The Making Of A Good Stock Dog…KAT’s Journal

I have decided to tell you all about KAT’s Journey .

KAT Ballou is out of Drover and Abilene.

KAT is currently 28 months old. She is starting to mature mentally and psychically. It has took some time for KAT to grow up. She is smart. A bit hard headed, very driven, likes to drive stock and will gather too.

We started out at 4 weeks with a test and then at 15 weeks Larry Painter tested her… and KAT was a real header at that time. What I mean is she would hunt the head of the stock and turn them. Fearless all ways from 4 weeks till now.

KAT wants to work and is a bit on the bossy side to the other dogs. (I expect she will get in trouble with that) ! I keep an eye out and discourage her from that.

KAT is a tri colored 19 inches at the wither and about 45 pounds. We will post photos as we share our journey.

Her dam Abilene was a black and tan drivey, tough, got your back all ways strong, muscled, smart, pleasing fearless dog. Abilene was the best Mother I have ever known. She would “mother up” lambs that needed help. What I mean is she would lick them and take care of them. Drover the sire of KAT has this same trait.

Drover is my go to dog for most any herding situation. We do not herd Cows. We do herd sheep, ducks, geese, turkeys. I am no lover of cows. They smell bad (I was raised on a dairy farm) they will kill or kick your dog in the head and make it useless. To work cows I have to have the right type of working dog. One that will go to the head and will hit a leg down low so the dog will not get kicked. A bonus is a dog that knows which hind leg of a cow is on the ground! 😉 Drover does all of this but is way to high on a hind leg.

KAT will start to tell about her journey.

KAT’s Journal Day 1…

I am learning to stop! As in anywhere. Kay will be waking along no stock in sight and say ” Down! ” I pretend I am deaf. Kay turns and looks at me and says (more with her eyes and body) Down!

I know sit  and I know down but do not like to do either!  So I say make me! Patiently (most of the time) Kay works me through this till I give in and down sort of…I still want to not down. I see no need and I tell Kay that. I am not sure how long she will take to figure out… I know to… but am choosing to not… do as asked…Who knows I may never have to down .”I simply do not like to do it”