The more dogs the merrier

By Sophie Baldwin

Dec 19, 2024

There is always a bit going on at the Robertson household with a dairy farm to run and four kids to organise.

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The four-legged friends on the Yarroweyah farm are much loved pets, but they also have a key role to play in making the job of milking cows that little bit easier.

Beck and Stewart said they would be lost without their working dogs’ help, especially when it comes to getting the cows up and working with stock.

The couple believe a good working dog saves them the need to employ any additional staff and overall, just makes the job of dairying that little bit easier.

And while the dogs are essentially working dogs, they are still enjoyed by the couple’s children Lukas, Dakota, Isla and Peyton.

Beck Robertson and daughters Isla, Dakota and Peyton with three of their four dogs: George, Mila and Bella. Photos: Sophie Baldwin Photo by Sophie Baldwin

Have you always had working dogs?

Beck: Stewart and I have had working dogs ever since we moved to northern Victoria. When I first started in the dairy industry I was a bit hesitant to get a dog. Initially I thought they were a bit rough on the cows but once I saw a good working dog, I was soon convinced and realised they can make the job so much easier.

You have got a range of dogs and ages here. What is the theory behind this?

Our theory is to have a well-trained dog and then the next generation learns from them. When Stew and I got Ted, we got him trained and we also went to a few dog training days to learn ourselves as well. Ted has been a great dog but he is getting old and deaf and we needed a new dog to help with the work.

Ted has a bit of time to enjoy the sun now he is retired from working life. Isla is keeping an eye on him. Photo by Sophie Baldwin

So that’s where Mila comes in?

Yes, Mila is our current working dog. She was trained by me but learnt a lot from Ted, which did take a while but was certainly worth it.

Mila is very loyal and she has a beautiful wide cast. If the cows are across the road she will get them up and follow them all the way home, even if I am not there. I can get a mob of heifers in on my own with her and she just makes everything easier.

Mila is an elegant dog and lays one foot on top of the other like a queen when she is resting. She loves to sit at the end of the pit during milking and cools off under the sprinklers when it is hot.

George the puppy might be earmarked to be the next worker on the Robertson dairy farm but Dakota (left) and Peyton can still have a bit of fun with him. Photo by Sophie Baldwin

So tell me about George?

George is a pup out of our other dog, Penelope. She had a couple of pups — one was a sports model (George) and the other was a super cute, super fluffy pup which I knew we could easily find a home for. George is a busy pup and I think he will make a good working dog in the future, hopefully he will learn from Mila and be just as good as her.

How did you end up with a Jack Russell among this mix?

When our daughter Isla was little she didn’t like big dogs so we got her Bella when she was four years old. Bella is the tractor dog and she jumps in there any chance she can get.