Mind over mutton

By Brian Kelly

Herald Writer

ARLINGTON — There will be no taxi tricks here.

Border collies have earned widespread fame for their ability to herd sheep and other animals, including one notable appearance on David Letterman’s television show where a collie herded a group of sheep through the show’s audience, down a hall, out the building and into a waiting taxicab.

A sheepdog trial is the more traditional test of a dog’s mettle against mutton, however. And starting Friday, a three-day sheepdog trial will get under way in Arlington, the first time such a major trial has been held in Snohomish County.

Sheepdog trials originated in Wales in the 1870s as a way for shepherds to settle the unending argument of who had the best herding collie. The trial itself has pretty much stayed the same over the years. The dog’s handler stays put while sending the dog after a group of sheep hundreds of yards away, using whistles and voice commands to have the dog maneuver sheep through a series of gates and, finally, into a pen.

"It’s quite an art," said Lorri Ruddick, one of the organizers of the event. Although the dog is being guided by commands from a handler, much of the pair’s herding success falls on the dog’s shoulders. Or eyes, to be exact.

These dogs don’t have looks that can kill, but instead an intimidating "do what I say" stare.

"They somewhat hypnotize and control the sheep," Ruddick said.

"They’re using their stare, their eye," explained Brian Ricards, the course director for the trial.

And the control the dogs can exert over other animals is amazing, he said. "You kind of go, ‘Wow.’"

But that doesn’t mean sheep are easily led. They will constantly test the herding dog, taking any available chance to bolt or run the other way. It’s a good gamble, since sheep can easily outrun a dog.

Border collies, however, have history on their side. They have been bred for hundreds of years as herders, and one dog will do the work of six farmhands, Ricards said.

Besides the sheep, there are other things that make the trial a tough test.

The trial uses conditions similar to the real world where the dogs earn their keep. During one section of the Arlington course, the dog and sheep will disappear from the handler’s view.

"It’s the only sport where there are three variables; the sheep, the dog and the handler. Any one of those variables not cooperating can mean disaster. And it happens," Ricards said.

So far, 32 handlers and 54 dogs have been entered in the competition, which is being sponsored by Royal Canin, a pet food company. There will be two classes in the competition, an intermediate one for less experienced dogs and handlers, and an open class. Intermediate runs will begin shortly after 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Although the winning handlers of the competition will receive prize money and other awards, the dogs get just the satisfaction of putting in a hard day’s work.

"The most important thing from their standpoint is to herd," Ricards said. "They will not be put off. In fact, if we were running it over the weekend in a thunderstorm, the dogs would not be worried. They would still work."

Stories are common about border collies who stayed on the job herding sheep after a broken leg or other injury, Ruddick said.

"It’s what they live for. They’re just obsessive about it," she said. "But that’s what makes them so valuable."

You can call Herald Writer Brian Kelly at 425-339-3422 or send e-mail to kelly@heraldnet.com.

Arlington sheepdog trial

Dawn to dusk — Oct 12, 13, 14

On Pioneer Highway west of I-5. Take I-5 Exit 208 and go west for a half-mile; the trial field is on the right. Watch for signs.

Admission is $2.

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