Perry's Mum

The Koolie Club are looking into arranging a herding weekend at Albury or Elmore in the next few months. I will put a notice up when I hear more details. Jack did really well for his first time. Perry was ecstatic because she was up with the big dogs and got to work more sheep in a bigger pen, move them from one pen to another, and to start doing race work - although she was not too keen on walking along the backs of moving sheep. The big excitement though was meeting Sue from Armidale who knows the woman who rescued Perry originally and helped her get Perry cleaned up before she came down to live with me.

Perry just loves icecream - we always stop for one on the way home from sheepdog school and she eats a whole icecream cone of her own. Her favourite flavour is vanilla with liver sprinkles.

If the glucosamine does not work have a look at Noni juice. A shearer put me on to it and he (and lots of other shearers) use it for their dogs who have been injured. You get it from the health food store and it is quite expensive but it works and glucosamine did not work on my arthritis. I have been taking it since the end of November and have been able to go from 4 Voltaren a day down to none.

I know of a couple of Koolies who have passed the test - I will find out what they were listed as and report back.

I am just ecstatic about the way Perry is going - not only is she proving to be good at herding but her behaviour (for those who have met her in the past) has improved out of sight. I think she has gained lots of self confidence from being good at herding and knowing that she can hold her own with the others. She was actually able to lie quietly under a gazebo with 2 other dogs this weekend - something she could not have managed 6 weeks ago let alone when she started this last May. We are getting ready to get her Herding Instinct Test and after that who knows - we just want to be able to thumb our noses at that farmer. Ruth - I have sent the photos to Janine - I think she will be really pleased with Perry's progress.

Chloe likes these ones best GINGERBONES 4 cups plain flour 2 cups wholemeal flour 1 cup molasses 1 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 4 T ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut into bone shapes. Place cookies on ungreased, foil-lined baking sheets and bake in a preheated 160C oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 dozen.

I don't know how long the cinnamon hearts last - not long in this house - Perry loves them. I usually give half the batch to my goddog Chloe (a Dachshund/JR cross) and they don't last long in her house either.

Perry's favourite: CINNAMON HEARTS 5 cups of plain flour 1 cup raw rolled oats 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 50g butter 1 egg lightly beaten 1 cup grated apple 1 tablespoon water Mix together flour, oats, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Rub butter into mixture until it roughly resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, add egg and mix through with a fork. Add grated apple, work through with hands until combined. Add water to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured board and keep adding flour until dough is firmer and does not stick to the board. Roll out dough to 3-4 mm thickness and cut out shapes. Place heart shapes on greased oven tray, glaze with additional beaten egg if desired and sprinkle extra cinnamon. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown in colour. Cool on a wire rack until biscuits harden.

GARLIC BEEF BISCUITS 2 cups plain or wholemeal flour 1 cup polenta ¼ cup wheatgerm 1 egg 1T oil ½ cup concentrated liquid beef stock ½ cup hot water 2 crushed cloves of garlic Preheat oven to 140C. Mix flour, polenta, wheatgerm together in large bowl, add other ingredients and mix well. Roll out on a well floured surface to 1cm thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on silicone paper lined baking sheet and bake for 2 hours until dry and very hard. Let stand overnight to dry thoroughly. To make garlic chicken biscuits substitute liquid chicken stock for the beef stock.

Icy Paws 2 cartons plain or vanilla yogurt (32 oz each) 1 small can tuna in water (8oz.) 2 tsp. garlic power 24 3 oz. plastic cups (not paper) Open yogurt, if they are full to the top use a spoon & scoop out one cup. (these will be frozen as plain yogurt). Put half of the can of tuna in each yogurt container add the garlic power (1 tsp. in each) & stir thoroughly. Use a spoon & scoop the mixture into the cups. Place on a tray & freeze overnight. Makes about 24 treats.

To make Jerky: Cut thin long strips of lean meat - as thin as you can. you can rub with garlic if you like for extra flavour Take paper clips and twist so they make tiny hooks (one hook each end) - use the plain metal ones not the coloured ones! Thread a hook through the end of each meat strip. Put one oven rack the highest it can go in the oven. Take out all other racks Hang meat from the rack on the hooks. Turn oven on very low (lowest possible setting) and prop oven door slightly open (I use a flat cast iron pan to prop it - dont prop it too wide if you can help it) Leave in oven on low all day (I suggest doing it on a day you can hang around and check just for safety sake) When meat is dry enough for your liking, remove from oven and break up to use for training treats (if you dont decide to eat it yourself!

I agree with the others - their double coat actually protects them - there are more effective ways to keep them cool - clipping will ruin the coat.

I think Kate Smith the holistic vet is the one who treated Amber when she was dying - she was fantastic and kept her happy and pain free.

Well done V&T - Trim is just lovely (and I am sure Vicky is too)

This is really interesting - my first dog was a Border but now I have a rescue long coated Koolie and I have just started herding with her. She is 2 1/2 years old and just loves it. She has shown absolutely no interest in flyball or agility, despite liking running, jumping, and being absolutely passionately obsessed with balls.

What a lucky dog to be so loved. Reduced me to tears for my much loved Amber who died in March last year.

There were certainly other breeds at the last workshop in April - an Australian Shepherd, a BC, a couple of German Shepherds.

The Koolie Club are organising some more workshops in October in Elmore and in Albury - Perry and I are hoping to go to the Elmore one.

The bag on the pole was used to teach the dog not to go between you and the sheep - they need to go around the outside. There was only one dog there who was interested in eating the sheep - fortunately not Perry, she prefers hers roasted with some rosemary and garlic and mint sauce and gravy. vpzn - where can we do it in Sydney?

Thanks for putting the photos up Katie. It was a weekend workshop and was excellent - cannot remember what I paid - either $120 or $160 but well worth it. Perry is a beautiful dog and she had the best time - the moment we got out of the car she was interested and she did not stop until we got home. Looking forward to doing it all again and looking for somewhere around Canberra.

It was in Echuca and run by Robert Cox for the Koolie Club although there were several different breeds there including some German Shepherds. I do have pics but no idea of how to put them on the site.

I should have added that at least one third of the dogs at the workshop were rescues and they all showed potential.

I have a rescue Koolie and we have just been on our first herding workshop - as soon as we arrived she was interested and she showed considerable talent. Now i am looking for some more workshops for her (and me) - it was lots of fun for both of us.

Perry and I go to Weston Creek Veterinary Hospital in Waramanga - the vets there have been extremely good with both her and with my previous dog, Amber, who had some severe health problems.