Nathan Obst brought his border collie, Chief, to his formal, making him the star of the night. Nathan and Chief are featured on the new season of ABC's 'Muster Dogs' which pits border collies against kelpies to see which breed reigns supreme. Nathan, being from a cattle farm, typically works with kelpies but found training a collie a new and rewarding experience. The show highlights the crucial role working dogs play in Australia's agricultural sector, showcasing their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to handle livestock calmly.
A special guest proved wildly popular with all the attendees at Nathan Obst’s year 12 formal – his border collie Chief. “Mum made him a big orange bow tie and I had a navy suit and orange tie to match,” says the 17-year-old. “He sat up proud as punch on the back of the ute. He was the star of the show. They did a write-up in the local paper that said, even a farm dog made an entrance. We read it and said, oh jeez, he’s a bit more than a farm dog.
Working dog and livestock educator Mick Hudson, who gives expert guidance on the show and supplied the border collie pups for the series, says it’s common for graziers to stick with whatever breed they’re used to. “What we find is you’re either one or the other,” says Hudson. “It’s a bit like a Ford and a Holden. Some people like Fords and some people like Holdens. They’re both good cars, but it’s very hard for people to switch.
“We find the collies more trainable and more biddable, whereas the kelpie is more independent. He was bred that way, because it’s only in the latter years that we’ve started to educate people how to train a dog. So kelpies were developed in the early days with as much natural ability as they could have, so that the farmer took them to work and they learned on the job, because he didn’t know how to train a dog properly.
Lifestyle Agriculture BORDER COLLIES KELPIES WORKING DOGS MUSTER DOGS AGRICULTURE
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