I ve owned lacys for close to 10 years as hog dogs and I ve decided to start to use my pups as cow dogs. I am not new to the concept of cowdogs or lacys but I am just curious will lacys windmill like catahoulas and will the bring cattle to you? Darren

Darren, yes Lacy's windmill cattle. Yes also to the question of bringing them to you, if they are trained to do so. In my experience, Lacy pups will windmill and hold cattle without being asked. These dogs will work cattle very similarly to how they work hogs. They will find them, then bay them, and then hold them until told otherwise.

I watched a few of the hanging tree cow dogs on the youtube and was really impressed with them. I am going to try to get my dogs to bay up and drive cattle to me like the hanging tree instead of me getting down the brush to flush them out. I had a big catahoula that was my number one cow dog for the past 10 years  put to sleep because of reoccuring cancer. She sure was a jim dandy. she was the kind that made a pack of bad dogs look good. Darren

Not sure which videos you watched.  I looked but there were quite a few.  Anyway, start by having them gather like G described above.  Then call them out and bring the them back to you.  When some break from the herd give them your command - get ahead or whatever you use.  Just work on getting the cattle bunched up first.  Then put your back to the ranch with the cattle in front of you, facing your pens.  Encourage your Lacys to stay behind them and keep them moving but call them out when they head them off unless of course some break in which case you want to bunch them back up.  It will go slow at first.  When you reach your pens, push them to the gate and call the dogs out if they go in the pen.  Use some cubes or whatever to create success at first.  When they are in, close the gate and reward the dogs.  They will get to know the drill and that it is done when the cows are penned.  Let us know how it goes.

I recall seeing some of their videos too. In my mind I was thinking they ran YBMC's though. I may sure be wrong about that. Anyway, one thing I have learned is that getting your cows good and dog broke sure helps. Mine know by now (usually, haha) that if the dogs are baying them then the dogs will stay on them till they get to me and I call them off. My two will go find them for me and then bunch them up. I sometimes don't even go to the cows but just go to where I want them to be and whistle loud and holler DOG!! I'll do that a few times and the cows will show up in a bunch headed for me with the dogs just keeping them loosley bunched. I wait at the pasture or field gate  or pen gate, whatever and the whole bunch comes along. Now if I were working strange cattle (I don't, hehe) I know I would have to do it the way I used to do my own before they got so dog broke. That is, get behind them and push easy and rely on my dogs to keep them bunched and to act as the brakes towards the front. Dog broke cows sure can spoil a feller, LOL!!

Good post's Y'all. I liked reading the thoughts and tips.

Jimbo

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Lacy's Rule!!!
Always have extra nice Corriente Cattle For Sale.
Jim Williams
Walking T Cattle Company
"We Don't Rent Pigs!"

Darren,I guess i might have misunderstood how far you were wanting the dogs to bring to cows to you. I'm pretty sure that your dogs will bring them out of the brush without any problem. Where it gets fun is when you're in the open cause that's when they have to slow down and pay attention. 

Also, it takes about five minutes to get cattle "dog- broke". That being said, both of these guys are on the right track with what they are tellin ya. The only difference between my command and Jim's is that I holler bring 'em. 

Ben 

 

Most of the time I need a dog is when the cattle are wild and run off in the brush or they won 't come to a bucket of cubes. I want my dogs to get  the cattle out of the brush and bring them to the pen and put them in it. I may be asking a lot out of them but that is what I am wanting them to do. I can meet the dogs in an opening and they can follow. I have access to a well finished trails dog it s a border collie I thought about starting them one at a time with him letting them learn from him.I guess they(BC and Lacy) would both work the same style of herding.  Darren I wish I lived a little closer towards yall and I would come see how yall geter done. Darren

The video I was watching was of a 9 month old pup I think Jasper was his name working some calves in a pen he was a Hanging tree cow dog. When I get home from work I will put alink to the video Darren

I've seen Hangin' Tree cowdogs and the breeder/ owner personally.  They don't have anything on Lacys.  Ok, they come a close second to Lacys.  They guy said his dogs are not personable - they live to work.  That's why I did not consider a BC - you  can't pet them without them wanting to do something.

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Crescent Moon Ranch
Raising quality commercial calves

Your right about that. I would not trade any of my Lacys for a hanging  tree  any day. I just liked the way they worked they had alot of energy here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jWgDFXxgUQ  Darren

I understand that Hanging Tree dogs are very good at working cattle but are not family dogs at all.  One of Ladybugs pups went to a family that uses Hanging Tree dogs to work cattle on a large ranch.  They wanted the Lacy for a family pet. protector of children,  and also cattle dog.   They are very happy with their Lacy. 

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Brenda Sturman
Alvin, TX
blsturman@live.com 281-914-5635

I have got a female I raised born last october that is going to be a jim dandy cow dog. I tell her down and boy she hits the floor. I am really impressed on the handle on her already at this age. I am really pumped after working her today on the down command. She really wants to work my pet goat and she has already started baying my cows.  Darren                                                                                                                        I am going to have to edit this post cuz that is not my pet goat I got no love for the thing. I would gladlly give it away but, I would need a new home myself when my daughter finds out. That dad gum thing is about to drive me crazy. HAHA