Watching dogs and sheep
or what dog-people do when they can't have their own dogs
Pete and I are dog people. We really enjoy dogs and believe it is cruelty to US that we can’t have any of our own since we travel so much. However, we’ve learned several tricks to keep dogs in our lives in other ways.
One of these is to have lots of friends with dogs, so that when we visit we have dogs to cuddle and play with. Sometimes our friends are kind enough to let us stay with their dogs when they go away and we get to live the doggy’s human life for awhile. Sort of like being a grandparent, I think. Or the fun aunty or uncle.
When we were coming over the Isle of Wight frequently before we moved here, we learned that the car ferry had a ‘dog lounge’ which is a fancy way to say anyone with a dog has to remain in that area during the crossing. A bonus of the ‘lounge’ is that it has it’s own refreshment stand, so we could get our tea (or wine/beer) quickly, and then spend 45 minutes in the company of dozens of dogs! What’s not to love?
Last weekend was our newest doggy discovery. There are few things more delightful than a Sunday afternoon spent in the sunshine watching sheepdog trials set in a glorious green bowl where you can see the whole course laid out before you.
There were marquees surrounding us selling cakes and tea and beer and all sorts of burgers, and of course ice cream. There were local artisans showcasing their wares to impress us with their skills whenever we could drag ourselves away from watching the trials.
The Isle of Wight Sheepdog Trials was a two-day event in its second year after a short hiatus. Each day there were 44-48 contestants, who came from all over England and Wales. The event was free to attend, but sponsorship by a local Island Charity meant that a donation going their way would be most welcome.
We knew nothing before we arrived, but thanks to a useful printed programme, and a narrator who came to stand near us in the viewing area, we learned quite a bit during the couple of hours we watched. The narrator explained details about the contestants, the course, the points and how the judges would be thinking, all while each contestant was running their dog and the sheep through the trials. The exciting part is that the sheep are unpredictable, so you never quite know what is going to happen, and also how the sheep and the dogs will interact with each other.
There was a brilliant moment when, after the narrator had been talking generally about how right at the beginning the dog has to establish trust and dominance over the sheep without creating too much fear, there was a standoff between an independent-minded sheep and the dog: they had a stare off for over a minute. The dog wanted that lone sheep to go join the others, and that sheep had absolutely no intention whatsoever in going there. The amount of time it took for this interaction cost too much time, and that contestant did not do well. All due to the stubborn spirit of a lone sheep! But oh, to witness that meeting of wills and wonder who was thinking what, and how will this end?
Other times, instead of heading down the fetch (see map, above), the sheep took off straight back into the woods on the right from where they had been penned, and we could only guess what was going on in the shadows between dog and sheep. Most times after a few moments, the sheep would come running out again encouraged by the dog. But sometimes, there would be a too-long hiatus, and eventually, an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) would fly out across the fields and the human contestant would head up to the woods and soon we would learn that that trial had been suspended.
I found myself getting impatient when spectators in front of me would stand up blocking my vision, even though of course they were perhaps greeting friends or getting up to move, and we were all spread out across an enormous field. But I was really sucked into the tension created by the timer (contestants had only 12 minutes to complete the course), and the unpredictability of each set of 5 sheep.
There was a father and son competing against each other, back to back, and the commentator enjoyed telling us tales about those two, and how awkward the 15 hour ride home would be if the son beat the father (and he did!).
Meanwhile, there was a wonderful range of attendees watching from the field above. The people sitting in comfortable portable chairs right up next to the perimeter fence were clearly those who followed trials avidly. They had their flasks, binoculars, pens and paper, and a variety of hats to accommodate all weather close to hand. There were large family groups, and couples of all ages. Also attending with some of the humans were many non-working dogs who couldn’t care less what was going on in the fields. They could see so many people and so many other dogs; also, the smell of roasting meat! As a bonus for us, the dogs who wanted extra petting always seemed to find their way to us.
I had mentioned to my lovely writer friend
earlier this week that I had been to the Sheepdog Trials, and she told me about the long-running series here in the UK called “One Man and His Dog”, and helpfully provided a link to the wikipedia page. Obviously I went down that rabbit hole (sheep pen?), and although sadly they have discontinued the weekly show, eventually I found one episode still available to watch on BBC iPlayer, which happened to be last year’s ‘final’ competition between England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The best of each of the four nations was represented by one contestant and their dog. There was a four-way competition, and then the best two competed in a final head-to-head.The first contestant strode out onto the field, and off went her dog on the outrun. Well, let me tell you, I am really glad I saw in person how difficult it is to control those sheep. If I hadn’t seen it live, I would have thought, well, that doesn’t look so hard. These top-tier competitors were amazing! Incredible skills. The dogs had those sheep turning on a dime to nip through the gates and pivot off to the next place. The sheep pretty much lined up in formation to enter their pens. I had seen NONE of that when we were at our local trials. It was interesting to see what the highest skill levels can achieve.
But like most things, we’ve learned that spending time in person (with people and dogs) beats the online version hands down. Online is useful for research and provides some entertainment, but nothing can replace the drama and the joy of those real-life unpredictable interactions.
Of course now we can’t wait for our summer visits to all our furry friends, and of course, all those slurpy kisses and warm furry rumps leaning in against us for cuddles.
As always, thank you so much for reading!
Are you a dog person? Do you have a beloved dog in your life? Have you been to sheepdog trials? Let me know in the comments!
Hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer! See you next time!
xx Sabrina
I would LOVE to see these trials. Maybe we should plan to visit you next year at the time of the dogs and sheep go round.
One of my best ever experiences, surprisingly so, was hiking around the bend in the Pyrenees to see hundreds of sheep, a few shepards, and several Australian sheepdogs hard at work moving the sheep in and out of the trees and down to the main pasture. Those dogs darted here and there quickly! I asked the shepard what the big dog asleep under the trailer was doing while all the others were hard at work. He explained that this dog (a Great Pyrenees of all breeds :) ) worked at night to guard against the bears.
I'm currently in dog heaven visiting some friends who have a Mastiff, an English breed. The dog weighs 70 kilos (154 pounds). The dog, Carla, is so sweet and she knows she's found a temporary friend. She lies on my feet so of course I cannot go anywhere. I have to pet her and get my face licked as much as possible before returning to dog-lessness.
As think you know, I too have always been a dog person, and I still believe that my sweet Chula the Goggle-Eyed Ricochet Hound saved my life after Heather died. When I finally decided to leave Massachusetts and move back to San Francisco, I chose my apartment based on the needs of a senior dog - one level, elevator, etc. - only to have her die (at age seventeen; she had a good run) just before I moved. I still miss her terribly, but I have to admit I'm enjoying the freedom of being able to travel without having to make arrangements for her (sorry, Chula). And my girlfriend has a dog, so I still get regular doses of doggy love.
Also, while I've never attended a sheepdog trial, in September 2010 I was part of a group of hikers descending from Lining Crag to Grasmere in the Lake District when we heard an astonishing and indecipherable array of shouts and whistles from the hillside above us. We looked up and saw two shepherds striding along, bellowing in what we took to be Gaelic - it certainly wasn't English - and almost immediately we were engulfed by hundreds of galloping sheep who were thundering down the trail behind us, escorted by several black and white sheepdogs. We scrambled onto some convenient rocks to get out of the way and admire the stream of sheep flowing around us. At one point one of the dogs jumped up onto the rock beside me; I told him he was a good dog, but he was intent on his charges and completely ignored me. It was an amazing, and mesmerizing, experience.