Lerrina Collins: Fluent in the language of stockdogs

Published 3:00 am Thursday, July 6, 2023

: Lerrina Collins with her border collie, Red.

MOORE, Idaho — Training her border collies, Lerrina Collins is so fluent in the language of stockdogs she has become a nationally ranked competitor at sheep and cattle trials.

“It’s more than merely words,” said Collins, who lives at King’s View Ranch near Moore in central Idaho. “It’s position, mindset, feel, timing, and pressure to name a few components.”

She and her 3-year-old border collies, Sky and Red, were qualified to compete at the recent Mountain States Stockdog Association National Finals in Wyoming.

“The dogs love it as much as I do,” said Collins, who has been competing on the MSSA circuit since 2017. “Both dogs are ideal because they’re biddable, yet won’t back down when facing off with a cow. When a cow is being obstinate, they have the calm confidence needed to change the cow’s mind without being overly aggressive.”

Collins said stockdog trials are exploding in popularity in the cattle world as “people catch the bug and realize this is not only fun but a family friendly sport.”

She not only competes but also relies on her border collies for assistance with handling the grass-fed beef and lamb that she and her husband, Craig, raise and sell.

Several years ago, Collins became intrigued with talented stockdogs while helping a friend move his cattle in eastern Oregon.

“I was riding the legs off my horse while he rode along with a couple of his dogs excited to be doing all the work and listening eagerly for his commands,” she said. “A well-trained dog can replace two or three cowboys when you’re moving cattle.”

To learn to train, about six years ago Collins enrolled in a clinic offered by successful trainer and trial competitor Joni Tietjen of Clearmont, Wyo. Joni and her husband rely on dogs to help them at their cattle ranch.

After completing the clinic with her dog Lacy, Collins built herself a round pen at home, a little less than 30 feet across to start her young dogs. Explaining basic training techniques, she says to imagine a clock.

“The wonderful thing about border collies is they’ve been bred for centuries to bring animals to you. So if I’m standing at 6 o’clock, the dog will naturally tend to go to 12 o’clock and bring the stock to me.”

With that idea as a foundation, she can walk to various positions and teach the verbal commands.

“Come by” means the dog should move clockwise.

“Away” means counterclockwise.

“When I say ‘Stand,’ I want my dog to remain on its feet,” she says. “Some trainers want their dog to lie down, but some sheep will startle when the dog stands up.”

A Capital Press’ annual special section that highlights the contributions women make in the agricultural sector.

Read the stories of the exceptional women featured Women in Ag 2023:

Erika Ackley: ‘I like the independence of farming’

Geri Byrne: ‘I love to organize’

Lerrina Collins: Fluent in the language of stockdogs

April England: ‘It’s not just a job, it’s a life’

Suzanne Gallagher: ‘I love the work, I love the land and I love the cattle’

Denise Godfrey: A love of plants, and for the community

Mary Hood: Shattering ceilings in ag banking

Sharon Hoyt: A passion for the ranching lifestyle

Jessica Jansen: ‘I love agriculture, and I love teaching people about it’

Jean Kurtz, Ali Rodgers: Telling wine’s story in the Umpqua Valley