Dean McAuley’s Joe

Joe is one of the top sheepdogs in the British Isles. In addition to being and outstanding herding dog, Joe is an exceptional day-to-day working sheepdog; a forward-moving, smooth, strong and agile dog with great control over all types of sheep across the unforgiving landscapes of Ireland.

Young dogs bred by Joe (avail. in supplemental videos) are already showing very well, owners describing the pups as ‘in another class‘. He is producing natural matings of 7-9 pups and AI matings of 5+/- pups.

Joe is clear of all genetic diseases linked to border collies tracked on the comprehensive Orivet DNA breed panel.

These include:

• Adult Onset Deafness Border Collie (Linkage Association Test)
• Cobalamin Malabsorption: Cubilin Deficiency (Border Collie Type) [IGS]
• Collie Eye Anomaly/Choroidal Hypoplasia
• Degenerative Myelopathy
• Goniodysgenesis and Glaucoma (Border Collie)
• Ivermectin Sensitivity MDR1 (Multi Drug Resistance)
• Myotonia Hereditaria (Cattle Dog Type)
• Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 5 (Border Collie Type)
• Primary Lens Luxation
• Raine Syndrome Dental Hypomineralisation (Border Collie)
• Sensory Neuropathy (Border Collie Type)
• Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (Border Collie Type)
• von Willebrand’s Disease Type II

At just 4 years-old last fall** Joe was:
• Two-time singles member of the Irish National Team (2021, 2022)
• Two-time Irish Brace Champion (2021, 2022)
• Two-time International Supreme Finalist (2021, 2022), third highest qualifying score 2022
• Supreme Nursery Champion in 2020
• Irish National Nursery #3 at just 1 year old (2019)
• Qualified for World Championships to be held next year in Ireland

**even missing a year of open competition [2020] due to COVID suspensions

*****

Semen is $1500 per breeding dose, including shipping rom the Zoetis Storage Center, Kansas City, to any local clinic / freeze center. Approx. cost of AI breeding is $800-$1500, including testing.

****

Personal Note:

My young litter from McAuley’s Joe has just blown – me – away!

Joe combined with a sharp female of mine, produced probably the most exciting pups I have bred: Confident, even-tempered, smart, muscular, fully engaged. Not a weak one in the bunch. Simply amazing.

This is what a 14 week old pup from my litter out of Joe looks like…

*****

Professional trainer, author and working border collie owner on her Joe pup:

I’ve sent Dean many texts saying that she is the smartest, easiest, most excellent puppy I’ve raised in years. Bc of my work I’ve raised thousands of puppies and dogs in my home. I know she has amazing genetics.

Here’s what I texted Dean today, “I have to take my camera with me. [She] has such balance already. Moves beautifully, holds well. Incredibly responsive for her age. Shows a level of maturity I haven’t seen in years.”

*****

VIDEOS OF JOE :

Joe working with Dean [Video Link].

Some things to note in the video:

• Joe maintains good pace, pushing with restraint. He has a sense of the sheep, there is no friction between Joe and the sheep. They are under control and they don’t mind. The sheep move willingly and straight, not fearful or nervous.
• Joe does not need to be flanked about to move sheep. Dean can let him go. He is responsive, but he is using his brain, instinct and training.
• Joe stays on his feet with a characteristic smoothness that feels right to the sheep. That calm makes him particularly effective at shedding and penning.

Dean has said that Joe is in his own class, different even from his other dogs. With a dog like Joe, Dean says he is more confident going into rugged, unforgiving terrain or heading into competition with unknown sheep, the same confidence Dean got from Joe’s grandsire, ‘Old Joe’.

Joe can pull himself out of a hole when things (like sheep) don’t break right. He relies on a combination of natural smarts and confidence and real world practice. Dean doesn’t need to fight with with Joe to handle a bad break, Joe comes with ideas and they work it out together . That doesn’t ensure Joe is always going to win, but it is like having a better piece of sporting kit: it ups Dean’s game.

Working ewes and lambs requires a combination of restraint and push and intense teamwork between Joe and Dean.

• Joe is in control, punching and counterpunching as he works his way forward (with poise and confidence)
• He gives the ewes a chance to comply pushing forward or delivering a catch, using only just enough force/push to get the job done.
• While listening for direction from Dean, Joe is processing the ewes’ every move working with the skills/perceptions of a great sheepdog.

What define Joe are:

• Brains
• Push
• Temperament

These were characteristics of ‘Old Joe’, Joe’s grandsire, passed down young Joe. They are what Dean looks for in Joe’s offspring. 1-1/2 year-old Dan out of Joe, has many of the same characteristics of his winning sire: good outrun, push, sense of sheep. Dan is now winning nursery competitions for Dean against more experienced dogs, demonstrating the power of breeding.

Video links to Joe in the two most recent International Competitions:

1. 2021 Qualifier [Link]
2. 2022 Qualifier [Link]
3. 2022 International Supreme Finals [Link]

Joe’s Novice Supreme winning run [Link]

Additional videos available upon request.