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As an old guy pushing 11 years of age, Mike is a mellowed-out tending dog who only had to be told a dozen times or more that he did not need to rush the sheep as they grazed this day.
Mike was one of the German Shepherd Dogs that helped to establish the program for herding German Shepherds. He has worked both in tending and on arena courses, actually earned his first title on a very early AKC Course A. Mike has competed at national level in herding, and has also adjusted readily to ranch conditions. He is happy to work with various human shepherds, not really caring who wants the work done; he just wants to be the one to do the work. Even at this age, he had to be pulled off the field, still wanting to graze the sheep. He is an affectionate, high-drive, but cooperative dog to work with.
Another pioneer was the lovely Pella. Here she is
at 5 months of age, penning the ducks.
Pella helped to establish the AKC herding program, and
helped the German Shepherds earn high honors in the program. She
was also the lead dog and role model for the California dogs that began
the work to establish the HGH program in America.
More than that, Pella was the German Shepherd's ambassador to the stockman's world. She loved herding, could work equally well under command or independently. Her strength was as a ranch dog in very difficult circumstances, in bad weather, or bringing in sick or injured single sheep. She had superb stock sense and won praise at Border Collie fun trials and at Aussie working trials.
Pella loved her sheep and even when she was old and disabled,
she would still climb the back yard fence and go out to the pasture just
to hang out with her sheep. She was tough with big wethers, but gentle
with lambs or sick or injured sheep. All in all, a pretty nigh perfect
herding dog....