812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 19,1989
Raising Good Shepherds At Windrush Farm
Davlin’s Dark Design CD STDds, or Jody for short, is one
of the top all-around dogs in the country in 1988 and ’B9. In
addition, he is a multiple high in-trial winner In stock dog
and obedience trials.
BY LINDA WILLIAMS
Bedford Co. Correspondent
BEDFORD VALLEY (Bedford
Co.) While still a teenager, Ann
Fleming Humbertson became
known for her expertise as a
horsewoman. She captured awards
all over the United States. -
A hip operation ended that, but
it began another career. Ann now
is known nationwide as a breeder
and trainer of Australian Shepherd
dogs.
“I had ‘Aussies’ even when I
had horses,” Ann explained. “And,
I’ve always admired the breed.”
Ann learned much of what she
knows from her grandfather, who
raised dairy and beef cattle and
sheep and used Aussies and Engl
ish Shepherds to work his
livestock.
A working dog, Aussies are
known not only for their herding
abilities, but also for their unusual
merle, or spotted, coloring and
blue eyes. The dogs come in four
colorations: black tri-color, red tri
color, red merle, and blue merle,
which has a lot of gray and black
markings. The blue eyes are found
on the merle dogs, while the iris
have amber eyes. In addition, in
the truest bloodlines, the dogs are
bom with bobbed tails.
Ann and her husband, Doug,
and two-year-old daughter, Sarah,
own eight Aussies that take up
much of their time. Nearly every
weekend is spent in competition at
contests all over America. They
attend shows regularly in Ohio,
New York, Ne’' F.igland, the East
Coast, and the Midwest.
The Humbertsons have several
national champions, and all their
dogs have conformation points
toward the championship title.
Dogs that have earned the champ
ion status arc designated with CH
before their name.
Currently at Windrush Farm are
CH Propwash Absolutely, who is
undefeated and at stud; CH Dal
vin’s Doubletake, who is at stud;
Hillside’s Remembrance, Davlin’s
Dark Design CD STDds. one of
the top all-around dogs in the
country in 1988 and ’B9 and multi
ple high in-trial winner in stock
dog and obedience trials; Kel-
Mar’s Herd’em of Colorado, at
stud; Kel-Mar’s Lisa Cain, the last
daughter by WTCH CH Wind
song’s Raisin Cain CD. one of the
highest-titled Aussie dogs ever;
Hillside’s Princess Annabelle, CD
STD; Dogpatch Sunny Kisses; and
Gemini Cookie Monster.
Careful breeding
Ann breeds her dogs with the
utmost of caution. “I generally
have orders for the puppies before
I even consider breeding,” Ann
explained. “The Aussie is a won
derful companion. However, I do
not like to sell them to anyone who
will not do all they can to better the
breed. I won’t sell them to urban
dwellers, and very few (puppies)
go to suburban homes. I mainly
want to see them placed on farms.”
Nasty as the job is, Ann culls her
puppies selecting those with just
the right markings and herding
instincts. A culled Aussie, sold as a
pet, costs $2OO, while a show
quality dog sells for between $250
and $3OO. ‘The difference,” Ann
pointed out, “is in the structure and
how they compare with the breed
standards.” An average litter has
seven to 10 puppies.
Ann is quick to stress that her
income is not made with puppies.
“Everyone should realize that you
never get into puppies for the
money. You can’t make money
with puppies. If you do, you aren’t
doing it correctly,” she stated.
Ann has several tips for farmers
wishing to buy an Aussie or other
breed of dog. “Don’t buy from
‘backyard breeders’ or pet stores.
These dogs almost always have
temperments or health problems or
genetic defects.”
When buying a working dog,
breeders should see the parents
work, make sure the parents have
had their hips x-rayed and their
eyes checked, and make sure the
dog is true to breed. Ann warned
that registration papers are no
guarantee of quality.
While there are many herding
breeds, the Aussie heads the list for
the Humbertsons. “We have tried
Border Collies, but they have too
many physical problems,” Ann
said.
The collies are notorious forget
ting hip dysplasia, according to the
couple. “Out of 12 Border Collies
we tried, nine had that affliction,”
Ann added.
Ann finds that, while a good
working Border Collie needs very
little affection, an Aussie works
harder the more attention it
receives. “We spoil all of our dogs,
and it just doesn’t hurt their abili
ties in handling animals,” she said.
Tough dogs
In addition to being healthier
than Border Collies, the Aussies
are tougher. “They have a tenden
cy to be better for cattle because
they are tougher natured,” Ann
explained. When a Border Collie
gets kicked, it gives up, whereas
the Aussie shakes it off and con
tinues on with the job.
