Quigley Nordic Center Hailey

Champion sheepdog Tess, who just placed third in the world’s largest sheepdog trials, will compete Oct. 9-10 at the Trailing of the Sheep Festival, which she won last year.

Tess is sponsored by Meridian’s Dynamite Specialty Products, makers of premium raw dog food and probiotics for dogs. She won the bronze medal in the Bank of the West Soldier Hollow Classic sheepdog trials, the largest in the world, in Midvale, Utah, over Labor Day weekend. She was the only U.S. dog to place in the top three.

Tess last year ranked first in the Northwest and fourth in the nation. She is testimony to the benefits of good dog nutrition and probiotics for dogs as well as good training and instinctive drive.

“This is a huge victory,” said Callie Novak, vice president of Dynamite Specialty Products, which sponsors Tess. “Wikipedia, for example, calls Soldier Hollow ‘one of the most prestigious trials in North America.’ Britain's International Sheepdog News calls it ‘the foremost trial in the world.’” 

Tess’ handler, Lavon Calzacorta, believes that much of his dogs' success, in addition to their training, is due to his dog's food and dietary supplements. All are designed to provide both mental and physical energy for sheepdog trials, in which dogs have 24 minutes to perform a series of tasks with 16 sheep, including separating marked sheep and putting them in a small pen.

“My dogs look good, feel great and run well,” he said. “They work for 12 to 14 minutes at a time at full speed. You can tell that some competitors at sheepdog trials are exhausted when they come off the field. My dogs are still ready to go.”

Calzacorta works with his dogs at his home in Wilder, outside of Boise, more than 15 hours a week. He begins their training when they are 12 to 16 months old. Tess was bred at the Helsley Ranch in Caldwell.

Calzacorta noted that Dyna-Pro probiotics for dogs is a constant ingredient in dog nutrition for both Tess and Gus. Dyna-Pro uses a fermentation extract for the health of natural gut bacteria. It is available for dogs, horses and other species.

“Our slogan is that ‘It’s all about guts,’ and it is, both mentally and physically,” he added. “It takes guts for a dog to stare down an old, angry ewe that doesn’t want to move. And the dog’s physical guts have to be working properly. If a dog doesn’t feel good, it won’t perform well. The gut is where it all starts. Dyna-Pro gives dogs and horses an edge they can’t get with any other product.”

The Trailing of the Sheep sheepdog trials will be Oct. 9 and 10 from 7 a.m. until dusk at Quigley Canyon Fields. Spectators should turn onto Fox Acres Road from Highway 75, and follow signs. Additional information is available at www.trailingofthesheep.org.

Dynamite products are available through more than 4,000 individual distributors across the country. All dog food and other products use only natural ingredients and are made in the United States for quality control.

Dynamite’s recently developed Ultimate Dog Food is a grain-free raw dog food that does not need to be refrigerated. More information is available at www.dynamitemarketing.com or by calling 1-800-697-7434.

 Dynamite is based in Meridian, Idaho.

Jo Murray is a public relations consultant to Dynamite Marketing.

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