We are located about 15 km west of Hope, BC in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. Our scenic facilities offer a variety of amenities including a creek for the dogs and handlers to cool down in after their work out.
Downriver offers a 60′ round pen complete with several holding pens attached to it. This allows for easily changing groups of sheep and can provide your dog with invaluable experience working in tight areas which helps your dogs:
- build confidence,
- learn how to do pen work and
- learn self control.
We also have three arenas:
- 100′ x 200′ Trial arena complete with take and exhaust pens, and several holding pens.
- 110′ x 230′ Trail arena accessible through the round pen, allowing for a variety of exercises for both handler and dog.
- An arena built to the legal duck arena size for ASCA and CKC trials. It is approximately 100′ x 100′, but the fencing is designed to hold sheep and ducks.
All fences are page wire for safety. There are three large fields that can be used for ranch and field work as you train to herd livestock.
In 2019 Downriver added an indoor training arena. Big Red is 80’ x 40’ and has been a useful addition to Downriver and sits right next to the herding arenas.
During trials & training, our stock handler & the stock can be out of the weather.
Our Livestock
There are usually sheep available all year long. The sheep are accustomed to being worked by dogs. There are many different breeds of sheep to allow for different stages of your stock dog training: some are very heavy and dog broke for beginners, some are lighter for the more advanced dogs, and some are in between the two levels.
On a much more limited basis, Downriver may have cattle and/or ducks available for lessons or practice (by appointment only) for your stock dog training.
If you would like more information about our facilities, stock dog training services, clinics, or “All Breed” dog training videos and DVDs please contact us.
