DogTorque

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Tony Whitehead is 90 years old, still on the block he's held since he was a child, and still letting sheep out at trials across NSW and Victoria. This one's a sit-down with a bloke who's seen more of the working dog world from the yards than most of us will ever see from the arena. Tony grew up at Urana in the NSW Riverina, was a jackaroo on Tubbo Station on the Murrumbidgee during the 1956 floods, spent four years as a ringer north of Winton in Western Queensland, and tossed a coin to decide between coming home and getting his pilot's licence in Cairns. He's carted grain, built tunnels at the Williamstown naval dockyard, owned a £35 racehorse that won 22 races, and came to sheepdog trials in his sixties because his wife reckoned he'd work himself to death on the farm otherwise. What you'll hear: Life on a Riverina station in the 1950s, with two full-time rabbiters running 30 dogs each How Tony went from helping in the yards at the Supremes to trialling his own dogs, and the dogs that got him there: Hamish, Horace and Bear The put-away dog he refused to sell, no matter the money Tony's let-out method: ropes, a white rock at 20 metres, proper side barriers, and why "prevention is better than cure" in the yards The best run he's ever seen: a small white bitch of Greg Prince's that got attacked 23 times by sick sheep and still penned Why he thinks more women in the sport has been good for stock handling Narrandera, Koroit, and what makes a well-run trial His advice to a 20-year-old: never be in a hurry, do it right, do it once

This episode we sit down with Oscar Thorpe and chat about how he got into the industry, what he loves about it and so much more.

Join us as we catch up with Gary White from Whites Kelpie Stud almost 5 years after his first DogTorque #8.

James Rayner from Stoney Creek Kelpies joins us to discuss his story.

This episode see Roland Pell tell us about his life, working dogs and so much more...

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This episode we sit with Jack & Lucy Kings from Instinct Working Kelpies.

Join us as we chat with Josh Latty from Kelbar & Kamarooka Kelpies . We discuss where he is at in life and how he got there, what he likes in dogs, genetic and so much more.

In this episode we sit down with Jacob Ryan from Jaymalar Working Kelpies and discuss everything from getting into dogs to what he is doing now.

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Ever seen the champion dog Barambogie Mack pop up in a kelpie pedigree and wondered about the story behind him? In this episode, Dan sits down with Steve Weyman to chat all about Mack, his background, impact, and why he’s left such a mark on the kelpie world.

This week on DogTorque we’re joined by Antony Mulder from Narroonda Working Dogs. We get into his journey with dogs, the way he approaches training, and what he’s learnt through trialling and working dogs day in, day out. There’s plenty in this around timing, pressure, and understanding your dog, not just telling it what to do. A really honest chat with a lot of practical takeaways for anyone working dogs.

This week on DogTorque we’re joined by Lydia Nielsen from Wylder Working Dogs. We dive into dog nutrition and how what you feed your dogs can impact their performance, recovery, mindset, and overall health. Lydia shares what she’s learned through her own dogs, what people often get wrong about feeding working dogs, and a few simple things handlers can think about when it comes to their dogs’ diet.

This week on DogTorque we’re joined by Louis Simpson from Lochiel Stockdogs. We chat about where he’s travelled, the places he’s worked, the dogs he’s learned from (and the ones that have taught him a few lessons the hard way), and how all of that has shaped the way he trains today. It’s a real conversation about backing yourself, putting in the work, and figuring things out as you go. Plenty of dogs, plenty of stories… and a few laughs along the way.

We are joined by Sharron Steer from Calare Kelpies in the Central West. As a psychologist and working dog handler, Sharron brings a really valuable perspective on the role mindset plays in both people and dogs. We chat through stress, awareness, fight-or-flight responses, and how our own state of mind can directly influence the dogs we work with. Sharron explains how these concepts show up in everyday training, handling pressure at trials, and recognising what’s actually happening beneath the surface when things don’t go to plan. A thoughtful conversation that connects the dots between human behaviour and dog behaviour with plenty to take away whether you’re training at home, trialling, or just trying to understand your dogs (and yourself) a little better.

Welcome back for 2026. Join us as we chat with Raph McIntosh from McIntosh Livestock

In this episode, we chat with Eric Tighe from Tighe’s Working Border Collies and Heal With Ease about his journey with dogs, breeding, and the balance between natural healing and performance in working dogs. A great conversation with plenty of insight into the way Eric approaches both health and training.

In this episode of DogTorque, we are joined by Chris Egan and Paul Doyle for a deep dive into training, mindset, and the overlap between stock dogs and working detection/protection dogs. Chris and Paul share their thoughts on the industry, the direction it’s heading, and the patterns they’re seeing in both working dog and stock dog circles. We also unpack how Dan’s approach to dogs has changed over the past four years, and how Laura's team has developed, what she’s learned along the way, and the opportunities that have come from those experiences. A relaxed, honest conversation with plenty of insight and ideas.

Part 2 with Mitch Perez is finally here.