Vying by Hook and by Crook : Shepherds and Stock Dogs Test Their Pastoral Instincts

The sleek towers of Warner Center loomed in the background and San Fernando Valley traffic swooshed in the distance.

But at Los Angeles Pierce College’s agriculture department Saturday, the tallest objects rising from rolling, green hills were shepherds’ staffs and the loudest noises were lilting, ancient commands such as “Come by!” and “Away!”

“I work in an office all week long and this is something outdoors,” said Terry Folsom of Lakewood as she adjusted her straw hat and waited her turn outside a sheep pen. “Dog- and cat-show people look at how pretty something is, or how well it stands. This is something to do.”

Even in gridlocked Southern California, the herding instinct is thriving, according to Folsom and about 60 other amateur shepherds who gathered at the college’s sheep unit to compete in a sport rich in biblical origins and modern advantages.

“People with stock are finding that one dog is worth three men,” said Sandra Milberg, a part-time interior decorator from Tarzana. “They’re cheaper to feed, they love to work and there’s no comp time or days off. All they want is a pat on the head and to work.”

The stock dog trials--which continue today--were sponsored by the Australian Shepherd Club of Southern California but enabled a variety of herding dogs and handlers to match their skills against the obstinacy of 45 sheep from Bakersfield. And beginners could test their mettle against ducks. Those with the best “legs,” or qualifying scores, will go on to compete at the State Fair in Sacramento and in national contests.

Participating shepherds had 10 minutes to get three sheep through an obstacle course and back into their pen and seven minutes to do the same with five ducks. Techniques varied with breed: border collies used their “eye” or staring power to intimidate the sheep into submission. A Belgian sheep dog in the duck pen kept her nose to the ground, pushing the mallards along their course as if with an invisible prod.

“Sheep will sense the power of a dog,” Milberg said. “One dog will come in and they won’t even move. Another will come in and they’ll run like hell.”

Many of the competitors, such as Milberg and Folsom, were drawn to the sport by an interest in stock dogs’ keen intelligence and instincts.

Bill Lander, a livestock specialist at the college, said a fascination with natural things has also contributed to the popularity of sheep-raising and herding, a pastime he estimated had thousands of followers in Southern California. Wool-spinning classes at the college are filled with people eager to work with natural fibers, he said, while dog clubs such as the Australian Shepherd Club have been promoting their breeds’ instincts instead of trying to suppress them.

“People really enjoy getting out and working with their dog and developing its instinct,” Milberg said. “It’s different from obedience class where it’s all control.”

Most of the dogs at Saturday’s trials were either Australian shepherds or border collies, but a data processor from Huntington Beach swore by the herding instincts of her Lhasa apsos Dusty and Cari Anne, whose ancestors were bred to guard the palaces of Tibet, not bring animals to market.

“If cats went where they weren’t supposed to, he’d bring them back,” Jody Mannheimer said of Dusty. “Then he’d be out running with his retriever friends and they’d go out for objects while he’d circle around and bring them back.”

Humans don’t always take to herding as easily as their dogs, said Ken Dugan, a stock dog breeder and trainer from Bakersfield. “People will come out and say, ‘You know, this dog is doing better than me,’ ” he said.

But human enthusiasm seemed as sharp as canine instinct Saturday: One owner of Shetland sheep dogs said she keeps five ducks on her condominium patio for the sole purpose of giving her pets something to herd. She asked that her name be withheld because she has already received a letter from her condominium association’s lawyer.

“Did you know it costs $75 to de-quack a duck?” she asked.