding trials in Pomona. Open to all herding breeds, the dogs must herd cattle, sheep, and ducks. For each species the dog must herd the animals out of a small holding pen, through “gates,” through a narrow passage, and into an enclosed pen. The very large Black Angus cattle pose a robust challenge through their feistiness and size. The sheep, elegant, goatlike Barbadans, challenge with their skittishness and speed; the ducks, because they obviously believe the dog wants to hunt, not herd them, require the dog to move with patience, subtlety.
One of the most charming aspects of herding trials is the intense interest the dogs take in watching the dog in the arena — sometimes a counterpoint to their owners.
2 years ago
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Saturday was the Howl-o-ween Pooch Parade, a benefit for shelter dogs, featuring a dog costume competition. There were some conventional get-ups - dachshunds as wieners, quite a few pirates, red devils, lobsters — but several costumes were amusing and imaginative. My favorites were the Jack Russell as Dorothy, the big black Cane Corso as a ballerina, the Basset-Corgi mix as Cerberus the three-headed dog, the bulldog as a ladybug among daisies, the Pit Bull as Mr. T, and the Australian Shepherd as a sheep (!).
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The dogs were mainly Border Collies, the aristocrats of herding, with a sprinkling of Corgis, German Shepherds, Australian Shepherd, Belgian Sheepdog, Belgian Terveran, Shetland Sheepdog. It is absolutely breathtaking to watch the Border Collies work: utter intensity, intelligence, swiftness, all manifested in absolute silence moving the sheep with the famous Border Collie “stalk and stare” (seen in this gallery in Sport, the grey, black, and white dog). Biting is absolutely verboten — even though it seems the sheep expect it, a la Babe. Incidentally, the only bite was administered by a German Shepherd.
In one course, the dog must herd the sheep through “gates,” through a narrow passage, and into an enclosed pen. In the second course, the sheep are brought out at the opposite end to the dog, who must whizz along the perimeter of the field and come up behind the sheep so as not to spook them, then bring them down the length of the field to the handler, then herd them through a gully and gates, another set of gates, into the pen, and, finally — the most challenging — into a ring marked with white powder, and them split the sheep apart, guided only by whistles and voice commands.
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2 years ago
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Boston Terriers, Chihuahuas, Jack Russell surfing in the Huntington Beach Dog Surf-athon. Joy, apprehension,resignation, endurance, and fun.
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Sunday at the Huntington Beach’s Dog Beach showcased more surfing dogs. In the small dog group Jack Russell and Boston Terriers dominated. But the thrill was seeing the big dogs — really big dogs! Rottweiler, Goldendoodle (black in this case), German Shepherd, Bernese Mountain Dog, and, yes, a Newfoundland (a Landseer Newfie, black and white)! Bulldogs were also well represented — it’s that gravity.
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2 years ago
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At the Dog Surf-a-Thon at Del Mar’s Dog Beach. The competitors would be pushed out on their surfboards to the breaking waves, and then catching the break the dogs would surf back to the beach. Surfing style varied: some in classic crouch, some surfing backwards, some sitting, some lying on their boards. There were Yorkies, Bulldogs, Jack Russells, Pugs, Spaniels, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, Golden Retrievers, German Shorthairs, Labs, and a melange of mixed breeds. Look for the Jack Russell in the orange vest — Buddy — whom you have probably seen on YouTube. Definitely a champ. Also note the two Goldens surfing together on one board.
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2 years ago
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The caged dogs in these photographs are bored, resigned, frustrated, patient — but they do enjoy good life circumstances. These are not the caged dogs in shelters — a project for the future when I have worked up the fortitude to tackle it.
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A selection of my favorite images from four major West Coast dog shows (including the Santa Barbara show (Aug 29th and 30th).
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