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NOONBARRA PEDRO
Noonbarra Roy III X Noonbarra Megan
Owned by Donny Allen Texas U.S.A.
Red & Tan Male Born: 3rd April 2004
"I
guarantee there are no dogs over here like yours"
Pedro was
an outstanding working pup right from the start. He was bred strongly back to
the good old dogs of the Kalari bloodlines of the 1950's and was very much the
old style of Kelpie that our family had in the early days. We would have liked
to keep him ourselves but we already had seven sires in the Stud, which is far
too many.
He was sold to Texas in America to work in scrubby country.
The customer wanted a dog who could work off the stock and have a lot of natural
ability as well as being a family companion with his children.
We were very proud to send a dog of his quality over to
America. So far he is settling in well.
"The letter you wrote with the tips will go on my
wall so I can be reinforced from time to time. You drove home the part about
being fair and consistent and I will try to always remind myself. My wife
called and scheduled a trip to the vet this week for rabies shot, worms, etc.
The whole family is enjoying him. On Pedro's first
day home, my brother surprised me when he showed up to help shear some lambs.
The heat, stickers, and speargrass had really knocked our lambs back.
Pedro showed he wanted to work. Of course we were busy and I let him stay in
the house with my daughter a good bit of the time. One time I was pulling a
lamb over toward my shearing floor and Pedro made a couple of circles under the
lambs belly. My brother smiled and said "Well I guess going underneath the
sheep is bred into him." Yeah, I'm confident that in the future Pedro will be
gathering stock, strays, and remnants that others cannot.
A cowboy friend of mine came to see me and when he
saw Pedro he said " Donny. Looks like you got a catch dog(cattle)." It was
obvious that he didn't know that Pedro was a Kelpie. Kelpies are rare in my
neck of the woods. Folks claim to know them, but I don't think they do. I am
truly excited about Pedro.
Noonbarra Pedro holding some sheep together
Noonbarra Pedro shows nice distance and steadiness
Noonbarra Pedro
Showing excellent strength for a 10 week old puppy
Noonbarra Pedro was very comfortable backing sheep in the stockyards from
just 8 weeks old
July 2004
"Hello Bilsons, My oldest brother wanted to
see Pedro and I let him in with 7 billy kids. Pedro did a wonderful job. His
distance, cover, strength, and eye were all in place. My wife commented that he
appears to be a problem solver. I better step on my brakes. You, as well as my
Dad, have reminded me to let this pup mature. I bet he'll do things that folks
over here have never seen before. I suppose herders from down under see good
dogs all the time, but one doesn't see many over here, not doing real work out
on the range anyway."
Noonbarra Pedro and his brother.
Sept 2004
"Hello Bilsons. I let Pedro work with me on small
bunch 18 ewes and 14 half grown lambs. These fine wool sheep are not pets. The
flock had some run in them and Pedro held them up. He made a wide swing around
them to hold them and once the sheep stopped, he eyed them.
"The sheep then handled nicely on their way to the
corral. I was horseback because I want Pedro to get used to me being fast along
with him. The only time I put a leash on him was just as we were nearing the
corral gate so I could keep him alongside of me and I made him lie down in the
gate after the sheep went in. I let Pedro come in the drench pen with me and
the lambs. He kept them crowded for me. For a time, Pedro stood on his hind
feet with his front paws on the lambs' backs. He will down for me around the
house, but on the sheep he didn't down, so I talked to him calmly "there" when
he held a good position".
"Maybe a year from now, I may try to see if you can
find a suitable female (for Pedro). Folks around here see Pedro and they
tell about some good border collie bitch somewhere. People wanting to use him
as a stud. Yeah, they sure would...
I will get some pictures for you sometime.
Donny Allen
Letter from Donny Nov 2004
"About a month ago, Pedro learned on his own how to
jump sheep panels. Yesterday, I packed a couple of ewes behind a portable panel
and within a few minutes he learned to jump from the outside, up over the panel
and light on the ewes backs. I don't know who was happier - Pedro or me. He
went from their backs to the ground and he wanted to stay in there with them.
Those ewes are stout and to avoid any potential wreck in that small area, I put
him out and let him back them several more times. I was amused how he puts his
clown face on while backing."
"I think Pedro is going to be a very strong dog. A
mamma ewe went for him and her sharp hoof came down hard on Pedro's foreleg.
Pedro yelped and then immediately went to her nose. Today, Pedro will still lay
it on the line, but only if he has to. He did the same when a young nanny gave
him a cheap shot from behind."
"I recently gathered sheep out in the paddock and he
held them all rather well. There were babies in the herd and he kept his
distance. Some dogs like nothing better than to chase a baby far away in the
brush away from its mamma. Pedro will figure it all out in due time. We're
having fun, too."
Donny Allen
These photos were sent from Pedro's owner in
America.
