Cattle Dogs and Dingoes Around the House

In the 1970s when keeping a dingo was illegal, the yellow dogs running around Berenice’s yard were simply referred to as “just dogs” or “Kelpie crosses”.

Berenice was always amused watching visitors approaching. Visitors always checked, heads swivelling, for the Cattle Dogs. After making sure there were no Cattle Dogs loose, they would confidently enter the yard where the Dingoes would happily escort them to the house.

One very hot day summer day, she was vigorously vacuuming wearing only a minimum of underwear, when there was a knock on the nearby screen door.  She nearly fainted.  Embarrassed, the postie was standing there.  “I have a registered parcel for you and as there were no blue dogs about I came in.  These yellow dogs are so friendly”.  It would have been her turn to faint if Berenice had informed her those yellow dogs were Dingoes.

***

Berenice loved having two or three dogs around the house.  However, she was were never able to keep Cattle Dogs as house dogs once they reached maturity - someone always got bitten (heeled) - not badly admittedly, but a frightening experience for any visitor.  

By contrast, she ran Dingoes as house dogs for over twenty five years without a single incident.  They were, of course, selective.  

Although Snowdrift was reared at Healesville Sanctuary and constantly handled by the public, he became very protective of Berenice and her home.  

Showing signs he could take matters into his own paws in the future if she was not present to officiate, he reluctantly became a resident of an enclosure adjoining the house where he did a fine job of letting her know when a stranger arrived.  

He was the one male who could be aggressive to people, particularly in the breeding season, and one who would tolerate only a limited number of people.  Once trust is broken he was unforgiving. He remained very much Berenice’s ‘baby’ and recognised her as his ‘alpha’. His eyes were always full of love for her and always wants to curl up on her lap as he did as a pup. 

 

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The Dingo Lady and the Photographer

Snowy and Sunny. Photo by Fritz Prenzel. (Berenice Walters Collection)

It was January 1979; the last participants of Sydney's Australia Day Procession were returning to the marshalling area. As they passed the tens of thousands of spectators lining the streets, a group of 15 Dingoes had received a rousing welcome with the enthusiastic singing of ‘Come On Aussie, Come On, Come On; Come on Aussie Come On'.

During the march, Berenice was conscious of a bearded photographer popping up at the most unexpected and regular places to record the group’s progress.

As they dispersed, he happily greeted all the Dingoes and their handlers, incredulous that the beautiful, well behaved golden dogs were members of Australia’s 'dreaded’ Dingo breed, wild dog of Australia.

Their exuberant admirer was Fritz Prenzel, wildlife photographer and author.

After Fritz and his family visited Merigal a strong friendship developed between the Prenzels and Berenice.

His enthusiasm and active support grew to such an extent that he and wife, Heidi became regular, and welcome visitors to Merigal where they shared a special relationship with the aristocratic and aloof Napoleon, the exquisitely gentle and shy Snowgoose, and the exuberant and playful Coalby and Cambo.

 Cambo and Coalby. Photo by Fritz Prenzel. (Berenice Walters Collection)

Fritz took many photos of the Merigal dingoes gifting over 100 for Berenice to use wherever she wanted. These photos are now a valuable part of the Berenice Walters Photo Collection. The photo of Sunny and Snowdrift became well known and featured on the cover of Berenice’s third book, The Company of Dingoes: Two decades with our native dog

In 1981 an article about dingoes by Fritz appeared in Tierschutz Magazine, an animal welfare publication. The article, about the plight of the dingo included a short piece on the cruel attempts to exterminate them. Photos accompanying the article featured Merigal dingoes Napoleon, and Cambo and Coalby.

Red Tape and Dingo Breeding – Whisty and Snowgoose

Berenice and Snowgoose

It started in 1982.

Snowgoose was a perfect Alpine Dingo, true to type with an excellent temperament. To safeguard against the loss of Snowy's line Berenice sought a mate for her of the same variety. 

Jack Throp, Director of Taronga Park Zoo, suggested Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria had a suitable male.

The first thing she needed was approval from the NSW Minister for Agriculture. This was granted on 8th March 1982.

In 1984 she wrote to Healesville Sanctuary, the Minister of Agriculture, Victoria, and the Minister of Conservation, Forests and Lands, Victoria.

Graeme George of Healesville welcomed the proposal for Snowgoose to travel to Healesville for mating with Alpine dingo Whisty and expressed interested in acquiring one of Snowgoose’s pups.

