It’s primarily from these plains bison that we now have around 500,000 bison in North America. Canada did the major saving, not from the small, far-scattered buffalo groups such as those in Yellowstone. Canada also saved the much bigger wood bison by locating a herd of 250 in the Northwest Territories and bringing them south to Elk Island National Park near Edmonton. These wood buffalo have also been used to restock wood buffalo herds in Alaska and other parts of the world. Canada did the work and the U.S., as usual, shamelessly claims the credit.

Dog diets

I keep hearing “meat for dogs” in many commercials, as in, “Feed them pure meat and not the byproducts.” In fact, the byproducts of the meat industry are much more nutritious than plain meat. Byproducts are hearts, kidneys, livers and other organs that are far more nutritious than plain meat. There are those who keep their dogs on plain raw or cooked meat diets. Dog food? The dried stuff in particular is a carefully balanced diet well suited for dogs. In the “wild,” coyotes (wild dogs) eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables, from raspberries and apples to raw carrots and potatoes.

Seed sale

Home garden purchasing is another misunderstood issue. The carrot seed of the same variety may come from the same seed farm in France but may be sold by a number of seed companies. It’s a question of what you get for your dollar. As a Canadian, you can legally buy packaged seed from any seed company in the U.S. or Europe at any time, but you cannot send seed of any kind to the U.S. unless it has a valid Canadian inspection certificate.

Now get this right: you cannot take oranges into the U.S., since Canada imports oranges from around the world, but you can bring any number of oranges from the U.S. into Canada.

Keep home fires from burning

With the massive fire destruction in California and elsewhere, take heed. How many farms do you see with spruce trees or spruce or pine shelterbelts that are way too close to the farm house or farm buildings? Last year (2024) I knew of a farmhouse at one site and farm buildings at another location in Alberta that burned down. In past years such farms had cows, horses and sometimes sheep around the buildings and trees. Now that those animals have gone, grasses and brush spring up around the trees and spruce shelterbelts. It’s the grass tinder that can wipe out the shelterbelt or any nearby buildings. Get out the glyphosate — grasses are killed and spruce, after Aug. 1, is unharmed and fully tolerant to this herbicide. Get rid of the grass tinder.

On a related note, how many times have you been told that pine and spruce trees turn the soil acidic? You will note very close to, or right under, pine or spruce trees, you will see little or no vegetation. That’s because both pine and spruce trees retain their green needles during the winter and on warmer days, they may lose lots of moisture. What they do is not changing the acidity of the soil at all. Rather, they remove the surface soil moisture, which makes it impossible for weed seeds to germinate, or they may restrict the moisture of nearby grasses or brush, especially in the spring months. Pine trees do grow well on acidic soils but are not the cause of the acidity.

Dairy and diseases

Will the raw milk crowd go away? In the U.S., raw milk sells for up to $21 per U.S. gallon. Around four per cent of people may drink raw milk in a year but only one per cent drink it regularly. Now, raw milk has been shown, in some instances, to transmit the bird flu virus, as well as brucellosis, tuberculosis, listeria and campylobacter, to name a few more cow milk-borne diseases that could occasionally be present. Pasteurization makes the milk perfectly safe and as fully nutritious as ever.

Worms at work

Worm compost is treated like it has magic properties, but in reality, it’s no better than composted cow manure or not as good as poultry manure. In agricultural fields, especially with zero till, worms do wonders. A square yard of soil could contain more than a half mile of earthworm tunnels.

Darwin once observed that a layer of small stones, when left on a field surface, would in a few years, seem displaced, as worms would have moved earth from below ground and left it on top of those undisturbed stones. That’s how small stones appear to sink in the soil over time. The volume of soil moved by worms is stupendous.

Worm tunnels contribute hugely to soil drainage and soil aeration. A whole field of topsoil over the very many years may well have passed through the gut of earthworms. Earthworms, all nine or more of the common species on the Prairies, were introduced into Canada primarily from Europe. There were no earthworms in Canada prior to the coming of Europeans.

