“Grab him by the tail!”
There is more information about today’s subject, the working cow dog, than I will be able to print. So, I will hit the high points. I know that there are several breeds of these magnificent animals, but I am familiar with the Border Collie.
That’s what I grew up with and they are a very intelligent breed. Our dogs probably took the place of several hands, plus they were always on time, never complained, and let you know that you were their best friend at days end. There were several over the years, but there were two that standout. Trixie and Khrushchev were top hands.
My younger brother, Jack, named the male Khrushchev because he was built like a bull and his slick head made him look bald headed just like Russia’s president, Nikita Khrushchev. We had these two dogs at different times, but they both lived to work cattle. They knew what to do before you could signal a command to them. They were always ready and in the right spot to obey your sign.
These two dogs, if we had of had them at the same time, could have gone out and penned cattle by themselves. But I guess they would have had an argument over which one was going to have to open and close the gates. We worked a lot of good dogs, but these two would have been a top hand wherever they were. As good as these dogs were, our family favorite was a full blood Collie that we called “Bullet.”
His job was to protect us kids when we were just buttons, and he did a top job! Throughout history, the dog has been known as “man’s best friend.” You see, since the beginning of time, dogs have been known to be loyal, and dedicated companions to humans. They manage to create an unbreakable bond with the humans that they chose to bond with. They assume the role of protectors, helpers, hunters, lifesavers, and companions. Some classic notable relationships would have to start with Timmy and Lassie, Charlie Brown’s Snoopy, John Wayne in the movie “Big Jake,” had “Dog,” the Aggies have Reveille, and Shaggy had Scooby Doo.
There are many more notables throughout history. Without a doubt, these dogs would be considered “mans best friend!” A term that originated in 1870 in a Supreme Court ruling in a lawsuit filed by George Vest. Vest sued his neighbor for shooting his beloved coon hound. Vest won his case primarily from his famous statement that every man in the courtroom agreed with; “The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world — the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous — is his dog.” That statement still holds true.
Police dogs track suspects, seeing-eye dogs lead the blind, guard dogs keep their owners protected, and in the western way of life, working cow dogs help ranchers move cattle. So, let’s talk about working cow dogs…how simple can that job be?
You are just moving cattle from point A to point B. Yes, but take this into consideration. An average cow dog weighs 40 to 50 pounds, yet they’re responsible for moving 1,000+ pound cattle. Often these cattle are wild and aggressive, and the working cow dog is susceptible to getting kicked, run over, or stepped on. And often they are working in dangerous terrain and extreme weather conditions. But no matter how bad the conditions are, this never slows these dogs down. They live for their work.
They are constantly waiting for the next chance to run into the herd and help. They go above and beyond every day proving once again that they are a rancher’s best friend. A rancher would be lost without his dog, and the same is true for the working cow dog. Our Arizona cowboy poet friend, Rolf Flake, wrote a poem about a dog that was at a work where he and a neighbor were trying to pen some cattle. Seems the dog was always at the wrong place at the wrong time and both men thought the dog belonged to the other man. When they discovered that the dog belonged to neither one, there was astonishment in the air. Look the poem up, it is a good one.
Krushchev
How he got that name is another story,
Funny how some things seem to stick,
But I guess that goes with the territory,
Khrushchev was a probable pick.
He was a terrible sight, scruffy an’ stove up,
Gnarled an’ rough as a Juniper root,
My mind drifted back to when that dog was a pup,
Curled up, asleep, next to my boot.
He certainly didn’t have much goin’ for him,
But his background was sure strong,
His mama was solid, smart, tough an’ trim,
An’ in my eyes could do no wrong.
An’ his Border Collie sire had the breeding,
Sure made an impressive display,
An excellent roadmap for succeeding,
He made a top hand any day.
This pup was the last as his litter stood,
We did not need a pup at all,
But my young son said, “He liked me so good!”
My heart said that this was a good call.
My son an’ his dog bonded, true to each other,
An’ through the years, they both grew,
The boy off to school, the pup workin’ with his mother,
Fitting right in with the crew.
Yes, he made a hand that you could depend on,
An’ he seemed to love his work,
He was as good as any hand I had known,
No job would he ever shirk.
He could have done any job on his own,
Except maybe to open the gate,
In most any cow work, he would set the tone,
Didn’t complain and was never late.
He’s had a great life, but somehow, he got old,
That dog sure made a good hand,
So we’ll retire him and treat him just like gold.
That fine dog lived for the brand!
Ol’ Jim Cathey
Join us at First Baptist Marlin at 11 Sunday morning.
God bless each of you and God Bless America!