MUSTER DOGS: Sundays, 7.30pm, ABC TV and ABC iview
Cilla Pershouse is a bit of superhero in my books. The Ban Ban Springs, Queensland, resident is not only a successful cattle grazier - almost single-handedly - but has three young children and, in the past 12 months, took on the challenge of training a working dog from scratch for series two of ABC TV's Muster Dogs.
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When I spoke with her, a "life-changing" 60 millimetres of rain had just fallen which, together with some recent smaller falls, had seen the pastures turn green and reduce her workload from daily feeding the stock to the cattle grazing in the paddocks.
Cilla's mum encouraged her to watch the first series.
"I was taken with how the series was told. I'm really passionate about sharing what we do on the land. They do an excellent job of showing rural Australia."
She was excited to receive her 13-week-old female pup, bred by dog trialling champion and dog educator Mick Hudson and nurtured in its infancy by specialist dog trainer Neil McDonald's wife Helen.
Cilla, along with four others, had the task of meeting Neil's training mile markers with the pups, over 12 months, to determine which would be named Champion Muster Dog.
"Mostly it was the best excuse I've ever had to put the time aside to do something I really enjoy," Cilla says.
She had to get some help with the kids a few days a week as her husband is incredibly busy working off farm in the forestry industry.
"Getting the help gave me this beautiful opportunity to spend one-on-one time with [puppy] Ash. My husband was very supportive. It's tricky, but it's a good dynamic.
"I've trained border collies before, but I've never trained one with the whole world watching and never using Neil McDonald's techniques. The [training] foundation is similar, but having the milestones [for the dog to achieve] really keeps you on track. Often the most brilliant and talented dogs are the trickiest to harness.
"Ash has this most gorgeous bubbly, excited personality but, with such a spirited demeanour, getting her to concentrate on the task at hand was difficult... Her and I are a little too similar in that regard, so I had to focus.
She has become an incredibly strong working dog, full of confidence and strength. She always had so much left in the tank and so much heart.
The other dogs get a little jealous but the older ones give support her and she's good for them. She is super cute with the kids, too. She's an eye-catching dog and people are drawn to her.
Cilla had at first tilted her career towards performing before relocating back to her parents farm.
"I taught her [Ash] some dance moves and wrote her a little song. I also taught her to bark on cue, so she became Ash Barky after our Australian tennis champion Ash Barty.
She says she really enjoyed the whole process.
"Time restraint was the big thing. Every day I had to scrimp and save to get the 10 minutes to spend with Ash. I didn't understand the restraints I was doing it under until I met the others [trainers]. To have these incredible mentors to help you along the way with access to information and support was incredible.
"I absolutely loved the whole experience. It was so uplifting. After having my third baby, I needed to have a different focus and still have something for me. It's been the biggest skill-building experience, to hone my craft, that I could have imagined. I'm much more confident.
"I'm absolutely happy with the end result... she [Ash] is still getting better all the time."