A grain of salt

Big-deal “sea salt” or Himalayan “pink salt” is all culinary nonsense. These salts are primarily sodium chloride but also have toxic trace elements such as lead, cadmium and arsenic, as well as silver, copper, et cetera, in parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). Common table salt sold in Canada contains, in addition to pure refined salt (sodium chloride), iodine.

Iodine, often deficient in the Canadian population, has been added to the salt. Iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is essential for brain development, especially for children. Low or deficient iodine for hormone production has been shown to cause permanent brain damage. Keep your iodized salt!

Saw this quote recently: “Science progresses one funeral at a time.”

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It was a long drive to begin with, but some excited kids who would not nap for fear of missing something and a little bit of car sickness made it a very long day. Our Explorer also gave us a bit of trouble when we were about four hours out of Missoula. It started losing transmission fluid and due to the design of it, Gregory wasn’t too sure where it was coming from. We called my good friend Michelle, whom we were going to see in Missoula, and let her know we were going to continue on slowly. She was poised and ready to come and get us with a friend’s car hauler if need be. She also gathered up a few tools and bought some transmission fluid and a funnel for us before the stores closed.

We arrived safely at Michelle’s house and she helped me get the kids and all of our baggage into the house while her boyfriend and Gregory worked on the Explorer. They weren’t able to fix it but after doing a bit of research, Gregory figured out the best way to drive it so we could continue.

The next morning, Michelle took Joseph and James in her truck and we followed behind as she led us to Lewiston, Idaho, where Lacey lives. We stayed with Lacey and her husband Anthony that night and spent most of the next day as well. Michelle and Lacey took the boys to the dog park to play; they also played in Lacey’s yard, and there were lots of stories read from Lacey’s little library. Lacey and Michelle also had an early birthday party for James and Ian.

The next day, after more playing and stories, Lacey took us to the Palouse Discovery Science Center at Pullman, Washington. The boys had a blast! They saw lots of interesting things and it was a very good way to burn off some energy before we stuffed them back in the Explorer to head back to Missoula for the night.

We spent the evening of the 7th with Michelle again and then after an amazing breakfast, we travelled over Lost Trail Pass and into Salmon. We were able to meet up with my brother Nick. He took the boys and Gregory for a little hiking adventure and they had a very good time. We were also able to visit a little bit with Grandma Heather and Grandpa Lynn. Grandpa Lynn had aortic valve replacement the end of January and has been recovering slowly but surely.

While in Salmon we stayed with Michelle’s parents, Ricki and Theresa. Even though Theresa wasn’t feeling the best, she made a couple beds, read stories to the boys and became friends with Anna. Gregory has always enjoyed visiting with Ricki and he and Ricki were able to visit while feeding the cows and chopping wood. Ricki even took the boys in his backhoe to go and break water in the creek for the cows to drink. James and Ian have always liked machinery and it is a memory they won’t soon forget.

On Sunday we went to Mass at St. Charles Borromeo, the same church where Gregory and I got married. Afterward, we went to visit Grandpa Lynn’s baby sister, Jennelle. She had just gotten back home after having knee surgery.

We were at Uncle Mike’s in Pocatello Monday evening, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Grandma Irene and Anna had fun making grumpy faces at each other and then laughing. Uncle Mike had three kidney stones and his back was hurting, but he wouldn’t let it stop him from enjoying the boys and teaching Joseph some cowboy wisdom and etiquette.

As we headed home Wednesday, the boys were sad to be leaving, but we had a surprise for them. We crossed into Canada at about 6:30 p.m. and headed to Lethbridge. Near Picture Butte we stopped and picked up a female chocolate Lab puppy. The boys never suspected we would do that! After being away from home for so long we decided to just keep driving. We got home around 4 a.m. on Feb. 13.

We are so grateful for everyone who welcomed us into their homes. Some took time off work; some postponed medical appointments; all went out of their way to feed us and make us feel at home. We are also thankful to John and Barb who held down the fort and did everything they could, and some things they shouldn’t have, to make sure our animals were taken care of.

