In short:
Muster Dogs' winner Frank Finger trains pups to become working dogs at his central Queensland property.
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Finger → train → property
He is keen to pass on his knowledge and wisdom to next generation of trainers.
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He → pass → trainers
The grazier is devoting more time to the school as he steps back from the show circuit.
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he → devote → circuit
Frank Finger is an expert at turning a pup into a world-class working dog.
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Finger → turn → dog
Australians know the central Queensland grazier as the season 1 winner of the Muster Dogs television series, taking out the top prize with kelpie Annie.
But away from the show ring, the working dog trainer is passionate about passing on the lessons and wisdom he's acquired throughout his 30-year career.
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he → know → career
"Dogs can't make themselves," he said.
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he → make → themselves
"The first 16 weeks of a pup's life is the most important time, that's where they learn the manners."
Several times a year, he opens his Clermont property to working dog trainees and their owners for weekend-long learning sessions.
"Sometimes there'll be a lot of young pups, sometimes there'll be a lot of old dogs, sometimes there'll be overeager dogs," he said.
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he → learn → dogs
Since 2021, more than 1,000 eager trainees from across Australia and overseas have attended one of the working dog sessions.
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trainees → attend → sessions
"It's very humbling, very overwhelming," Mr Finger reflected
"One girl came from Liverpool in England … around Texas [in USA], a lot of people have made contact with us."
Training the next generation
While at the helm of the school for now, Mr Finger insists on educating the next generation of trainers.
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Finger → reflect → trainers
His son Scott instructs most of the school's attendees.
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son → instruct → attendees
Like his father, he finds the job rewarding.
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job → find → father
"Even people coming you know for their fourth or fifth time to our schools and seeing … the progress they've made working their dogs on the livestock," he said.
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he → come → livestock
But it's not just about teaching the dogs, he explained.
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he → teach → dogs
"People think they come here for a pup starting school, it's more so to get themselves right too.
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themselves → think → school
"Whether it be their demeanour or … something like that, they can just … take it all on board and it'll all fall into place."
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it → take → place
Trainer Jonty Beney has been learning from Mr Finger the last four years, including the agricultural show circuit.
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Beney → learn → circuit
He said the mentorship had empowered him to be a better trainer.
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mentorship → say → him
"He [Frank] always wants people to step up and have a go and not wait to be told to do something," Mr Beney said.
"He doesn't look down at anyone, he just wants everyone to go away with a win.
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everyone → want → win
In his hometown, about four hours west of Rockhampton, the Clermont Tourism Board and Isaac Regional Council recently honoured Mr Finger's leadership in the community with a water tank mural.
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Board → honour → mural
Against the backdrop of a stunning Clermont sunset, the mural painting in the town centre depicts the revered local on his quad bike next to Annie.
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painting → depict → Annie
Mr Finger's beloved dog, who he considers to be the best he's trained, passed away last year, in the same week as his wife Cathy.
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he → consider → wife
A decade in the making, the artwork was spearheaded by Mr Finger's sister-in-law Marg Finger and her fellow members at the Clermont Tourism Committee.
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artwork → spearhead → Committee
"[It was] a no-brainer," Mrs Finger said.
"He's done a lot of work for our community and everybody's proud he's up there."
The recognition is adored by locals and visitors, according to committee chair Janine Williams.
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recognition → say → Williams
Even people that live out of town and drive in every day say that they just absolutely love driving past and still glancing up and seeing it."
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they → live → it
For Mr Finger, the mural captures what he believes to be the most important lesson when training working dogs.
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he → capture → dogs
"If you don't love dogs, it doesn't kind of work.
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it → love → dogs
You've got to like your dogs."
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You → get → dogs
The Aporia