I was just listening to an iconic TV program that's been running for nearly 40 years, called “Country calender”. Every topic is related to farming and tonight's episode had me reminiscing! They were talking about a really big high country sheep station and the comments of the manager. He said that when he allocated various tasks for his staff of about 10 shepherds, he always took into account their experience and their 'dogpower'! I can relate to that. 'Dogpower' is the only way you can farm these huge back country stations. Most shepherds will have anywhere between 3 and 10 dogs. They have 'heading dogs' which never bark, but 'eye' the sheep quietly so you can sneek up behind and grab them. They have 'huntaways' which do bark, and can muster huge paddocks to whistled commands and there are backing dogs, which work in enclosed yards moving sheep by barking and running along their backs and , of course, there are cattle dogs, but that's another story!

Me and my heading dog , 'Ronnie'.

Me, my daughter and 'Nameless'.