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Dogs and their handlers competed at the seventh annual Cattle Dog Futurity and Maturity competitions and the International Stock Dog Trials held Thursday at Canadian Western Agribition.

The futurity event featured dogs born between November 2019 and October 2020 who were competing for the first time.

“We believe (they) should be in their prime of their training then. They’re young, viable, and should have enough training, or be trained enough, to come and display in town and educate everyone on the use of cow dogs and how it works,” said event organizer Marcel Vermette of Rafter V Ranch near Outlook, Sask.

Vermette competed with his dog, Jock, who was the event’s reserve champion in 2020.

Calin Duce of Cardston, Alta., brought his three-year-old dog, Tan, to compete in the futurity event before moving on to the stock dog event.

Duce said the dog learns how to read and adjust to different types of animals.

“It’s a little bit of a different game on maybe how you handle them, but it’s very similar to each other,” he said.

With 750 cow-calf pairs and 6,000 in the feedlot, Duce currently has 15 dogs on staff.

After they start to slow down, retirement can be pretty special, he said.

“Usually if a dog has made it to 10 years old with someone, they’re probably going to be sitting on the porch the rest of their life.”

One stock dog can replace three ranch hands, said Vermette, who owns a custom grazing operation.

Beyond the skill, agility, and intelligence of stock dogs, there are other reasons stock dogs are ideal, he said. “These guys show up to work. They’re never hung over. They don’t have to take kids to a ballgame early in the day, whatever. They’ll work till they’re dead. And so they really are the ideal employee.”

Vermette also sees them as better for his cattle herd.

“Cattle are a prey animal. They’re always a little anxious. And if they’re anxious, they’re not going to put weight on when we’re grazing because they’re always looking for that predator that’s coming together. Once we started working with them with the dogs, that anxiety comes back down to nothing.”

Agribition has been a good place to feature the stock dogs, Vermette said, with a great community of fellow handlers.

“We’re all just ranchers… you can brag about how good your dog is but until you bring him to town, it’s just talk,” he said with a laugh.

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I see a lot of folks walking with their dog, and sometimes with more than one. Dog owners tell me, “there’s nothing like having a loyal companion. It’s a big responsibility, but the benefits are worth the work. Dogs give you companionship, unconditional love, exercise and better health.”

That’s not to take anything away from gardeners. Once you’re hooked, gardening becomes an enjoyable lifelong companion. Working in and walking throughout the garden also promotes better health, provides plenty of exercise and puts fresh, homegrown food on the table.

Having a garden and owning a dog may be a balancing act at times, but people with both do have a way of making it work. If you’re a seasoned gardener, an older adult or a senior looking to get a four-legged furry friend, it’s important to choose the right dog for your lifestyle.

I heard from a pet owner called Ron, who is also a gardener. He writes: “Lots of pet owners deal with the yellow spots on grass for sure and big dogs like my German shepherd can really tear a yard up by springtime with their power and weight.

“Two years ago, I put a lot of effort into my previous yard and now I’m set up in Winnipeg and I get to do it all over again at a new location. I have a couple of planter boxes that I plan to use this year. Ted, I think the information you’ve already provided me would make a great column.”

I’ll share my tips on how to repair lawn areas damaged by dogs, but first let me remind readers that Canada Day will have come and gone before we meet again on the next Singing Gardener page. No Canada Day celebration is complete without plenty of Canadian flags, and there are endless ways to express our pride in red and white as Canadians.

You can whip up Canadian delicacies too. Celebrate Canada Day with traditional poutine that includes fries, cottage cheese curds and gravy. Baklava is a layered filo pastry dessert filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with maple syrup or honey.

Then there’s chocolatey Nanaimo bars. Beaver tails are deep-fried bread dough dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar. Yukon is home to authentic sourdough originals such as flapjacks and fry bread.

