The Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival is just around the corner, and we’re excited to introduce one of the event’s standout guests: Jack, a passionate working dog trainer and Season 3 contestant on Muster Dogs. Their journey with the fiery red Kelpie, Pesto, captured the hearts of viewers nationwide, and now they’re bringing their expertise and a whole lot of energy to the Festival.
We caught up with Jack to learn more about their journey, life with Pesto, and what attendees can expect at Melbourne’s big event.
For those who might be new to Muster Dogs, can you tell us a little about the show and your role in it?
Muster Dogs is a family-friendly reality TV show that places a litter of working-line puppies with handlers all around Australia. They film the journey from puppy to working muster dog over 12 months and pit each contestant against each other in a fun competition.
I was lucky enough to be a contestant on Season 3 of Muster Dogs — Kelpies and Collies. I received a beautiful little red Kelpie I named “Pesto” (all my dogs are named after food). She turned out to be quite a handful! Very challenging for me, but very funny for the audience.
What inspired you to take part in the series?
I have been involved in working with and training stock dogs for a long time. I absolutely loved the way Muster Dogs was able to show rural Australia in Season 1, so I applied for Season 2! Unfortunately, I didn’t get onto Season 2 but was lucky enough to be called up for Season 3.
What was it like to train Pesto to be a working dog in just 12 months and have that journey filmed and shared with the nation?
During the 12 months, it was hard to imagine that we were going to be on national television. Usually, it takes me around 2 years to get a dog up and running to be at a usable standard, so it really put the pressure on us!
It was a fine line trying to keep up with the demands of the assessments while being aware of Pesto’s sensitivities and soft temperament. Despite what it seems like on the show, the filming crew were only there four times during the year for a few days, so there wasn’t too much pressure on that front. The problem was, they always wanted to come at the busiest time of the farming year. I remember they came during shearing, and my eyes were falling out of my head. Pesto and I still did our best though!
What’s life been like since the show aired — have things changed for you on the land or in the public eye?
Not too much has changed for us. We have been lucky enough to be asked to a few events (such as the Dog Lovers Festival!). We have been recognised down the street, which has been a bit bizarre for a few country bumpkins like us. No autographs yet, though. Fingers crossed, the Dog Lovers show is the place — I’ve been carrying around a permanent marker since the show aired.
Working Dogs & Training
Can you tell us more about Pesto — what makes them so special?
Pesto is a beautiful dog. She’s my first red Kelpie and is a very, very, very talented stock dog. As people would
have seen on Muster Dogs, she was easily excited and even did a wee on me when I first met her (yep, on national television). Ever since then, we have bonded really strongly and pick up on each other’s vibe pretty quickly. We’ve done a lot of stockwork together since Muster Dogs, and she has been a big sweetheart at the places we’ve visited. Her talent is in mustering big mobs. She loves to sit out on the wing and has an almost supernatural grip on her stock. She complements the rest of my pack very well!
What are some of the key qualities you look for in a great working dog?
When it comes to picking a great working dog, they just have to show some interest in stock — I can build plenty of skills from there. Obviously, the more interested they are (like Pesto), the easier it is to train them and make fast progress. My order of priority is:
- Health/Phenotype/Genetics
- Desire to work
- Friendliness/Temperament
How important is the bond/bluetooth connection between trainer and dog in working dog training?
Sometimes the bond/Bluetooth connection can take a long time to develop. I don’t necessarily place as much importance as some handlers, such as Neil (evident in my first assessment). I find it can be a chicken-and-egg situation. Sometimes you have a strong bond before you get into the work/training, and with other dogs (like Pesto), you build a beautiful bond and connection from doing the big jobs together and getting through the other side!
What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about working dogs?
There are many different philosophies around stock dogs out there. None are right or wrong, as long as they work. Some old-school techniques work, and other more scientific-based approaches work too. The thing I hate to hear the most is: “You shouldn’t/can’t do that with a stock dog” before they have even tried.
