Cowboys and Dog Tales

David W. Leonard is the project historian (Northern Alberta) in the
Historic Sites and Archives Service, Alberta Community Development. He
is also the author of Delayed Frontier: The Peace River Country to 1909
and the co-author of The Lure of the Peace R

Cowboys and Dog Tales is a nostalgic and sometimes humorous look at that
indispensable feature of cattle herding, the cowboy’s dog. The author
has been a cowboy since leaving high school in 1977. He worked on
several ranching operations in Alberta and British Columbia before
setting up a cattle consulting business in Picture Butte, Alberta, with
his wife and son. O’Byrne had developed a deep attachment to the dogs
who have helped him over the years, be they collies, kelpies, heelers,
or interbreeds. The loyalty and proficiency of these dogs is such that
they have become a central feature in the routine of many cowboys.
O’Byrne’s conversational stories are based on his own experiences in
the cattle business. Devotees of the Western Canadian cowboy will
appreciate the fresh perspective he brings to this subculture.