Here’s a tip o’ the hat to my fellow Canadians as we look back to 1867 with a few lyrics from one of my songs.

Happy first, July first,
Let’s shout it out with joy and mirth,
Happy first, July first,
It’s Canada’s day of birth.

Reclaiming a damaged lawn

Let’s talk now about Ron’s yard dilemma. After picking up dog waste, here’s how you can repair yellow spots in the lawn caused by canine urine, which contains high amounts of nitrogen and salts that burn grass.

Try this first, as it may work wonders. Lightly sprinkle powdered gypsum over and around each spot. Gypsum is known to quickly dissolve accumulated urine salts. Next, prepare a lawn saver scrub and apply it on the affected lawn/yard area using a watering can.

To make the lawn saver scrub, stir one cup of baby shampoo or one cup of pure liquid soap (not dishwashing detergent) into 20 gallons of water. Some folks use a four-litre plastic jug for measuring, as it is close to a gallon size. When done, you’ll have enough solution to cover a large area.

After applying the lawn saver scrub, let it sit for a week. After that, prepare a lawn saver tonic and apply it with a watering can over the same area.

To make the lawn saver tonic, combine 1/2 can of regular-sized cola soft drink (with sugar, not artificially sweetened), 1/2 can of regular strength beer and 1/2 cup of household laundry ammonia and stir into 20 gallons of water.

After applying the lawn saver scrub, wait a week and then reseed the affected lawn/yard area.

I suggested that Ron consider buying a reclamation grass seed mix from Early’s Farm and Garden Centre in Saskatoon. According to Early’s, this is an improved mixture formulated to perform well under less-than-ideal conditions. You can find it in Early’s Grass Seed Guide at https://www.earlysgarden.com/.

Source of gypsum

The community of Gypsumville, Man., was named after a post office with the same name that opened in 1905 after the discovery of gypsum deposits in the area. Records indicate many local farmers worked at the gypsum quarry during the day and farmed in the evening.

Gypsum is a water-soluble mineral that has other uses besides helping to dissolve yellow spots from dog urine in lawns. Will it do the same for cat’s urine? Who’s to know until you try it.

Gypsum is used primarily to produce drywall board, but it is also an additive in cement, plaster and blackboard chalk. It is an ingredient in soil conditioners and fertilizers for agriculture and is used in the brewing industry as well.

If you know a carpenter or someone who installs drywall and they have leftover pieces, you can usually get them for free, just for the asking. Of course, you’ll need to get the gypsum into a powder before using it as a lawn remedy.

Meet Kevin Bloski

Kevin Bloski is a grass seed specialist at Early’s, with 28 years of experience dealing with turf grass seed mixtures ranging from professional turf and special purpose grasses to cool season turf grasses for Western Canada. He has lots of experience related to reseeding yards and lawns due to dog-related damage, whether the area is all grass, partly grassed or has no grass at all.

Bloski says climate changes mean we can no longer go by the calendar regarding when to seed. Spring is late this year in many parts of the Prairies, so don’t be in a rush to scatter grass seed. Ideal temperatures for seeding grasses are in the 6 to 10 C range at night and close to 18 C during the day.

Depending on the situation, especially where pets are involved, be prepared to reseed each year. Applying up to 50 per cent more grass seed than the recommended rate is OK over heavy traffic and trouble spots, but avoid applying double or triple amounts of seed because there will be too many tiny seedlings to compete well for nutrients. Germination will take place within three or four weeks.

My special thanks to Bloski, grass seed expert extraordinaire. He loves his job at Early’s, and it shows. He can be reached at 306-931-1982 or 1-800-667-1159 if you want to discuss your turf grass needs.

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Tuesday reported the results of a necropsy on an Oshawa dog confirmed Saturday to be positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza.

In what CFIA described as the only case of its kind in Canada, the domestic dog was found to have been infected with the high-path strain after chewing on a wild goose and died after developing “clinical signs.”

Further testing is underway, CFIA said, but added that the necropsy performed Monday showed “respiratory system involvement.”

