Irish hillsides and South African farms: The surprising life of a sheepdog trainer
Pictures of dogs!
I love dogs. So much. So when my producer Lily suggested we find a sheepdog trainer for the show, I said yes before she finished the sentence.
Paddy Fanning is the hero of episode two, “How to Be a Sheepdog Trainer,” and he’s one of the world’s best, having represented Ireland in the World Sheepdog Trials and winning some national Irish titles as well. If there were an Olympics for herding sheep, Paddy and his dogs would be draped in medals.
But beyond the résumé, he’s just a truly lovely guy: easy to laugh, generous with his time, and quick to give a compliment.
Who needs a sheepdog these days?
A lot of Irish people.
Paddy’s job is to teach dogs how to move sheep—up a mountain, into a trailer, or through a competition course with impossible precision. That’s a really necessary job in Ireland with there are almost as many sheep as there are people (the government conducts a census of both populations).
If you’ve ever spread Kerrygold butter on toast, or sliced off a pat with a spoon and gobbled it up like a little prince (of course you have!), or if you’ve slipped on a Aran Island sweater, somewhere along the line, a sheepdog was part of the process.
It’s actually a necessary job all over the world. Machinery has transformed agriculture, computers have made a science of raising livestock, and AI is knocking on the barn door. Yet nothing has replaced a really good stock dog. As Paddy told me, even a high-tech Canadian cattle farm with all the latest gear still moves its animals the same way it’s been done for centuries: on horseback with dogs.
Here’s what Paddy had to say.
I didn't realize that sheepdog training is a jet-set lifestyle, but that tells you something about the critical role dogs play in farming livestock. Paddy’s work has taken him all over the world:Norway, Spain, South Africa, the US, Canada, and on and on. Pretty much anywhere livestock is raised, there are dogs to help move them. And where there are dogs, there’s someone like Paddy to teach them how. Often it is Paddy.
“They make the world small,” he told me.
Hear what didn't make the show
Here’s a bit that didn’t make the final episode: Paddy talking about his day-to-day schedule.
Now, go listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Keep learning
Here’s a list of things mentioned in the show you’d otherwise have to go Googling for.
More about Paddy and his farm, Churchmount Sheepdogs
Paddy and Bruce appearing on Ireland’s Today Show
A video of Paddy’s beloved dog Bruce, doing his thing, whistles and all
A news clip about the Irish National Sheepdog Trials
Bonus: More pictures of sheepdogs!
My husband Dominic and I spent some time in Ireland earlier this year, and I wanted to do two things most of all: Climb Benbulbin (check) and watch sheepdogs work (check).
Here’s a puppy named Pepsi I met at a farm in Dingle. You can see on my jeans where a lamb peed on me (I’ve never met an animal I didn’t pick up).
I was amazed by how focused the trained-up dogs are. Below is a picture of Pepsi’s dad, a veteran herding dog named Captain. Here, Captain has his eyes on a dozen sheep about 100 yards away. I’ve never seen such concentration; this dog had absolutely no interest in us. You could have set the barn on fire and I’m sure he wouldn’t have taken his eyes off the herd … though he did reach out his paw to ask for more pets.
Pepsi’s mom Rose was more friendly, and eager to show off her puppy.
OK that’s all. Bye!
—Emily