Working Dogs Program a Hit For Rural Communities
Published on 17 May 2024
Working dog training school sessions held earlier this month saw farmers and other dog owners come together over two days to learn, connect and build a new rural skill.
The Delatite Station hosted the sessions on 8-9 May, organised by Australian Red Cross and supported by Mansfield Shire Council.
Sixteen participants came along with their canine companions, some with working experience and some dogs who had never seen a sheep before. They were joined by several interested spectators.
Experienced trainer Gary White began with a talk on the essentials before introducing each participant and their working dog to the sheep yard in turns.
With rake in hand to guide the animals, participants got down to work with their furry partners to move and control the sheep. Dogs that were nervous at first soon got the hang of it and excitedly joined in the work.
A few sheep escaped, but luckily plenty of eager dogs were on hand to round them up.
Lunchtimes provided an opportunity to refresh, connect with other locals and share stories before returning to practise in the yards for the afternoon.
The event is one of several recently delivered by Australian Red Cross as part of Council’s Resilience Benchmarking Project. The project aims to promote greater connections in small communities, improving their mental health and resilience and creating support networks that can self-activate in times of emergency or crisis.
The working dog training school sessions were also sponsored by the Mansfield Social Inclusion Action Group, a community-led initiative that is dedicated to improving social connection, mental health and wellbeing.
Mayor Cr Steve Rabie was thrilled to see farmers and other dog owners getting involved.
“We’re so pleased to see activities like this helping to build those important connections in our community,” he said.
“Nobody knows our communities like the community members themselves, which is why we give them opportunities and support to take charge of matters that affect them.
“We’re proud to have partnered with Australian Red Cross to achieve this, and I’ve also enjoyed seeing our traditional rural skills continue through this event.
“Hopefully we can bring it back again and make it even bigger,” Cr Rabie said.