Poultry farmers and backyard flock owners worldwide have been on alert since 2020 as a strain of high-path H5N1 adapted to spread widely via wild birds and reached into domestic poultry in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Canadian domestic birds, the strain made its first appearance in late 2021.

Since then, as of March 29 this year, the strain is estimated to have impacted 7.237 million domestic Canadian birds across nine provinces; about half the birds were in British Columbia and about a fifth in Alberta.

CFIA emphasized the number of documented cases of H5N1 in “non-avian species” such as dogs and cats is low, “despite the fact that this virus has caused large avian outbreaks globally over the last few years.”

That said, detections in several wild mammal species have “continued intermittently” during Canada’s current run of outbreaks, CFIA said, noting cases as far back as last July in foxes in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia; seals, dolphins and black bears in Quebec; and wild mink, raccoons, porpoises and skunks in “several areas” across the country.

As for the human health risk, “current evidence” in Canada suggests the risk of a person contracting avian flu from a pet is “minor.”

Also, CFIA said, no “domestically acquired” human cases of avian influenza have been reported in Canada.

Cases of avian influenza among humans are “almost always” acquired through direct contact with infected birds or exposure to “heavily contaminated environments,” the agency said, and there’s no evidence yet of sustained person-to-person spread.

Out of 305 outbreaks in domestic poultry and backyard flocks across Canada since late 2021, just four were detected during March this year: one in Nova Scotia, two in Ontario and one on March 27 in a commercial poultry flock in the municipality of Rouville, east of Montreal.

Two more outbreaks have since been detected in commercial flocks at Rouville, both on April 3. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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Both our daughter and son have or have had dogs at different times and we end up dog-sitting. Also, friends and other family members go on holidays and need dog-sitters. So, we get our dog fix on a fairly regular basis — our door and backyard is always open.

Recently, our son announced he had purchased or put a down payment on a pup — an Australian labradoodle — that, if the breeding program goes well, should be ready for home delivery sometime in May. He didn’t reveal the exact price, but it sounds like this pup is somewhere around $3,500 — and that’s about the time I blacked out.

I know I am outdated. This is the era of designer dogs, but spending $3,500 on a dog is still a fantastic amount of money. There were always one or two dogs on the farm when I was growing up as a kid (and after I left). Their names over the years in order of appearance were Old Bud, Ginger, Sam and then Joe (son of Sam) and, finally, Louis (he was from Ottawa and so had the French Canadian connection). I am quite sure my dad never bought a dog in his life. They were either given to him or showed up as strays and never left. And as I recall, doggie funerals, if they happened at all, were dignified, simple and low cost … like zero dollars.

And we had dogs ourselves for many years. First there was Abbey, who I bought as a pup for $10, who was later joined by Bosco, who was somehow bequeathed to us. And, finally, there was Molly, a little allergy-free spaniel/poodle/cockapoo combo I paid a crazy $150 for, but if you amortize that over her lifespan, the capital cost was about $10 per year — a livable figure.

I have usually liked most dogs. My sister-in-law once had a chihuahua who didn’t like anyone except her, so that yappy, snarly little creature was hard to warm up to. A longtime friend, Mike, always had Brittany spaniels for hunting dogs. They were smart dogs, although Mike wasn’t the best trainer. The dogs didn’t always respect commands. Sometimes Mike had to lie on the ground and play dead, and when the dog came close to check him out that was the only opportunity he had to catch it. I don’t think that is recommended in the dog-training manual.

And I had another friend who had one of those furball Shih Tzu/bichon-cross dogs that certainly had a mind of its own. My friend yelled at it quite a bit, but there really wasn’t any consequence to the yelling, so I think the dog came to understand her screaming was normal human and dog interaction. That dog was either really dumb or really smart.

So, I was interested in a column from Reuters news service recently that talked about how much human language dogs understand.

