LAKE MILLS--Roy is the friendliest guy you'll ever meet. He loves people, he loves life, and, above all, he loves his job. And who wouldn't?

Roy has never been in debt. He's never paid a single bill. He spends most of his year on the golf course, and chases wild geese whenever he feels like it.

Up on Main Street, the local residents --- at least those who gather at the Grand Cafe each day for morning coffee --- all agree that Roy is leading nothing short of a dog's life. It's hard for anyone to argue the point. You see, Roy really is a dog -- a high-test, purebred border collie to be exact.

Roy is currently a full time employee of Winnebago county's Rice Lake Country Club. Located near the south shore of Rice Lake, the Country Club is an 18-hole, 125 acre, public golf course. Beautifully landscaped and interspersed with crystal clear ponds, it is nothing short of a golfer's paradise.

Rice Lake is also home to Iowa's largest concentration of Canada geese. During late autumn peak numbers may reach, and sometimes exceed, 45,000 birds. Attracting large numbers of sightseers and hunters, the geese have a significant and positive impact on local economies while providing widespread recreational opportunities. But when a large number of those same honkers drop by to visit the local Country Club, they are no longer viewed as an asset.

"At times, the geese have really become a problem here," says Bob Berger, course manager for the Rice Lake Country Club.

"During summer, the geese leave droppings which makes them unpopular with members and may have resulted in some loss of business. During fall and winter, goose numbers build and that's when the birds can inflict severe damage to the course."

In November of 2003, Berger reported a flock containing over 4,000 Canada geese on a single fairway. The grazing honkers took some spots right down to the dirt, and around thirty percent of two putting surfaces [greens] were completely destroyed.

"We tried things like shell crackers, but the geese were too smart and caught on," said Berger. "Then John Hunchis, who is one of our board members, saw where people in other parts of the country were using dogs to herd geese. He lives next to the course and offered to house a dog if the Country Club wanted to get one."

The board met and decided to give the idea a try. In June 2004, Roy was purchased for 3,300 dollars from Kuyendall's, a North Carolina kennel that specializes in training border collies to herd problem Canadas. The dog arrived fully trained, and even came with a warranty that promised the collie would faithfully execute his duties.

"Once Roy arrived it was mainly a matter of making him feel at home and get used to the new surroundings," said Berger. "We didn't need to teach him anything about herding, he already knew that."

"Most of the work here has been done around ponds because that's where the geese like to be. Roy has been great around water. The trainers in North Carolina said he's the best swimmer they've ever seen, and we believe it."

"Once a flock is chased into a pond, Roy jumps right in after them. The geese usually separate. Roy picks the one he wants and herds it until the bird gives up and flies off. Once that bird leaves, he picks another."

Berger is quick to point out that Roy is a herder and not a hunter. When goose families [with young goslings] walk onto the course, the collie's focus is to move rather than catch the flightless youngsters.

With one full year of professional goose herding under his belt, Roy is currently receiving rave reviews. There are no more goose droppings near the ponds, on greens, or on trendy golf shoes. Total turf damage has been reduced by an astounding 99 percent.

"I think the geese are getting the message," says Berger. "As long as Roy is on the course, the program is working. In June [2005] we only observed geese about once a week which is a dramatic decrease from what we've had in the past."

"Our members are very happy. I don't think there's any doubt this dog will pay for itself."
 

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