The morning news., 1899-02-14
WONDERFUL SHEEP DOGS.
Stories of Breed Brought From
New Zealand to the West in 1875.
From the Denver Post

From the Denver Post.
"The most celebrated breed of shepherd
dog ever known in the West" said Jud
Bristol the old-ume sheep man of Fort
Collins, Col, were those bred from
pair of New Zealand dogs brought to Col
orado in 1915. | had several of their pups
on my ranges and could fill volume
with instances of their rare intelligence
and faithfulness.
Il remember one pup in particular. He
was only six months old when ne was
sent out one day to work on the range.
Al night when the herd was brought up
to the corrals we saw at once that a part
of the herd was missing. There were / 900
head in the bunch when they went out
in the morning, but when we put them
through the chute We found that 200 were
missing. The pup was also missing. Wei,
ali hands turned out for the search. We
hunted all the night and all OF the next
day. and did not find the lost sheep until
along toward night. But there they were.
all herded in a little draw, about five miles
from home, and there was the faithful dog
standing guard. The wolves were very
plentiful in those days, and the dog ha1
actually hidden The sheep from the ami
mails in the draw. The poor fellow was
nearly famished, as he had been for thirty
six hours without food or water. From
that day he became a hero, but was so
badly affected by hunger exposure. and
thirst and subsequent overfeeding and pet
ting that he died not long afterward
This same pups mother was an espe-
cialy fine animal one night the herder
brought in his hocks and hurried to his
cabin 10 cook himself some supper, for
he was more than usually hungry But
he missed the dog. which usually followed
him 70 the cabin OF an evening to have
ner supper. The herder thought rather
strange Of it, but made no search for the
dog that night But when he went down
10 the corrals the next morning he found
the gate open and the faithful dog stand
ing guard over the fiocks The herder
in his haste the night before, had forgot
zen to close the gate, and the dog more
faithful than her master, had remained at
her post all night, though suffering from
hunger and thirst
ION another occasion this same dog was
left to watch a flock of sheep near the
herder's cabin while the herder got his
supper After the herder had eaten his
supper he went out to where the sheep
were and told the dog to put the sheep in
the corral. This she refused to do, and
although she had had no supper she start
ed off over the prairie as fast as she could
GO The herder put the sheep in the cor
was awakened by the loud barking of a
dog down i'm the corrals. He got IN
dressed himself ana went down to the cor
rails and there found the dog with band
Of about fifty sheep, which had straycd
off during the previous day without the
herder's knowledge; but the poor dog knew
IL, and also knew that they ought 10 be
corralled. and she did IT,
Another good story OF this same dog;
one day she was sent out with a new
herder 90 an outlying ranch. some fifteen
miles distant That night she came home
ana by her actions told US that there was
something wrong at the ranch Wen. we
mounted our broncos and went Over the
ranch, and very soon found oat what the
matter was The new herder was simply
a tramp who, as soon as he had got
good feed. had lit cut ana left the sheen
uncared for. save By his more faithful com
panion, the dog.
"One time we had a tenderfoot come 10
work for us, and the bows had Led him
SO fun Of hair-rsing stories thai ne never
went out on the range without expecting
to be either eaten by bears or scalped
by Indians. one day he came running Ia
the house, all out of breath. declaring
that he had seen bear. We laughed nt
him and sent him back to the range.
a few days afterward he came In again.