This researcher in developmental psychology at Dalhousie University was looking at how kids begin to understand human language — their cognitive development, especially their executive functions — which is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking and self-control. The researcher, Sophie Jacques, wondered if the relation between language and executive functions exists only in humans. So how well do dogs understand human language? (My first thought is for some dogs the answer is zippo, but I’m not a researcher.)

A few key points of this research with dogs are dogs can perceive different words and can learn to respond to specific words. For example, three dogs — two border collies named Chaser and Rico and a Yorkshire terrier named Bailey — learned to respond to more than 1,000, 200 and 100 words, respectively.

In another project, Jacques began a collaboration with psychologist Catherine Reeve, at the time a graduate student working on dogs’ scent detection abilities. The goal was to develop a similar measure of vocabulary for use with dog owners that could then be used to examine links between language and executive functions.

They developed a list of 172 words organized into different categories (for example, toys, food, commands, outdoor places) and gave it to an online sample of 165 owners of family and professional dogs. The owners were asked then to select words that their dogs responded to consistently.

On average, service dogs respond to about 120 words, whereas family pets respond to about 80 words, ranging between 15 to 215 words across all dogs. They also found that certain breed groups, such as herding dogs like border collies and toy dogs like chihuahuas, respond to more words and phrases than other breed types like terriers, retrievers and mixed breeds.

They couldn’t determine whether dogs who respond to more words also had better executive functions. That’s still being studied.

This isn’t just “nice to know information.” The researchers are hoping the research might also provide important practical information about dogs. For example, it is very expensive to train puppies for service work and many do not make the final cut. However, if early, word-based responding abilities predict later behavioural and cognitive abilities, it might become an early-warning system to predict which dogs are likely to become good service animals.

I’m still thinking about that $3,500 puppy that may be coming. For that money, that thing will not only need to know how to read, but how to set up the coffee pot for the morning, mow the lawn and rake and bag leaves, and if I don’t have an autonomous vehicle by then, it will also need to be able to drive me to a doctor’s appointment during light-traffic times of the day. My expectations may be a little high, but I could pay that much for a decent Angus-cross bull and then get to eat it afterwards.

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For many farmers, the farm dogs had specific purposes and the owners were often aware of their talents and capabilities. On the other hand, there were some farmsteads with dogs that did little to suit the operation of the farm.

All dogs, coyotes and wolves share some 99 per cent of their DNA or genetic code. Wolves were the first wild animals to be domesticated 10,000 years ago, giving us our present-day dogs. Remember, with all dogs, you could have potentially a hundred generations in 100 years. Changes in size, type and capabilities of dogs can be rapid over time.

Where I grew up on a small farm in Wales, we had border collies and corgis. Border collies, called stock dogs, collies or sheep dogs come in a range of colours but all have or should have white tips on their tails. This waving white tip lets you see them or follow them on very dark nights.

Border collies are generally recognized as the most intelligent of all dog breeds. Corgis, on the other hand, either Pembroke Welsh or Cardigan, are not herding dogs but driving dogs, both in the top 10 of breed intelligence. Their job in Wales was to drive beef cattle, such as Herefords and Welsh Blacks, to the English town of Hereford for sale. Corgi is a Welsh word meaning short dog.

If you needed to round up sheep or docile dairy cattle, you were best suited with border collies. If you needed to drive reluctant or dangerous cattle in the Welsh hills you used aggressive, heel-biting corgis. Corgis do an excellent job of intimidating aggressive cows and bulls.

When you think of another common farm breed, picture the Australian heeler. Guess where the aggressive driving came from? Australian heelers have little or no dingo in them, but they were bred from bluetick collies, corgis and shored up for some size with English bull terriers. This allowed them to drive cattle and chase off the wild dingo dogs. They are well suited as cattle dogs in Canada and for coyote intimidation.

In New Zealand, where there were no prey animals but huge sheep-herding areas, the collie was often crossed with hunting hounds and greyhounds. Bigger, longer-legged collies called huntaways were prized for their loud barking for driving sheep.

