Article by Katherine Vanyai
A Herding Haiku
I charge in barking
Sheep move but I’m still nervous
Eat poo and sniff butts
One Saturday in June, 12 Lappies (and their human servants) descended on a property near Warragul to enjoy a perfect crisp, sunny winter day. The regional scents, green grass and scattered animal droppings were enough to make most dogs ecstatic at their day out, even before they caught sight of the sheep!
My Lappie, Pretzel, and I arrived in time for a tasty BBQ lunch before the afternoon session began. (Chef’s kiss to Simone who wielded the tongs like a pro!)
Our fearless instructor Karen impressed us with her understanding of the Lappie breed as she briefed us for the session, explaining how Lappies’ structure and instincts translate to working sheep instead of reindeer.
Spoiler alert: Lappies are never going to look like the contestants on Muster Dogs (although some of us still think we should campaign for Season 3 – Lappie Edition!)
We started with an introduction to a group of extremely calm and well handled sheep in some small yards. Karen talked us through each step of the process and individualised the experience to each dog’s needs. It was fascinating to see the range of reactions: some were cautious, foolhardy, nervous, distracted, growing in confidence, or all of the above. There was no shortage of excited barking and in true Lappie fashion, at least one dog managed to train her human to do most of the work.
After a short crated rest, we moved to a larger yard where the dogs had a bit more space to move around with a bit less proximity and pressure from the sheep and fences. All of the dogs were enthusiastic, although some were more interested in the ‘floor d’ouvres’ and a few choice fluffy morsels nipped from wooly rears than the sheep themselves.
The day wrapped up with many keen to attend beginner herding workshops in future, and exhausted dogs snoozing all the way home.
