This Sunday, February 23rd, at 7:30 pm on ABC, Muster Dogs: Collies and Kelpies sees the eight-month-old pups facing a crucial assessment as they transition from playful puppies to working dogs. The competition between Team Collie and Team Kelpie is intensifying.
Here’s the Lowdown: The eight-month assessment is here, and the pressure is on. While the dogs look mature, they still need constant training. The differences between Kelpies (strong instincts, but struggle with commands) and Collies (eager to follow instructions, but less natural at herding) are becoming clear. Handlers are facing various challenges, from drought (Blythe and Banksi) and ineffective training methods (Renee and Pockets) to time constraints (Jack and Pesto). Marlene is confident in Hudson, Kim is juggling many responsibilities while training Banjo, and student Nathan is finding a balance between school and training Chief.
What This Means Now: The assessment results are in, and they’re surprising. While all the pups have improved, challenges still exist. This means there are some questions over some of the dogs.
The Bigger Picture: With only four months remaining until a Champion Muster Dog is chosen, the competition is extremely close, with no obvious leader. The contrasting strengths and weaknesses of the Collies and Kelpies make it impossible to predict which breed will ultimately prevail.
