Name: Jock
Position: The Grunt/Rock Star
Meet Jock, a handsome four-year-old black and tan kelpie. He was bred by Mark’s nephew, James Gubbins, out of his brilliant bitch, Mollie.
Full of energy, Jock’s exuberance has not always taken him in the right direction. Physically he’s a big strong dog and can work all day long. Sometimes a bit head-strong, there have been many “blues” over the years between Mark and Jock, but on the whole he is a good worker and certainly plays an important role in the canine team. Mark once referred to Jock as a bit of a klutz – a canine nerd perhaps – but one that was slow to develop into a useful dog, as opposed to half useful. Praise indeed!
His attitude, however, says “rock star”! He seems to be very comfortable when the camera appears, taking centre stage in an article in The Age (July 3rd, 2015) with Max and Mark. Jock is soon to star in a TV advertisement for Ancare Drench, something the other Coolana dogs will never hear the end of! Maybe this is the start of a new part-time career for young Jock?
Naughty is also a term associated with Jock’s exuberance. The odd chook has been known to go missing, much to Anna’s annoyance. There have been other misdemeanours but nothing too serious. His good looks and charisma have always won Anna over in the end.
A highlight of Jock’s life – the “rock star” or maybe “extreme sportsman” coming out in him – is when he is going round a mob of cattle at his usual rate of 300% and occasionally latches onto a tail on the way past a recalcitrant beast. The problem is that he usually forgets to let go and ends up flat on his back, much to his embarrassment and everyone else’s amusement. Unfortunately, this has (so far) not been caught on camera – it’s only a matter of time!
Despite taking a few wrong paths in life, Jock is a valuable member of the “Coolana canines” and does an awful lot of useful work. Mark describes Jock, like his breeder, as a really good bloke!