30 Spirit Summer 2020 Edition
CATTLE DOGS curtis rancher trains stock dogs, teaches NCTA students
When Blue got about halfway around the calves, Popp yelled out, “Right there,” and Blue stopped and walked in closer to the stock.
BY TIM JOHNSON tim.johnson@nptelegraph.com
CURTIS — Blue’s tail was wagging rapidly as he waited for Kelly Popp to open a corral at his ranch on a recent March afternoon in rural Curtis.
Border collies, like Australian shepherds, are gathering dogs, meaning their instinct is to bring the stock to a person. Blue and red heelers are driving dogs as their instinct is to move stock away. Popp uses vocal commands so that other individuals could work with Blue or his other dogs. He uses whistle commands as well. A high-low whistle is the command for “come-bye.” Blue started training with sheep as they are easy for Popp to see over. He uses dairy calves instead of beef for training as they are less feisty. Blue competes in roughly 10 cattle dog trial competitions a year across the country and is highly ranked by both the National Cattledog Association and the U.S. Border Collie Association.
The 5-year-old black-and-white male border collie was getting set for a typical 15- to 20-minute workout of herding dairy calves.
“People ask me if I give my dogs a treat. No, I don’t,” said Popp, who has been training and working with cattle dogs for nine years. “The treat for the dog is working with stock. That is what they are bred for. That is what they know.” Blue entered the corral and laid down by Popp and awaited a command. Popp yelled out, “Come-bye”, and Blue went to the left of the calves, or clockwise around the stock. With a command of “Away to me,” the dog circles the stock counterclockwise.
Popp prefers working with border collies for their willingness to work.
Blue, a 5-year-old border collie, runs after a group of calves during a training session at Kelly Popp’s ranch in rural Curtis. Popp has been working with cattle dogs for nine years. Photo by Tim Johnson
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