The Australian Shepherd That Replaced Four Cowboys

About this episode

This episode features a discussion about the exceptional working abilities of an Australian Shepherd named Rooster and the importance of preserving the breed's working traits.

What does a real working Australian Shepherd look like in 2025? In this episode of The Instinctive Australian Shepherd , Jacque Tinker sits down with Shawn Raff , a Georgia cattleman running roughly 4,000 head across large blocks of ground—and relying daily on one exceptional Aussie: Rooster . Rooster isn't a "weekend ranch dog." He's the kind of partner most people only hear about: moving 700–800 head in a couple of hours, shifting dairy heifers pasture-to-pasture, working chutes and tubs, and staying steady on concrete where one wrong move can cost thousands. Shawn breaks down what makes Rooster different—his natural stock sense, his ability to adjust his pressure based on the type of cattle, and the stamina it takes to work all day because "there is no putting him back." You'll also hear about Rooster's temperament off the cattle—calm, social, and beloved by everyone on the operation—plus the moment Shawn realized Rooster wasn't just a good dog… he was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of dog. From "thinking dog" instincts to heat conditioning, from real-world usefulness to trial-ring differences, this conversation is a powerful reminder of what we're trying to preserve: the true…

People in this episode

Host: Jacqueline Tinker

Guest: Shawn Raff

Topics covered

• working dogs
• Australian Shepherd
• cattle herding
• dog training
• animal behavior

Keywords

• Australian Shepherd
• working dog
• cattleman
• dog training
• animal behavior
• Rooster
• Georgia Farm Bureau

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Georgia Farm Bureau

Places: Georgia

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