Australian Sheep Dogs: Training & Handling
Working Dog Training Animal Husbandry Australian Agriculture Livestock Management Dog Sports & Activities Rural Life & Farming Practical Reference Guides Vintage Out-of-Print
Rod Cavanagh’s 1990 hardcover “Australian Sheep Dogs: Training & Handling” is the vintage bible that working-dog owners hunt for on-line. Written by one of Australia’s most respected stockmen, this scarce first-edition guide distils decades of paddock experience into a single, photo-rich volume that shows exactly how to select, start, discipline and finish a dog that can confidently move sheep in open country or tight yards. Unlike modern reprints, this 1990 Rod Cavanagh original keeps the authentic terminology, metric measurements and station-level tips that later editions edited out, making it the reference serious graziers still quote in forums and working-dog clubs today.
Collectors value the book for its 160 pages of crystal-clear action photography—every sequence shot on working properties so you see real dogs casting, balancing and backing sheep under real conditions. The dust-jacketed hardback format is built for the ute dashboard or shearing-shed shelf; the stitched binding on this copy remains tight and square, while the pages are free of notes, dog-ears or underlining, offering an exceptionally clean reading surface despite light foxing to the front endpapers only. No ex-library stamps, no inscriptions—just an honest, unrestored 1990 copy ready to slip into a working-dog library.
For trainers, the step-by-step program moves from puppy basics through advanced yard work, covering whistles, body position, sheep psychology and emergency commands that can save a dog’s life in a yard crush. Hobby farmers, agility competitors and city dog owners also gain transferable skills in motivation, timing and reward that improve any breed’s focus and reliability. Because the title is long out of print and rarely surfaces in collectible condition, securing this illustrated first edition now means owning both a practical training manual and a piece of Australian pastoral history that continues to appreciate in value.
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