The main purpose of the Austra
lian Shepherd is to herd. “Herding
or helping the farmer to herd sheep
or cattle was the main purpose of
the Australian Shepherd original
ly,” Ann explained. But not all
dogs have the right amount of
instinct.
“Herding instinct is a genetical
ly fragile balance of innate
instincts that are molded by train
ing,” reported Ann. “It varies in
strength, style, and concentration.
It can be developed and sustained
by proper exposure to livestock, or
entirely concealed by lack of expo
sure or mishandling.”
Both Humbertsons are certified
herding-instint testers and judges
for the American Herding Breeds
Association and the American
Kennel Clubs. Late last month
they conducted the first-ever AKC
herding-instinct test in Vander
grift.
“Herding instinct, is either pre
sent or it is not,” said Ann. “It var
ies in strength, style, and concent
ration and is not limited to a few
breeds.”
The Humbertsons have seen
strong herding instincts in German
Shepherds, spitz breeds, Rottweil
ers, and, much to Doug’s surprise,
a poodle.
Cattle and sheep dogs
Aussies generally are more
adept at herding either cattle or
sheep, but “the ultimate goal is to
have a dog who can do both,” said
Ann. A dog that is belter at work
ing with sheep has a stronger head
ing instinct, while a dog with a
heeling tendency works best with
cattle.
In addition, females arc better
workers than males, according to
Ann. “In males, their noses get in
the way sometimes. They smell a
rabbit and their concentration is
off.”
The Aussies belonging to Ann
and Doug get a lot of first-hand
training. Their farm, Windrush
Farm, has a flock of SO sheep
including Cheviots, Border
Leicestcrs, and Karakuls. Besides
being used in dog training, the
sheep are kept as market animals
and for their wool.
A flock of ducks is used to fine
tune the herding training of the
Aussies.
Several of their dogs came from
kennels where they had sat aim
lessly for months before being dis
covered by the Humbcrtsons.
‘They had excellent qualities
and are pedigreed dogs,” she com
mented. “All they needed was
training to have the best come out
in them.
Proper training necessary
While the instinct is an inborn
trait in many dogs, it must be nur
tured with the proper training. On a
weekly basis, Ann spends many
hours working with each of her
eight Aussics, readying them for
the shows ahead and for future
owners. She trains them to work
separately and in pairs.
Becoming skilled at working in
pairs is important for dogs going to
farmers with large livestock opera
tions. Additional trainii ■ in pairs
work comes when farmers call
Ann for help rounding up livestock
that has gotten loose. This
emergency work is valuable as
well for teaching dogs to work
with cattle and sheep that aren’t
“dog broke,” or used to being
herded by dogs.
“Training dogs is not hard once
you learn to communicate with
them,” said Ann. She believes that
any canine owner could learn to
border train a dog in three days.
She teaches a class in dog obedi
ence at the YMCA in Cumberland,
Md. The Humbertsons also give
demonstrations of their dogs’
capabilities at festivals and fairs.
Ann’s main goal with the Aus
sies is to do all she can to promote
the breed and have the dogs work
at their original purpose. “Our
commitment is to preserve the
more traditional moderate Aussie.
We try to consistently produce
free-moving, practical workers,
those that are sound and will hold
up under stress, and when first
introduced to stock, will head and
Ann pauses with Hillside’s Remembrance during a recent
trial show. The dog, nicknamed Megan, is well on her way to
championship status.
Jfl— jpv ly.
Kel-Mars Herd’em of Colorado. The ribbons on the wall are a
few of the awards they have won at shows. Kel-Mars, a gift
from Ann to Doug, has a pedigree that goes back 17
derations.
Jody works on rounding up a flock of shsop with Ann.
balance, eye. and fluid motion.”
In promoting the breed, Ann is
in the process of forming a club in
the Mid-Atlantic region. Anyone
interested in joing may call her at
814/356-3366.
“The Aussie is a dog that can
help any farmer who has livestock
that needs to be herded. The dogs
do not bark, they do not nip. With
proper training, they can save the
farmer a lot of leg work,” she
added.
Doug is quick to agree as he
remembers the farm on which he
was raised. “I was the herding
dog,” he recalled. Doug’s first
experience with Aussies came
when he got one to use on his farm.
In fact, he met Ann while attending
an obedience class with his Aussie.
The affection that Doug and
Ann have for their dogs is evident.
One of the Aussies acted as ring
bearer at their wedding three years
ago, and another accompanied
them on their honeymoon, which
lasted only a day, as they had to get
to a dog show the next day!