SigMT

SiG MT 35 ometimes the best ranch employees are the four-legged ones. Dogs have been used for centuries to drive, herd and guard livestock, working alongside ranchers and sheepherders, oen taking the place of ranch employees. "Having working dogs saves manpower," says Steve Streit of Saco, Mont., "Dogs can do the work of five to six guys; one dog can replace two employees." Many working dog breeds have been developed to serve specific tasks, like the Hangin' Tree Cow Dogs and Kommondor/Akbash guard dogs. "We like to do composite breeding for specific traits," says Marvin Dunster of 5R Stock Dogs in Billings, Mont., "like the short-haired Akbash with the Kommondor, a lot of our customers like that mix." Dunster and his wife, Carrie, have been breeding working dogs for 28 years. ey have eight dog breeds they cross breed and formulate to meet their customers' very specific needs based on the fencing type, sheep breeds and numbers, acreages, neighbors and hazards like roads, railroads, highways, trappers and hunters. "We listen to the producers, and we pick the dog that is best suited for their operation," says Marvin. "ey can have some input, but if we are going to guarantee the dog, we are going to pick it." Some working dogs are not necessarily good pets, with high intelligence and natural instincts, but are more like tools to manage and protect livestock. "Guard dogs are polar opposites of domestic dogs," says Marvin. "You just can't go out and catch them. A dog that is a lile wild (not aggressive) tends to be more streetwise and will live longer than a dog that is more social, which tend to be less streetwise." Yet, some dogs adapt well to being family dogs, as well as working dogs. "e Border Collie can make a great family pet, they love to play fetch when they aren't working," says Steve. "ey are very loyal and very active, so they have to have room to run. But, they have to have something to do or they will find something to do, which may get them into trouble." S SiG MT 35

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