However, very little runs smoothly when it comes to bureaucracy and Dingoes. The reply from the Victorian Minister for Conservation, Forests and Lands of 5th June 1984 stated that the Vermin and Noxious Weeds Destruction Board recommended permission not be given because it was against the philosophy of the Board to encourage proliferation of vermin animals.

Never one to have bureaucrats or politicians hinder her endeavours, on 10th July 1984 Berenice replied politely acknowledging the letter but firmly stating: It would appear from your reply that you are totally unaware of the aims and objectives of this Society which has been actively fighting against the proliferation of the Dingo as a Native animal in the domestic environment, since its inception in 1976.

She went on to explain the aims of the society and its stand against exploitation of the dingo.   She pointed out breeding of dingoes by the society was controlled and pups bred for purposes of education and research only, to maintain purity of the breed and its variations also stressing the request was to mate one of the finest examples of alpine bitches in captivity.

It was two months before she finally received a reply. In this letter Mr Mackenzie said since her original letter, Victoria had developed a set of regulations to control keeping dingoes in domestic situations and recognising the place of legitimate breeding programs.

He had reviewed his original decision and agreed to her proposal.

As Dingoes only breed once a year with mating occurring in autumn it would not be until the following year the proposed mating could take place. By 1985, at 10 years old, the beautiful Snowy may have been past breeding.

Snowy needed to spend some weeks at Healesville for the mating. Berenice, her husband Bern, and another society member undertook the then 20 hour return trip to inspect the conditions where she would be kept.

She was thrilled to discover Snowy and Whisty were to be kennelled in the spacious Quarantine Section.  After a tour and meeting with representatives of the sanctuary she had no qualms in agreeing to Snowy's proposed stay.

Local bushfires caused even more delays. Finally, in March 1985, accompanied by a society member, Berenice again made the long trip to personally deliver Snowy and help her to settle in.

They arrived later than expected and Berenice was concerned they may have to wait until morning. She need not have worried. The devoted staff of Healesville, who would be handling and caring for Snowy, had stayed back to meet her, assist with her settling in and introduce her to Whisty. Berenice was very thankful and most impressed.

Snowy and Whisty were immediately attracted to each other.

Berenice kept in contact with Healesville on a weekly basis, but it was not until 8th April that the news Whisty and Snowgoose had mated came through.

All being well, Snowy was due to whelp between 10th and 17th August.

On Tuesday 13th August society vet, Jim Della-Vedova, examined Snowy and noted what could have been one pup, still carried very high.

Saturday morning came and still no sign of a birth until about 12.30 pm when she finally went into labour. It was a difficult birth, but Berenice helped, and Snowgoose finally gave birth to one female pup.

In just nine days ‘puppy’ and her Mum were doing very well and had taken over the kitchen.

"Snobird" returned to Healesville Sanctuary, on loan, with the aim of forming the basis of a project to conserve this magnificent and fast diminishing variety of Dingo in captivity before it became extinct.

It took over three years for Berenice’s suggested mating for Snowgoose and both Merigal and Healesville used this line from Snobird with their own existing bloodlines so both institutions would benefit.

The Australian Native Dog Conservation Society went on to be highly respected as a source of Dingo pups for zoos and sanctuaries and developed several breeding partnerships.

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Livestock Guardian Dogs at Work

From left: Prof Ray Coppinger, Berenice, Christine, Prof Erich Klinghammer and Prof Gerry Fowler

During her Wolfathon in 1987, with her daughter Christine, Berenice met and travelled with Ray Coppinger. Ray and his wife, Lorna, had become well-known in the USA for introducing livestock guardian dogs.


During their four days stay they were excited to be invited to accompany Ray to farms when collecting pups or advising on problems arising with the dogs. One deer farm where a puppy was delivered had stock killed regularly for months, and despite calling in all the experts in predator control, the killing went on.

When the owner explained his problem to Ray, he said 'no problem', and loaned the farmer one of his females. The killing immediately stopped. It was Ray's opinion the killing was being done by a Coyote female with pups.

At first, they had heard a lot of barking at night, but there were no losses. So impressed were the owners they invested in a pup reared under the watchful eye of Ray and continued to keep the deer herd free from attacks by predators. Just another satisfied customer in the ever growing tide of supporters of the belief stock losses can be cut by methods of protecting stock through exclusion of predators as opposed to extermination of predators whose rights to survival had been totally ignored.