Companion Animal Council No 2017

WORKING FARM DOGS
Naomi Cogger
Chair of Working Dog Centre Board of Directors
Email: N.Cogger@massey.ac.nz

Source: Vicky O’Conner Vetlife
Acknowledgements
Massey University's Working Dog Centre
Nick Cave
Janis Bridges
Helen Sheard
Amy Jerram
Katja Isaksen
Mark Stevenson
Ahmed Fayaz
Vetlife staff in particular Helen Williamson and Lori Linney
Source: Vicky O’Conner

FARM WORKING DOG
DEMOGRAPHICS
Source: Vicky O’Conner Vetlife

Overview of surveys of farm working dog populations in New Zealand
NZ Trial Dogs Vet Study Farm study Parasite Study
Population sampled Members of the New Zealand
Sheep Dog Trial Association
Dogs presenting to 30
veterinary practices
Dogs on farms at time of visit
or on the farm in previous 12
months
Dogs at NI Championship &
convenience sampled of
others close to veterinary
practise
Random Sampling All members on database No Yes No
Number of farms 542 Not reported 118 Not reported
Number of dog owners 542 Not reported 180 56
Number of dogs 2,861 2,198 1,117 202
Number of vet visits N/A 2,372 N/A N/A

months
practise
Number of dog owners 542 Not reported 180 56
Number of dogs 2,861 2,198 1,117 202
Jerram (2013). “Demographics and management of dogs used to herd livestock in New Zealand.” Master Thesis, Massey University.
Sheard (2014). “Demographics and Health of New Zealand Working Farm Dogs: A survey of dogs on sheep and beef farms in New Zealand
in 2009.” Research Report, Massey University.

Number of dogs in each career stage by status at the time of the visit in the farm
survey.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
No training Initial Stages Training Fully Trained Semi-retired Retired
Numberofdogs
Career stage
Alive
Dead

months
practise
Number of dog owners 542 Not reported 56
Number of dogs 2,861 2,198 1,117 202
O’Connell (2012). “An investigation of selected diseases and aspects of husbandry of working dogs on sheep farms and sheep and beef
farms in New Zealand in 2010.” Master Thesis, Massey University

• Figures on the number of dogs in
different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
NZ Trial Dogs Farm study Parasite Study
Numberofdogsperowner
Study
Demographic data from each study: a) Number of dogs per owner; b) Average Age; c)
Dog Breeds and d) Sex
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
NZ Trial Dogs Vet Study Farm study Parasite
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)

different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Study
Number of dogs per owner was highest in the NZ Trial dogs.
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)

different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Study
The age of dogs on farm (or date died or left farm) was highest in farm study
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)

different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Study
Trial dogs study had a higher proportion of Heading dogs
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)
In Farm Study the unknown category contained dogs not traditionally considered working
dogs: Jack Russell, Labrador Retriever, Miniature Schnauzer, Poodle and Staffordshire Bull
Terrier.

different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Study
The ratio of male to female was consistent across the studies
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)

different stages
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Study
Demographic data from each study: a) Number of dogs per owner; b) Average Age; c)
Type of dogs and d) Sex
a)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AverageAge
Study
b)
c)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Study
%ofdogs
Study
% Hunaway
% Heading
% Other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
%ofdogsthatweremale
Study
d)
Less than 5% of dogs were desexed

Typical Team of Working Dogs
Source: Amy Jerram

HEALTH PROBLEMS IN FARM
WORKING DOGSSource: Vicky O’Conner Vetlife

Overview of health information collect in farm working dog studies.
months
practise
Number of dogs 2,861 2,198 1,117 202
Disease Information
Collected
Yes Yes Yes Yes parasite and eyes

The vet study report 370 different
diagnoses!!!

Vet Study
Trauma
Non-trauma
Farm Study
Trauma
Non-trauma

Body system N %
Auditory 38 3%
Cardiovascular 4 <1%
Genitourinary 5 <1%
GIT 58 5%
Integument 135 12%
Metabolic 249 22%
Musculoskeletal 153 14%
Neurological 8 1%
Ocular 64 6
Reproductive 34 3%
Respiratory 39 3%
Other 51 5%
Number and percentage of dogs affected
by non-trauma related health events in the
12 months prior to the survey stratified by
body system

Number of dogs examined each round with colours showing the
round the dog was enrolled.
454
379
288
0 162
119
0
0
148
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
Round 3
Round 2
Round 1

Handy Heading Huntaway Other
10203040
Weight(kg)
Box plot of weight by breed in 475 working farm dogs enrolled in the TeamMate study.
The box extends from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with a line at the median. Whiskers
extend from the box a distance of 1.5 times the inter quartile range and the circle (○)
symbol denotes outliers or extreme values that fall outside of the range of the whiskers.

Handy Heading Huntaway Other
1234567
BCS
Box plot of body condition score by breed in 475 working farm dogs enrolled in the
TeamMate study. The box extends from the 25th to the 75th percentile, with a line at the
median. Whiskers extend from the box a distance of 1.5 times the inter quartile range
and the circle (○) symbol denotes outliers or extreme values that fall outside of the range
of the whiskers.

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
%ofdogs
Percentage of dogs with an abnormality detected in major body systems.
76% of those that we lame at the trot had
reduced range of joint motion

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
%ofdogs
Percentage of dogs with an abnormality detected in major body systems.

Prevalence of lameness, impaired joint mobility & problems with teeth increase with
age(p<0.0001).
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1 -3 4 5-7 >7
%ofdogs
Age (years)
Lame
Joint
Teeth

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Heading Huntaway
%ofdogs
Breed
Teeth
Prevalence of teeth problems is greater in Heading dogs than Huntaways (p = 0.05).

TeamMate
• Next steps
– Determine the incidence of different
adverse health events
– Identify risk factors for specific problems
– Determine the relationship between body
condition and career longevity

TeamMate
• A year in the life of a working farm dog

Questions generated
Best ways to put down unwanted litters
How do genetic deformities work
What are the signs/types of poisoning
What virus’ can affect an entire team /what are the
symptoms
How does naturopathy work
Best type of housing
What are the best foods and how do we know
what to give our dogs – how to read dog food
labels
How to deal with timid dogs
Inability to keep on weight- is this a myth – what
can be done
How to tell conjunctivitis from a weeping eye
Preventing mauling
Dealing with arthritis
How to use an electric dog collar effectively
How to avoid breaking legs off motorbikes
What types of vaccinations to use and why
Faeces and food combined
Bedding ideas and is it important
Chain burn and how to avoid
Best way to control matting of Beardies
To socialise or not to socialise a pup
How to fix/prevent a weak bark
Where does the registration money actually go
Chocolate , onions and fruit bursts
Is worming/de-fleaing/vaccination necessary
Effective/easy ways of training
Dog fights – prevention
Fixing broken legs at home
How do I stitch at home effectively
Sunburn – how to protect
Worming tablets are too large
Behavioural change in teams – how to counteract
What's better: a big or a small huntaway?
Algae/dog pee in dog water
What is positive and negative
reinforcement/punishment and how does it work?
What should a pregnant bitch and/or pups be
feed
When should I use a muzzle when working
Home made remedies
Teaching sign language
How to train complicated movements like
catching
Training stages according to psychological
levels of a dog

Companion Animal Council No 2017

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Companion Animal Council No 2017