Another thing that’s funny to me is people saying working dogs shouldn’t be pets. As with any breed, every stock dog has a different temperament and interest in stock. There are plenty of animals out there that were bred to herd but would live a much more fulfilled life living in an apartment with a family. There are, however, thousands of talented stock dogs living in apartments. The key is trying to educate pet owners/dog buyers as best you can to help make the right choice for both the family and the individual dog.
Dog Lovers Festival Appearance
You’re presenting at the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival — what can fans expect from your appearance?
Pesto and I are seriously excited to be a part of the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival. We want to meet as many Muster Dogs fans as possible. We will try and wrangle a few sheep into the venue for a demo, but we aren’t making any promises! We want to tell the story of our Muster Dogs journey. Most importantly, we want to meet the people who have their own version of Pesto that are tearing their hair out. We want to give them a pat on the back and tell them that it will all be okay!
Will you be doing any live demos or sharing training tips at the event?
If we can’t get stock into the venue, we will be using some pictures and diagrams to try and demonstrate how we went about completing our assessments for Muster Dogs. We will open the floor for both Muster Dogs and dog training questions, so make sure you think of something to ask!
What are you most excited about being part of the Festival?
We are so excited to catch up with our Muster Dogs family, as well as make plenty of new friends, both two- and four-legged, at the festival.
Have you attended the Dog Lovers Festival before — and if so, what do you love about it?
Every year, I see photos of the DLF and say to myself, “I should go next year.” Finally, Pesto and I will be able to say we’ve been to the Dog Lovers Festival.
Community, Advocacy & Inspiration
What’s the message you hope to share with dog lovers attending your talk?
The main thing I hope for people to take away from our presentation is to “Train the dog in front of you” and not compare your dog and its progress to anybody else’s!
How important is it to educate city-based dog owners about the working roots of some popular breeds?
Educating city-based dog owners about the working roots of popular breeds is really important, especially from a behavioural issue standpoint. When people describe issues they are having with their working breed living as a pet, we can usually pinpoint a lack of fulfilment and find creative ways to get around that.
What advice would you give to young people interested in working with dogs, especially in rural or regional settings?
I am always so excited when I hear of anyone starting their dog training journey. I will help anyone who is willing to have a go, just as people helped me when I was first starting out. The best thing I can suggest, especially for getting into the stockdog side of things, is that genetics plays an enormous role in how successful or easy things will be for you. Do plenty of research, have a muck around with other people’s dogs, find a style that suits you, find out its bloodlines, and go from there. Confidence is everything, so make sure you always encourage a young dog (yes, even if it isn’t doing what you want).
What’s something people might not know about you or your dogs?
Despite what I answered in the previous question, I have only paid for one dog, which was my first dog Lola. Everything else has been given to me (for a slab) as a failed worker, or I bred. I now have 14 dogs — the Fully Licensed, P-Platers, and the Learners.
What’s your proudest moment as a dog trainer?
There have been a few! When Pesto aced her final assessment in Muster Dogs (way better than what was shown on TV) was a highlight. Completing my NDTF certificate was pretty special too!
I still remember one day only a few months into having my first Kelpie, Lola. We had only done stuff on the trainer mob in the small yards. I was working as a farmhand and came across a mob that had escaped and was heading for the National Park (of course, it was also late on a Friday afternoon). I couldn’t drive in to stop them because of all the trees and the creek, so, because I had nothing to lose, I cast Lola around them to see what she would do. She did a full bush muster all alone at 6 months old — brought every single sheep back to me and through the gate with no commands. That was the day I thought to myself, “Yep, this sheepdog stuff is pretty bloody awesome.”
We can’t wait to see Jack and Pesto at the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival, taking place at the Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 2025, celebrating the incredible bond between working dogs and their humans!
📍 ADVANCE™ Stage – Muster Dogs Live
🕧 12:00 pm daily
Meet working dog legends, get your questions answered, and experience the incredible passion behind these amazing dogs.
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: [Dog Lovers Festival Melbourne 2025 Tickets]