All of the above-mentioned farm dogs basically belong to the husky group of dogs, as do elkhounds, malamutes, Australian shepherds and Samoyeds. What they have in common is a double coat that can stand very cold winters on the Prairies.

When I was a child on the farm with both collie and corgi, I distinctly remember they would both look after me, herd me and watch for cattle, pigs or roosters getting too close — horses were exempt.

At the age of seven or so, my parents visited my mother’s sister at Morpeth, Northumberland, in 1947, just south of the Scottish border. My father shelled out the great sum of five pounds for a border collie. That was well over a week’s wages. Remember, 250 pounds at that time could buy you a small row house.

My father bought an Adam Telfer border collie, considered to be the best sheep- or cattle-working dogs in the world. In fact, this year, a border collie from this very same area sold for around $30,000 to a buyer in the United States.

The dog my father bought was a three-month-old female, given the name of Lassie by my mother. Lassie grew up to be a dog that was no great looker, but she was incredibly intelligent. She instinctively and quickly showed us how to best herd sheep, head off reluctant cattle, move flocks of chickens, steal eggs and discipline and teach her succession of pups.

Lassie was usually bred to the best border collies in the area and the pups were kept for three to four months to be taught by the mother before being given away to neighbouring farmers. Collies in the United Kingdom are also often bred to racing greyhounds to produce fast, intelligent, rabbit-hunting dogs called lurchers. Many outstanding British-bred sheep dogs will have 10 per cent, or more, greyhound genetics to provide speed.

Best farm-herding dogs

The best working farm dogs are generally border collies (sheep dogs, stock dogs) and Australian shepherds or, with more aggressive cattle, Australian heelers.

Australian shepherds are basically British border collies crossed with Spanish (Basque) sheep dogs. This breed developed primarily in Utah and not Australia as some would think.

There are other breeds of working dogs for the farm, cattle or sheep, but they have generally been bred for show, rather than selected for stock herding in North America — and all must have thick, double coats suitable for sub-zero weather conditions on the Prairies.

Breeds such as Rottweilers, Dobermans, Labradors and boxers have thin, single coats and do poorly in very cold outdoor conditions. Wonderful dogs but unsuitable to very cold weather conditions.

German shepherds bred around 100 years ago make good yard and guard dogs, since most have double coats, but they often lack stock-herding instincts. I live on an acreage and I presently own three border collies, down from five, and all are very intelligent and energetic. Collies almost always never overeat like most other breeds and, consequently, never need to go on diets.

Livestock and guard dogs

These are dogs that range from Great Pyrenees to Anatolian shepherds. They are not the best of pets but they are excellent guard dogs for sheep, goats and other herd animals, including chicken flocks. They all have thick winter coats. When you buy a dog either as a pet, yard dog, herding dog or guard dog, it’s often preferable they have thick, double coats, which allow them to perform and play in our cold or very cold weather conditions.

Next, if you want a good working or yard dog, ensure you know the dog’s history and are able, if possible, to see both parents, who have tried-and-true traits that ensure they’ll be the best to suit your purpose.

Last year, I heard about several incidents across the Prairies where dogs were attacked by coyotes, usually in early spring, when their owners took them for walks in rural areas. There is an explanation for this behaviour, unless the coyote was rabid. In the early spring, the coyotes have dens with young pups and they are simply defending their nearby pup den area from your dog (the wolf). Just call your dog in and walk away and the coyotes will disappear.

In other instances, I have heard of dog walkers being attacked by cows. Again, there is a simple explanation — when cows with newborn calves see your dog or dogs, the old instincts kick in. To the cow, the dog or dogs are wolves. The cows may well charge you and the dog(s). Stay away from all livestock with newborns since they regard all dogs as hungry wolves.

On my acreage, I have never needed an alarm system or had any worries about pilfering. The collies always let me know right away if it’s a friend or stranger by their barking and attitude. They are not aggressive but they can be noisy and assertive. All three have their own insulated kennels for unusually cold weather conditions.

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