By Nev The Newshound
This month we meet 15 year old Dotty, a Koolie x Border Collie from Central Macdonald. Dotty was trained to work sheep and cattle on a property near Kempsey.
Proving easy to train and picking up instructions easily she would ’head and back’ cattle or sheep and as a result became known as the little big boss of the station. Now retired, she lives out her days accompanying her Dad as he works on the farm, and loves nothing more than sitting by his side on the ATV and zooming around the paddocks.
Nev: What was the best thing about being a Drover’s Dog?
Dotty: All the truck drivers beeped their horns and people waved to say “Great job Dotty” and I would bark back to say ‘I know.’ When we camped at night in a holding paddock the drovers had to count the cattle/sheep in at night and out of a morning so I had to move them in and out slowly and if any were missing I had to go and find them. Occasionally if we were on roads my feet got sore, so I got leather socks to wear.
My favourite thing was swimming a river to muster the cattle on the other side and bringing them all back, sometimes I would swallow water and my bark would sound funny. After a swim muster, I loved getting a big congratulatory pat and shaking myself to spray everyone with water. Best of all was the tucker at the end of each day, my best mate was the cook.
Nev: I believe you used to be partial to a game of cricket. What position did you play?
Dotty: When my family were little, nobody wanted to field so I had to fetch every ball and drop the ball at the bowler’s feet. Often I would chase the ball and catch it, then everyone would cheer and clap and the person batting would jump up and down protesting while a new batsman took his turn to bat.
Nev: Now that your droving days are over, what do you like to do on the Farm?
Dotty: I love the farm and all the cattle and sheep, especially when they have babies, I like to sit and watch. I get excited as the magic happens and the calf/lamb takes its first breath. I have never had babies of my own.
I am getting older and my hearing and sight is failing now so I find it hard to back and head the cattle as I used to, so sometimes I sit in the truck and bark to move them like I remember. However I am still very handy moving sheep or cattle through the yards and I am extra careful these days to ensure I don’t get kicked.
Nev: Why do the folk down there call you Dotty the Wonder dog?
Dotty: I cant understand why they call me a ‘wonder dog’, I am just an old working dog. I do what I think is right, what ever it takes. I love my boss mate of 15 years and saved him three times from potential snake bite, one was a brown over 2 metres long, he gave me a big lamb chop as reward but I didn’t think my action was special, he would have done the same for me.
About 2 years ago our timber house burned down at 4AM, he was upstairs when the fire started, I couldn’t get up the stairs because my bones are too stiff these days so I barked my most concerned bark until he woke up. We got out about ten minutes before the top story crashed down. He rewarded me with more than I needed, “a pat” It was just another day on the farm.
If you would like your Pet @ Work interviewed by Nev, please email: [email protected] with NEV in the subject line.
