Best In Show – Herding Setters
Anyone who knows me well, knows I am a dog person; or really an animal person, since I love our cats, used to own a horse, a hamster, and parakeets at different points in my life. My family has almost always had a dog, and we have had a variety of breeds and sizes. We went from an Afghan Hound to a Shih Tzu, and from a Boxer to a Coton De Tulear. Personally, I found an opportunity to help foster dogs for a rescue while I was going to school and working in Milwaukee right after high school graduation.
RosieThis is where I got my first rescue, Rosie. She was a mix that may have had some German shepherd, Lab, retriever, or who knows what else; but the amazing thing is, it never mattered. Rosie was an amazing dog with a wonderful temperament and knew exactly how to make me feel better. She made the move up to central Wisconsin with me and helped me welcome my daughter into the world.
My next rescue was a pure bred Great Dane named Hurley. I wasn’t looking for a pure bred or a Great Dane, but I knew I preferred having a bigger dog. So I talked with a friend who helped with a rescue, and they matched us with Hurley. People are not kidding when they say once you have a Dane, you are a Dane person for life. They have a kind, gentle nature and the sweetest quirks. He was with my daughter through some important years, from ages 2-6, where she truly blossomed into an animal lover.
HurleyUnfortunately, during the State Volleyball Tournament this past November, Hurley became very ill and passed away while I was at the Resch Center. We grieved, but I knew I needed to get another dog because I know how important it is to share your life with a rescue. As the club season was slowing down, I found myself really missing having a trusty companion at my side. I took my daughter, now 7, to the Humane Society, and together we started volunteering there.
I was then in touch with the rescue that brought Hurley into our lives, and they matched us with a 5 month old lab mix, Bailey, that was coming from Texas. She arrived in early May, along with 84 other dogs, of which only a handful were over 1 year old. The owner of the rescue said every dog on the transport was set to be euthanized in Texas because of the extreme over population after devastating storms such as Ike and Katrina. As soon as I saw Bailey, I recognized the fear in her eyes. While she was jumping and pulling at her lead, the moment we put our hands on her, she surrendered to us as alphas by rolling onto her back. I first thought she may just be afraid, but she seemed to encourage our contact with her.
BaileyI’m not sure if she just quickly knew we meant safety, but she had no objections to riding home in my lap. Now after almost 3 weeks, she is settling in and is a true 6 month old puppy, which means she has A LOT of energy, chews on anything she can get a hold of, as well as learning a lot about boundaries, manners, and obedience. We are finding a better rhythm, but it has been an ongoing, challenging process. With the help of multiple walks per day, puppy playdates, doggy daycare, and a lot of patience with training, we are getting there. Now I apologize for the long introduction, but after not having written any articles for a month, I feel the need to explain and reintroduce myself so to speak. I thought a fun way to do this would be to merge my puppy brain and my volleyball brain by putting together a series called “Best In Show”, which demonstrates how the different breed groups can correlate to different player positions and the attributes we typically look for in those roles.
Herding Group – Setters
The American Kennel Club describes this group as having an instinctual ability to control the movement of other animals. These breeds were developed to gather, move, and protect livestock but have also been found doing this with their human families as well. The most common police dogs come from the Herding Group.
These breeds are found to be very intelligent and work extremely well with their handlers. Setters are very comparable in that they are typically working closely with their coaches and executing plans that involve strategically directing team members on specific routes to run. The most accomplished setters you will find are also very driven and intelligent.
Brooke Bolwerk Brooke Bolwerk 5'6" | S Appleton North | 2021 State WI – 2021 – Committed To MSU Mankato – Australian Cattle Dog
Bolwerk is a smaller setter at 5’6, so she is similar to the Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), being compact and strong. She is also resilient and intelligent, making her difficult to beat. Bolwerk is not only strong like the ACD, but agile, alert, and is driven to work hard and love it!
Brooke Mosher Brooke Mosher 5'11" | S Waterloo | 2021 State WI – 2021 – Committed To Illinois – Belgian Sheepdog
Mosher is highly trained, intelligent, and versatile. She has the capability to be nothing short of legendary, much like the Belgian Sheepdog. Mosher comes from a family stock built for hard work with both older sisters currently playing for Marquette. Much like her comparable breed, she always gives 100 percent.
Darragh Dixon Darragh Dixon 5'10" | S Waukesha West | 2019 State WI – 2019 – Committed To LIU Brooklyn – Border Collie
Dixon is much like the Border Collie in that she is also a workaholic. She is naturally athletic and agile, making her versatile to play other sports. The Border Collie is known for having a famous intense gaze, also known as a “herding eye”, and Dixon also has a laser focus that doesn’t quit until the job is done.
Kayce Litzau Kayce Litzau 6'0" | S Greendale | 2019 State WI – 2019 – Committed To Wichita State – Belgian Malinois
Litzau moves with confidence and is smart and versatile, much like the Belgian Malinois. They have a strong but elegant build, enjoy working hard, and take a great deal of pride in their work.
Kaley Blake Kaley Blake 5'8" | S Burlington | 2020 State WI – 2020 – Committed To UW-Milwaukee – German Shepherd
The German Shephard is known to be agile, confident, courageous, highly intelligent and steady in it’s work. Blake takes the floor with a free and easy vibe but turns up the intensity quickly. Like the German Shephard, Blake risks her body for her team and plays hard for her team and coaching staff.
Sydney Lewellin Sydney Lewellin S Lake Mills | 2022 State WI – 2022 – Capital 16 Adidas – Bouvier des Flandres
The Bouviers are not just muscular, but they are versatile, have huge hearts, and are highly intelligent. Lewellin also exhibits these Bouvier traits, along with being mentally strong and operating with a solid work ethic.
Tayler Alden Tayler Alden 6'0" | S Oconomowoc | 2020 State WI – 2020 – Committed To Northern Iowa – Australian Shepherd
Now I’m not sure if Alden is all about the cowboy life like the Aussie, but there is no denying her intense focus and irresistible urge to herd… errrrr… drive her team towards a goal. She has a high volleyball IQ, and while running a 5-1, she can be quite deceptive and capable of tricking the opposing team’s defense.