Belle Starr the Outlaw Herding Dog

Our Cattle Herding Dog - Belle Starr

Here is our new puppy – before and after getting run over by eight horses! This is Belle Starr the Outlaw (very appropriate name) – Belle for short. She is a tri-colored border collie and joins our other cowdogs Katie – a border collie/McNabb cross from Holders ranch, and Copper – a red border collie we picked up at the pound just before being put down. Unfortunately, they had already euthanized 8 of Copper’s pups.

Belle is quite the character – smart as a whip and totally fearless (hence run over by horses). The only thing that has ever scared her is our Momma barn cat. The cat – Spud – had new kittens and attacked Belle in the barnyard. She chased Belle and actually rolled her over several times until Doug hit Spud with a rock and rescued the pup. Belle got to chasing horses and got tromped on by eight head. She was lucky to survive with only a broken leg. Fortunately horse trainer Grant Mitchell works here and is quite good at patching up man and beast. He cast her up and she runs on 3 legs just fine. We have used Grant’s wilderness first aid training on horses, Texas Longhorns, Belle and me (dislocated shoulder and cracked scapula). It saved a 5 hour trip to town and a vet/doctor bill.

Belle Starr the Outlaw Herding Dog with Cast

We have high hopes that Belle will make a good herding dog. We herd our cattle daily as part of our conservation and sustainable ranching practices. With pastures ranging from 500 to 6,000 acres, a good dog is a valued partner. Now if she would just settle down enough to listen to training!

Wilma