This little book has a charming story for beginning readers (about 1-2 lines of large text per page). If you've ever bonded with a bottle lamb, you should find this tale appealing.
Price: $7.95
Paperback
32 pgs.
Story by Robert Moses
Pictures by Ellie Moses and Robert Moses
A portion of all proceeds goes to the Make A Wish Foundation
Originally released in 2006 and 2007, this wonderful series is now published by OUTRUN PRESS and available to all BorderCollics young and old.
Tam: A Border Collie
Author: Sharon Northrup
Paperback
76 pages
Age: 9-12
Price: $12.00
Tam is a royally bred Border Collie who excels in sheepdog trialing. Follow him from his birth in rural Scotland through the challenges he faces with different owners, striving always to listen to his instincts and work the “woolies” with his human partners.
Tam’s Pup
Author: Sharon Northrup
Paperback
118 pages
Age: 9-12
$12.00
After Old Tam’s untimely death, a litter of puppies is born to his mate, Jeannie, on the ranch in Colorado. Though Gwen had intended to keep the most likely pup for a trial dog, her heart is captured by the runt of the litter, little Punk.
Not only is Punk the runt of the litter, she was born without a beautiful long Border Collie tail, a defect that handler after handler tells Gwen will keep Punk from being able to turn properly.
Furthermore, Punk is mischief incarnate—again and again, Punk tests Gwen’s decision to keep her, rather than her lovely littermate Lark, pushing Gwen’s patience to the max; but again and again, Punk wins Gwen’s heart. Though ridiculed by others, Gwen decides to teach Punk to handle sheep and takes her to sheepdog trials. In her quest to train Punk, Gwen discovers an old friend is a very good friend indeed.
Sheepdog Glory
The story of a working Border Collie
By Roy Saunders
Price: $15.00
Publisher: Outrun Press
Pages: 160
Roy Saunders has a way with words! This true story is one year in the life of Toss, a young border collie, and Saunders’ life shepherding on the hills of Wales while living and teaching in town. The vivid details of the country he loves and the dog that inspired this book are so real the reader is drawn into every venue and chapter about this amazing and harsh country.
This book is a great afternoon read and everyone will delight in the illustrations [by the author] and the story. Handlers will relate to the descriptions of “going to the starting post” and the daily worries and wonders of lambing and sheep farming. Border collie admirers will enjoy the descriptive details of the trial and the year of this incredible relationship between shepherd and dog.
This book is a reprint of the edition originally published in 1956. Ways have changed since the 50’s with regard to feeding and caring for border collies, farm practices, and trials but this story is timeless.
Review by Fran Wheeler
Top Trainers Talk About Starting a Sheepdog
Price: $25.00, softcover, 297 pp.
Publisher: Outrun Press Just Published! This brand-new compilation of stockdog training wisdom contains insightful articles from 17 luminaries of the Border Collie world:
Bill Berhow
Kate Broadbent
Carol Campion
Scott Glen
Bobby Henderson
David Henry
Julie Hill
Carla King
Kathy Knox
Lyle Lad
Beverly Lambert
Amanda Milliken
Barbara Ray
Derek Scrimgeour
Patrick Shannahan
Jeanne Weaver
Tom Wilson
Whether you want to take the advice of the collected training wisdom of 17 experts in the field, or just enjoy a thoughtful read, this 297-page softcover volume is a treasure trove of information!
Review:
Over a two-year period, the editors of this book interviewed 17 of the top trainers from around the US, Canada and the UK for their thoughts and methods of starting a sheepdog. This insightful book covers topics from when to start a dog to when to introduce shedding. Each trainer describes how they became involved with sheepdogs and answers a variety of questions including the most important tip they would pass on to someone trying to train a pup. Every interview covers a series of basic questions and builds on the respective answers. The thoughtful responses challenge the reader to think about his or her own training practices and offers new insite into everyday farm work and preparing a dog for trials.
The advise offered in this book will benefit every sheepdog owner whether you're starting your first border collie or your fiftieth. It is truly a fascinating read and a MUST for all border collie handlers and border collie fans.
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The Dog Wars
How the Border Collie Battled the American Kennel Club
Author: Donald McCaig
Publisher: Outrun Press
Pages: 192
Review:
As a handler and sheep
farmer, Donald McCaig knows working Border Collies. As an accomplished
author, Mr McCaig knows how to write books. The Dog Wars is an
excellent account of the insurmountable journey faced by Border Collie
owners to prevent the confiscation of the Border Collie breed by the
American Kennel Club [AKC].
Mr
McCaig lays out in detail the excruciating events that took place
between the officers of the United States Border Collie Club [USBCC]
and the AKC. Mr McCaig spotlights the meetings, the conversations, and
the correspondence of the participants. He informs his readers of the
thoughts and fears of the Border Collie representatives and of their
desire to try to work with the AKC to allow Border Collies to
participate in AKC sponsored events but without full recognition and
therefore without the ability to be shown in the confirmation or breed
ring. As Mr McCaig states, “[t]he Border Collie standard is performance” [emphasis mine]. Until recently, performance was their only standard.
Throughout the book, Mr
McCaig inserts stories of his own dogs and life on his farm and on the
trial field. These stories help to lighten an otherwise painful story
and the probable detrimental outcome to a magnificent working breed.
As a fellow Border Collie
handler who has watched the political changes in the acceptance of the
breed over many years and as a contributor to the Border Collie Defense
Fund, I found this book both enjoyable and painful. Enjoyable, reading
the antics of Mr McCaig’s wonderful working Border Collies “doing their
thing”. Painful in remembering and painful in that our beloved Border
Collie breed is too quickly becoming two breeds: the show Border Collie
or “Barbie” Collie and the working Border Collie.
