Superdog Pattie claims another working title

By just shifting his weight, moving a leg or issuing a few hand commands, Northern Rivers beef grazier Robert Johnston is able to put his Border Collie Shady Acres Pattie exactly where she needs to be.

Together they have won the Australian Working Cattle Dog Trial twice.

The 2014 event was held at Red Range on the Northern Tablelands in March.

Pattie, bred and owned by Mr Johnston, was also the Australian point score champion last year.

Oozing with good breeding and natural ability around cattle she may be, but Pattie is also a little bit cheeky.

Mr Johnston’s wife Narrelle jokes she is nothing but spoilt and for all her wonderful cattle training, hasn’t been trained not to chase the cat.

Mr Johnston, considered one of the country’s most experienced cattle dog men, agrees it is her “middle-of-the-road” temperament that sets her above other dogs.

“Her mum was a very soft bitch, her father very hard, and we came up middle of the road on temperament and natural ability with Pattie,” he said.

Recognising her potential early and wanting to nurture it, Mr Johnston left Pattie until she was a little older than usual before training iso he did not put pressure on her.

Breeding and training working cattle dogs can be frustrating, he said, but when a dog like Pattie comes through it is worth the while.

Mr Johnston competes with a strong team of four bitches and two dogs.

This season they’ve travelled from Central Queensland to Newcastle and west to Gunnedah every second weekend to compete.

He started with red Kelpies but switched to Border Collies eight years ago.

“The Kelpie wants the job done by morning tea; the Border Collie is more a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race type,” he said.