 EWE HERD IT FROM THE MAVERICK (SINCE 1992) Joe Kapelos 6311 288th Street S. Roy, WA 98580 |
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I've been around dogs and stock since I was born to a tenant farmer in Hospers, Iowa. One of seven kids, we had to help out on different types of farms our family lived on. Most of my childhood was spent on dairy, hog, beef, chicken, corn, and soybean farms. We all had many chores from feeding, milking, and weeding to just about anything that had to be done. My family always had dogs. Some were just pets but some helped out on the farm. I was only a little squirt but I remember a Rough Collie that would bring in the dairy cows daily for milking. I always had a dog that would go with me on my big adventures fishing or just exploring the nearby woods. I had a German Shepherd that accompanied me where ever I went. From age 14 to 18, I worked as a veterinary assistant. Beside all the normal jobs that it entailed such as cleaning kennels, bathing, holding dogs and cats for the vet and treating animals, I also got to assist in surgeries. I learned a lot about dogs caring for them at the vet clinic. Some didn't want to cooperate at being held for shots or exams. I got so good at holding dogs and cats that the vet would usually insist on using me to hold animals for him even though others could have helped him. At a young age I learned to read dogs or get bit. This time of my life is where I developed my handling skills for dogs that is with me today. After high school, I went into the Air Force where I became a Sentry Dog Instructor. I attended handler and instructor courses in Weisbaden, Germany and was stationed in Adonna, Turkey for 2 years. Sentry dogs were kept isolated back in the 60's. Sentry dogs were always kept muzzled and away from the public due to the lack of control of the dogs at this time. This all changed when I took charge of the kennels. The dogs learned better obedience and most importantly learned an out command to quit biting. It was common practice back then to choke a dog off with their collars to get them to quit attacking. I couldn't have this. I took it upon myself to get all handlers to teach an out command. This not only looked more professional, but it was more humane to the dogs. Now that I had the whole kennel under better control, I had the idea to put on demonstrations on the Air Base. I collected scrap materials from planes and other things I found around the base to make an obstacle course. I had tire jumps, platforms, and A frames. For the first time, the Air Base got to see the twenty-five sentry dogs in public, without muzzles, and doing team obedience. We also did obstacle courses, such as jumping through tires and climbing platforms. We were doing agility thirty-five years ago, before there was a word for it. We put on many demonstrations after this because the audiences loved it. The especially loved the post mascot, Barney the Bear. Yes, that's right, a bear, a Russian Silverback. It's comparable to our American Grizzly Bear. Upon arriving in Turkey, I bought a little bear cub from a band of Gypsies. They had dancing bears for street entertainment at that time in Turkey. This bear cub already had a ring in its nose (that is how they controlled the bears) and only weighed ten pounds. For the next two and a half years I raised this cub like a dog. Barney wore a diaper and stayed in my barracks room until he got so big and destructive that I kept him in the dog kennel. Barney did all the obedience exercises that the dogs did and the obstacle courses. Barney was also invited to schools where the kids fed him marshmallows. As the time approached for me to be discharged and leave Turkey, I tried to get Barney to go with me. This wasn't possible. So I spent the last few months acclimating Barney to the wild. I removed his nose ring, camped out with him, and showed him how to look for insects, plants, and to fish. I'd leave him for a day, then several and finally a month. When I went back to look for him, I saw him eating a fish. I can only hope that he made it and lived a long life. The hardest part about leaving him in the woods was having to scare him away if he wanted to follow me. My only other alternative was to give him back to the Gypsies to spend his life as a dancing bear. I thought that was a cruel life for Barney so I took my chances with teaching him to be free. My experiences with Barney expanded my knowledge of handling and training dogs. I had to read Barney's body language just like training dogs and it enriched me. Barney D. Bear, as much as he wanted to rejoin his friends of the 421st FIS at McConnell AFB, Kan., has settled down and is taking to his sentry dog training like a bear to honey. Although not as agile as other sentries at the kennel, Barney makes his way through the hurdles very well despite a slight paunch. Perhaps a little more 5BX would shape him up.  BARNEY BEAR HOSTS CHRISTMAS PARTYBarney D. Bear is in the news again! This time, because he and other members of Det. 114 hosted a combination Christmas and New Year's party for the children of the Turkish military personnel assigned to Incirllk AB. Held December 30, the children first saw a sentry dog demonstration at the canine kennels. Barney performed also. This was his first public appearance since he started training as a sentry dog. Following this, the children were taken to the Air Police auditorium in back of Security Control where they were treated to an hour of Turkish and American cartoons. Refreshments were served to the young visitors. After my time in the service I worked at a couple of different jobs until I became a mail carrier, which has lasted twenty-four years. As a mail carrier for that length of time, I have never been bitten on the job. In fact, I give a dog safety program periodically, using a dog to show what to do in case of an attack. Do bites have dropped drastically after mail carriers attended my program.  Ever since my time after the service, some thirty-five years, I've worked on weekends with problem dogs. Dogs that are fear biters or aggressive. For the past twenty years, I've specialized in training herding dogs. I raised Australian Cattle Dogs for fifteen years and owned and trained many other breeds such as Border Collies, Aussies, German Shepherds and Pulik. I helped start the AKC Herding Program ten years ago and was on the first couple of Advisory Committees as an AKC Herding judge.
My partner, Linda Leeman, and I own and operate a herding school, EWE-TOPIA, which has become the largest school in the country if you are counting students. We're open over forty hours a week and have a wide variety of clientele. From farmers to city folks, and from trial competitors to the family with a pet, they are all welcome. EWE-TOPIA offers something for everyone. It's a family atmosphere with a real love for dogs and some serious training mixed in.  EWE-TOPIA has been featured in many local papers and the Seattle P.I. Times several times, on local and national television, and DOG WORLD magazine. Discovery channel has contacted us about a future show with EWE-TOPIA featured. We shall see.Regardless of all that, my goal is to teach people to have a good relationship with their dog. That is why I still help people with problem dogs. Many have gone on to do herding here and have done quite well. If you don't have a good relationship with your dog, it will eventually show up in herding. It's all connected; the dogs don't lie to me. Owners can be in denial or see things differently than what the dog is telling me. It all goes back to body language. You can use the skill to make a Herding Champion (which EWE-TOPIA has many of) or help the family pet better able to fit in society. Reading dogs comes easy to me. The hard part is teaching it to the owners. I still enjoy the challenge of it. Patience The Herd Dog by Joe Kapelos  PATIENCE THE HERD DOG by Joe Kapelos, is a picture and storybook that can be enjoyed by all ages. Joe is breaking ground after many inquiries about such a book. DOG LOVERS: Now there is a book to express your love of dogs and will educate to the practicality of a working dog. Your family and friends, children and adults that are still young at heart will love this book. Share the joy of seeing a working Sheltie with an easy to read story and many colorful 8 x 10 photographs. The book is both entertaining and informative. |
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