Yes, you read correctly. Poodle cowdog. First, let me explain how this interesting little thought popped into this brain of mine.
First, let me take a minute to discuss my vet. He's great with the animals, great with the people....he's a Texas man with Texas ways, and without being from Texas most of you will not really understand what that means. Texans, at least the ones I'm discussing now, are known for their friendly Southern hospitality, generosity; big, warm hearts, and simple, laid-back nature. This is Doc to a T. Doc is not a large man, average in height but has quite obviously carried a hay bale or two in his day and heaved a breached calf out of a stressed cow in a field(many times, I'm sure). His voice has a twinge of rough edge to accent the kind, gentleness of it. He's quite difficult to describe accurately, but quite simply, he's a wonderful man and a fantastic veterinarian. He knows all of my animals by name(which is quite a feat---we have many!), all of my family by name, all of our activities, and so on.
We have his cell phone number and he has frequently answered emergency phone calls at all hours of the day and night. If one of our horses comes down with something, he readily makes room for them even if he's packed, and often "forgets" the emergency fee and overnight charges. He has an interesting crew at his hospital...his wife, several vet techs, his son(also a certified vet), Lana(his yellow Lab), Elsie(his Australian Cattle Dog), Asker(his Standard Poodle), and occasionally his chocolate Lab as well. Doc is a talker, and during one of my entertaining visits with him, we got on the topic of working cattle.
With Asker standing a few feet away, fully groomed, complete with painted nails and bows on each ear, he proceded to tell me how the puffball was the best cowdog he'd ever had. A few of the clients in the office scoffed to themselves, clearly every bit as convinced as I was that this overgrown cotton ball could possibly top his ACD and all of his past working-bred dogs of various herding breeds.
"No, really. She's a great cowdog. Best I've ever had."
"You're kidding?" I ask, still not convinced.
"Nope. She's fantastic. Works 'em great, no joke."
I've known the doc long enough to tell when he's pulling the wool over someone's eyes and when he's telling the honest truth. (And you don't tell a Texan you don't think his "cowdog" could herd a duckling to a lake.) Really and truly, he wasn't lying. I have yet to see this for myself, but he still sticks to it. So...just out of curiousity, (Jillian, this is your specialty, lol!) could a Poodle actually be a good stock dog?? I'm digging to the depths of my brain for any recollection of some kind of herding ancestry at the beginnings of poodle breeding, but I'm not finding anything. Lol. So, anybody know anything about working Poodles?
First, let me take a minute to discuss my vet. He's great with the animals, great with the people....he's a Texas man with Texas ways, and without being from Texas most of you will not really understand what that means. Texans, at least the ones I'm discussing now, are known for their friendly Southern hospitality, generosity; big, warm hearts, and simple, laid-back nature. This is Doc to a T. Doc is not a large man, average in height but has quite obviously carried a hay bale or two in his day and heaved a breached calf out of a stressed cow in a field(many times, I'm sure). His voice has a twinge of rough edge to accent the kind, gentleness of it. He's quite difficult to describe accurately, but quite simply, he's a wonderful man and a fantastic veterinarian. He knows all of my animals by name(which is quite a feat---we have many!), all of my family by name, all of our activities, and so on.
We have his cell phone number and he has frequently answered emergency phone calls at all hours of the day and night. If one of our horses comes down with something, he readily makes room for them even if he's packed, and often "forgets" the emergency fee and overnight charges. He has an interesting crew at his hospital...his wife, several vet techs, his son(also a certified vet), Lana(his yellow Lab), Elsie(his Australian Cattle Dog), Asker(his Standard Poodle), and occasionally his chocolate Lab as well. Doc is a talker, and during one of my entertaining visits with him, we got on the topic of working cattle.
With Asker standing a few feet away, fully groomed, complete with painted nails and bows on each ear, he proceded to tell me how the puffball was the best cowdog he'd ever had. A few of the clients in the office scoffed to themselves, clearly every bit as convinced as I was that this overgrown cotton ball could possibly top his ACD and all of his past working-bred dogs of various herding breeds.
"No, really. She's a great cowdog. Best I've ever had."
"You're kidding?" I ask, still not convinced.
"Nope. She's fantastic. Works 'em great, no joke."
I've known the doc long enough to tell when he's pulling the wool over someone's eyes and when he's telling the honest truth. (And you don't tell a Texan you don't think his "cowdog" could herd a duckling to a lake.) Really and truly, he wasn't lying. I have yet to see this for myself, but he still sticks to it. So...just out of curiousity, (Jillian, this is your specialty, lol!) could a Poodle actually be a good stock dog?? I'm digging to the depths of my brain for any recollection of some kind of herding ancestry at the beginnings of poodle breeding, but I'm not finding anything. Lol. So, anybody know anything about working Poodles?
