Muster Dogs

Muster Dogs

Company type	Television series
Industry	Television production
Founded	January 23, 2022 (2022-01-23)
Founder	Michael Boughen
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Documentary and reality television series

Muster Dogs is an Australian documentary and reality television series centered on animals, developed by Michael Boughen for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Season 1

The inaugural season, produced by Ambience Entertainment in collaboration with Essential Media, debuted on ABC TV and ABC iview on 23 January 2022. Although originally slated for a 2021 release following its announcement in late 2020, the premiere was postponed.

This season documents the training journey of five Australian Kelpie puppies as they prepare to become muster dogs on farms across Australia, guided by seasoned trainers Neil and Helen McDonald. The series garnered favorable responses from both critics and viewers.

The competition concluded with "Annie," handled by Queensland grazier Frank Finger, emerging as the winner.

Season 2 and future installments

Building on the first season’s popularity, a second installment featuring Border Collie puppies premiered on 14 January 2024. The winner of this season was "Buddy," trained by Zoe Miller from the Northern Territory.

In March 2024, Muster Dogs received confirmation for a third season comprising six episodes scheduled for release in 2025. This upcoming season will showcase both kelpies and border collies. Dog training auditions commenced in July 2024.

By October 2024, ABC announced alongside the third season a four-part special titled Muster Dogs: Where Are They Now, narrated by Lisa Millar and set to premiere on 1 December 2024. This special revisits five former participants—both human and canine—including winners from the first two seasons.

Two companion books have been released: Muster Dogs authored by Aticia Grey (November 2021) and Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros, written by series narrator Lisa Millar (January 2024).

Lisa Millar has remarked on the series’ unexpected acclaim, calling it a standout highlight in her career.

Season 1

Grazier	Hometown	Dog	Outcome
Frank Finger	Clermont	Annie	Winner
Aticia Grey	Western Australia	Gossip	Eliminated
Rob Tuncks	Victoria	Lucifer
Joni Hall	Northern Territory	Chet
Catherine Scotney		Spice

Season 2

Grazier	Hometown	Dog	Outcome
Zoe Miller	Northern Territory	Buddy	Winner
Cilla	Gympie	Ash	Eliminated
Lily	Wilcannia	Snow
Russ	Tasmania	Molly
Steve	Winton	Indi

Critical reception

Graeme Blundell from The Australian described Muster Dogs as "charming television," showcasing engaging farming families across various Australian regions training kelpie puppies on their land. Melinda Houston of The Sydney Morning Herald emphasized the program’s dual narrative focusing on the year-long dog training competition and providing insight into breeders, trainers, and farmers. David Knox of TV Tonight remarked on the complexity of training pups from one litter when they are separated among different owners. Margaret Lyons of The New York Times characterized the show as an uplifting unscripted series centered around five kelpie puppies and their rancher handlers, highlighting the developmental journey rather than just the contest results.

Awards

In 2022, the editing team of Muster Dogs, comprising John Unwin, Orly Danon, Fiona Strain, and Brendan Cain, received a nomination for the AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television at the 12th AACTA Awards. However, the accolade was ultimately awarded to Nicholas Holmes for his work on Mystery Road: Origin. Additionally, the series earned a nomination for Best Factual Entertainment Program but was surpassed by Old People's Home for Teenagers.

At the 2023 Screen Producers Australia Awards, Muster Dogs secured the title of Documentary Series Production of the Year.

|- !scope="row"|2025 |TV Week Logies |Best Structured Reality Program | | |

Season 2

Note: Beginning 28 January 2024, OzTAM adjusted its ratings methodology from Total Reach to National Reach reporting. Under this system, Muster Dogs attained a national viewership of 1,110,000.