Brennan Hooper relies on his border collies on the ranch and at trials<\/p>\n
By Dianna Troyer<\/strong><\/p>\nDynamic duo Brennan Hooper and his border collie Rita move sheep and cattle at competitions and on the family ranch. Photo by Carollee Egbert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Both fluent in stockdog language, Brennan Hooper and his border collie Rita are a dynamic duo, moving sheep and cattle at competitions and on the family ranch. Infinitely energetic and eager to please, Rita darts, slinks or races around sheep, depending on Brennan\u2019s commands as they work together at home\u2014the U3 Ranch west of Wells.<\/p>\n
Unblinking in concentration, the 5-year- old dog stares at the sheep while listening for his familiar commands: come by (move clockwise), away (move counterclockwise), walk up (move toward the stock), come back, and stand.<\/p>\n
Rita, along with Brennan\u2019s other border collies, Sly, Stormy, Rosie and McClain, form a reliable team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love how you can place them in such different ways to move livestock,\u201d Brennan says. \u201cIt\u2019s enjoyable to train them and see them progress. They\u2019re a big help on the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with verbal commands, their partnership and strategy relies on body position, timing and pressure to move livestock.<\/p>\n
Brennan and Rita are preparing to compete at Nevada\u2019s Best Cow Dog Trial at the 55th annual Lincoln County Fair on August 9 in Panaca. The trials showcase the partnership of handler and dog.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s enjoyable to train them and see them progress. They\u2019re a big help on the ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013Brennan Hooper\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
A clock is the final impartial judge of each team at the competition. The handler on horseback and cow dog must guide three heifers through an obstacle course as quickly as possible. Each run takes about 10 minutes.<\/p>\nFive-year-old Rita is Brennan Hooper\u2019s first stockdog. The duo will compete in August at Nevada\u2019s Best Cow Dog Trial. Photos by Carollee Egbert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The course varies each year and simulates working situations at a ranch. Fence panels, gates and a stock trailer are used. Teams might bring the stock in on one side, then zigzag or move down an alleyway and bring them out before finally putting the cows in a trailer. \nIt\u2019s obvious Rita loves her job herding livestock, whether on the ranch or at a trial, Brennan says.<\/p>\n
The Panaca event is not their first trial. The duo have also competed in Eureka, Spring Creek, and Lehi, Utah.<\/p>\n
About 4 years ago, Brennan decided to use trained border collies on the ranch after seeing how his cousin\u2019s collies were effective partners to move livestock.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw how handy they can be, so I bought Rita,\u201d he says. \u201cHer training had already started.\u201d<\/p>\n
Impressed with her abilities, he eventually bought four more border collies and began training them.<\/p>\n
To start training young dogs, he works in a square pen, comparing it to a clock. Border collies have been bred for centuries to bring animals to the handler. For example, if he stands at 6 o\u2019clock, the dog will naturally tend to go to 12 o\u2019clock and bring in the animals. With that idea as a foundation, he can walk to various positions and teach verbal commands.<\/p>\n
To learn more, he joined the Mountain States Stockdog Association (MSSA). The association has more than 500 members from throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Formed in 2016, the goal is to encourage the use of skilled working stockdogs in all aspects of ranching and \nto organize trials to compete with dogs. Members come together to trial, train, and improve their dogs and stock-handling capabilities.<\/p>\n
Brennan looks forward to the Panaca trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever we place, it\u2019s always good to see others on the circuit and share training tips,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
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