Scottish Dogs from Irish Breeders- Who and Why I got Jax

Every summer growing up the farm would host stock dog clinics. It was by far my favorite part of the summer to have Mac MacGregor show up with a big truck and a trailer of working dogs. A long time friend of my grandparents, they would sit on the porch and catch up about dogs, trials, and the current litter of pups and whether we wanted one or two. I'd sit with them, eating donuts and listening to Mac's heavy Northern Ireland brogue entranced and charmed by the whole experience. Back in the those days I'd have the opportunity to work with my father's dog, Josie, who had a lot of working panache (and was also a wonderful house pet).

Summer clinic at the Farm

Mac is known up and down the east coast for his high drive dogs and ability to train just about any dog.  His dogs are sold worldwide. Rumor had it that he was getting out of the breeding business a few years back and I had been told to get a puppy before it was too late. My family has always had MacGregor dogs and since the days of sitting on the porch as a kid, I've wanted a Mac pup.

As I've mentioned before, my dog comes from some powerful parents. Rob, the mostly black male in the video is his father. Kate, the other black and white border collie is his mother. In the video, Mac works with four dogs at once, with his "Rob dog" as he calls him taking the lead at moving the indignant cows. In the biz, going in with the teeth is called "gripping". It's a tool that my dog uses, often at the wrong time, but with the right training it can be used to move sticky stock. I love watching this video, it gives me goose bumps. And makes me excited to see the potential I have in my dog. 

This is the current potential, still a bit fresh. We have a ways to go, Jax is strong like his father, Rob, but yet to get a handle on what to do when things get a little squirly. This video was taken a few months ago, when using his teeth was part of the fun and going after one ewe is pretty exciting. My trainer likes to call it "getting in a mess", when the situation becomes so tense things get a little explosive. And one poor sheep gets gripped.