Smart: Joffa has proven himself a star performer. PICTURE: ADAM TRAFFORD
JOFFA listens to every word Trevor "TJ" Quarrell says.
"Some dogs, and they're good dogs, you have to tell them everything but Joffa just knows exactly what to do," Mr Quarrel said.
"We'll go down the lane and I can move a mob in front of him on bike, and he'll bring up another mob behind by himself.
"He's pretty smart."
The 21-year-old farmer moved out to the Rokewood sheep farm Wurrook about four years ago when he decided inside work wasn't for him.
For the past two years, Joffa has been a great companion.
He took on Joffa less than two years ago, as an 18-month-old dog.
But Joffa hasn't always been the star performer he is today.
"When I got him, he wasn't this responsive," he said.
"He would run off chasing sheep around and I couldn't get him back until he was tired.
"The boss said he would be a good working dog because of something small he saw in him."
Chasing sheep wasn't the only mistake Joffa made when he was younger.
"When he was younger he used to get beaten up by the rams a bit; he wasn't smart enough then," he said.
"They would get him up against the fence and headbut him.
"Now he can work them from outside of the fence. He will go inside if he has to, but does most of it from outside."
There is only one bad habit that Mr Quarrel hasn't conquered in Joffa.
"Sometimes if I cast him a long way out, and a rabbit goes past, he's gone," he said.
"That's his worst habit chasing rabbits. He loves chasing rabbits."
About a year ago, Mr Quarrell was worried for Joffa when they had a car crash.
"I hit three trees with my Hilux and Joffa was sitting in the front seat next to me," he said.
"My head hit the windscreen. I was okay, but fairly disorientated.
"I got out of the car pretty quickly and started calling for him because he wasn't in the front seat. I was worried he'd ran off. But his head popped up at the back window.
"Somewhere between the first and the second tree he's jumped across into the back seat and hid in behind in one of the foot holes."
Joffa is one of Mr Quarrel's six dogs, but he's the only one that gets special privileges.
If there's any extra steak he'll be the dog to get it.
"Sometimes he'll come inside, I shouldn't let him though . . ."
He says that Joffa would work for anyone because of his good nature, but always looks back to him for commands.
"He'll always follow my instructions if I tell him to get on the back of someone else's bike he will.
Joffa combines a good natured easy-going dog with a great work ethic.
"He's the best dog I've ever owned. He'll do anything I tell him.
