Tubby The Cow Dog

A good cattle dog is a treasure on a working ranch. We have had Border Collies for most of our ranching years. Their herding nature requires them to be active, alert, independent thinking, and responsive. Tubby was one such a dog. We bought him as a pup, he was the biggest one in the litter and stayed a “roly-poly” for awhile (hence the name). His cattle instincts showed up in the first year of his life. He would display “eye,” stalking, or circling behaviors around his littermates, toys, and humans by the time he was 3 months old. It was fascinating to watch him develop his natural skills; nipping heels, chasing, or “holding” other animals (poor cats, but nothing serious). We gradually introduced him to his cattle herd keeping him at a distance at first to keep him safe. Somewhere between the age of 1 and 2 he showed intense interest and had gained the control needed for safe cattle work and started listening better for commands from us. During winter feeding, we would load feed in the loader bucket, and Tubby would go ahead of the tractor to the feedlot and herd the cattle back while the feed was spread. When we backed the tractor away and headed back to the next job, then Tubby would back away and let the cattle into the feed. He did the same with bale feeding. He totally understood his job. He was always eager to participate, showing both intelligence and patience in every situation. Tubby took pride in his work, watching over the herd with a calm focus that made our daily routines run smoothly. His instincts and steady temperament made him an indispensable member of our team. He knew what he was doing.

Tubby wouldn’t ride on vehicles. Some of our previous cattle dogs would jump up into the tractor, ride on the quad or jump into the truck… but not Tubby! He chose to run. He would always appear when we saddled up our horses to check or move cattle. Tubby’s instincts were sharp; he would move back and forth behind the herd or cut them off when they were trying to escape us. (similar moves of my horse). It was amazing to work together!

During calving season Tubby stayed away from the calving pen. Those mamas hated mostly everything that entered the pen (except us, sometimes us ha-ha). Sometimes though, when a cow wouldn’t take her calf, we would call Tubby over to the outside of the corral fence, and the minute mama saw the dog, she immediately went to the calf. Cow takes calf, dog stays safe…mission accomplished!

Tubby wasn’t friendly to everyone. Many Border Collies are like that. Their natural guarding instincts often make them reserved, or protective around strangers. Tubby’s loyalties were directed to my hubby and my son although he “tolerated” me and worked with me on several occasions. He was very wary of strangers and even some of our relatives and friends. We heard him growl on a few occasions and bare his teeth on other occasions. Of course, Border Collies are known for their barking as an alarm or alert and Tubby was no different.

Tubby had a stroke at age 14. He only lived a few days, but he wanted to be near us. He would quietly watch us, occasionally giving a grateful wag of his tail. The boys gladly took care of him and made sure he was comfortable. Tubby was always a loyal companion, and even in those last days, his gentle spirit shone through.