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camp
us (although the occasional squirrel may take precedence). The crew is there for
one job and one job only; ridding the property of GEESE! We get them out and then it's
on to the next property. The ACD does this job quite well. Almost all companies in this
business use Border Collies, but I've found the ACD surpasses the BC in speed with the
return to the van as fast as the 'Go-Out'. The velcro-ness is also a wonderful attribute to
the breed when chasing geese in and around people. Most clients’ properties become
an extension of the dogs’ back yard with the focus on geese only.
In my opinion there is no better canine for this job than the Australian Cattle Dog. Highly
trainable, fast, intelligent, food motivated, perfectly sized and the never-ending desire to
work are key in this job. My ACD's are trained to harass and chase, not hunt or hurt
geese. I've found building on the cattle dogs herding instinct and drive to bring the
geese to me works great. Of course the geese take flight instead of being 'rounded-up'
like cattle or sheep.
Sometimes the dog must run a long distance, out of sight and basically be on its own to
find and chase geese. I watch the sky to see geese flying off knowing the dog is still
working on clearing the property. The whistle is used for distant work mostly and it’s to
let the dog know where I‘m located. Some dogs get 'lost' in their chase and forget which
direction they came from. Other times a short run is all that is needed. Then worse of
all; geese that learn the Goose Bustin’ van and fly off as soon as I pull up, much to the
dismay of my crew. Geese are smart, they know the van is first and the dogs are next.
Even the geese we pass around town lift their heads and 'honk' as we drive by wonder-
ing if they're next to be chased and harassed.
My whole cattle dog crew eagerly jumps into the Goose Busters van and off we go to
earn our pay. Life with the Goose Bustin' crew is not only about work. These ACDs are my
companions 24/7. They live in the house, hog the couch, steal the covers, torment and
play with one another as only an ACD would. I am very fortunate that when I leave for
work....morning, noon, or night my crew of ACDs gets to go with me. It is a special bond
we share as my team and I spend our days working, training and playing in New Jersey.
The loyalty of the ACD is true blue......and so is my whole crew.
Karen (Cattledog) Cox & The Goose Busters ACD crew in New Jersey
To see more Goose Buster pictures visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9868769@N05/
SPOTLIGHT on Dogs with Jobs
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