104 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



scattered about, then again away at the 

 pen. This style of driving is not to be 

 commended ; the sheep should be driven 

 steadily all the time, never at full gallop, 

 but at an even, trotting pace and without 

 excitement. 



Very often the good driving dog becomes 

 excited when nearing the pen ; he moves 

 about more smartly ; his patience, which 

 has stood him in good stead all round the 

 course, is finished, and he makes a desperate 

 effort to pen the lot, with the result that 

 two will break away and one only is forced 

 into the pen. By this time the sheep are 

 excited ; he has lost command, puts on 

 a number of bad turns, but ultimately pens 



MR. T H. STRETCH s PARBOLD PAGANINI 

 BY PARBOLD PIERROT - PARBOLD PLEASANCE. 

 BRED BY MR. H. AINSCOUGH. 

 Photograph by Wragg, Ormskirk. 



them. The excitement is still on at the 

 shedding test ; the sheep refuse to separate, 

 and in wearing the single sheep the dog 

 is so keen and excited that again he gets 

 too near and tries to rush his opponent, 



who, almost exhausted, ultimately succeeds 

 in rejoining her companions. 



The difficulty is to get a dog so well 

 trained that not only in driving will he 

 use his good sense, but also at the penning 

 and shedding, where the most skilful turns 

 are required, will he continue to use his 

 judgment, and thus act from start to 

 finish in a steady and determined manner. 

 The judges also take into consideration 

 the style with which the dog goes through 

 the work, whether smartly, cheerfully, and 

 gently, or roughly and indifferently ; and 

 how long he takes to do it 



Many will say there is a good amount 

 of luck at trials. I have seen this the case 

 but seldom. For exam- 

 ple, some dogs get sheep 

 of wilder temperament 

 than others to work 

 with, but while a slight 

 mistake will throw out 

 a first-class dog, I al- 

 ways contend that a 

 good dog makes his own 

 luck at a working trial. 

 You can almost tell the 

 winner by the style in 

 which he leaves his 

 master, comes round on 

 the sheep, takes posses- 

 sion of them without 

 the least excitement, and 

 has the good sense not 

 to vex them on the 

 course, nor yet at the 

 pen. 



In general the excel- 

 ling competitors at work- 

 ing trials are the rough- 

 coated black and white 

 Collies. The smooth- 

 coated variety and the Beardie are less fre- 

 quent winners. I am sorry to say that the 

 handsome and distinguished gentlemen of 

 the Ch. YYishaw Leader type are seldom 

 seen on the trial field, although formerly 

 such a dog as Ch. Ormskirk Charlie might 

 be successfully entered with others equally 

 well bred from the kennels of that good 

 trainer and fancier, Mr. Piggin, of Long 



