Imagine giving up something you love for years because a terrible accident leaves you a different person.

Central Queensland cattleman and border collie breeder Denis Hanrahan knows exactly what that is like after struggling with health issues and depression following a serious horse riding accident 11 years ago.

One of his greatest loves was his border collie dogs, bred to work his own cattle and use in schools to train other people and their dogs.

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He had been doing that for 30 years when a day of mustering left him a very different man and stopped him wanting to work with dogs.

You might say Mr Hanrahan lost his passion for life.

"A mare threw me pretty harshly and I ended up with five bleeds to the brain, brain stem damage and I did my pelvis as well," he said.

"I went back to being a two-year-old child actually.

"The amazing thing going back now was, when I came out of hospital after three weeks I did not know my dogs and they did not want to know me.

"It amazed me that my persona had changed so much [that] my dogs did not want to know me."

Lady is one of the dogs that Mr Hanrahan is currently working. ( ABC Rural: Lara Webster )

Mr Hanrahan described himself as "a bit of plasticine" for the next seven years.

Then his wife found something to lift his health and his spirits and as a result, his love for his collies was reignited.

Finding his way back

However, getting back into the breed was no easy feat and Mr Hanrahan had to do a lot of research to get back up to speed with the world of working dogs.

"In those 11 years I was not following the dog game, the breeding, or the trialling side of things and I lost contact with the breed in between when I got hurt and now," he said.

"I have been so fortunate to get back to the breeds I knew through a friend and get the old breed that I had back … that has been a big plus."

This puppy represents Denis Hanrahan's future, one he has only recently begun to see again. ( ABC Rural: Lara Webster )

The past three years have been a slow progression but Mr Hanrahan has finally been able to rebuild his genetics, restart his teaching schools, and sell the pups he has been breeding.

He said to finally reignite his love of working dogs has brought him and his family much happiness.

"It means a lot to me ... I just like to be able to show people the value of dogs," he said.

Mr Hanrahan is now looking towards the future with much more hope, and plenty of pups to train.

Life long love

While Mr Hanrahan may have taken some time away from his four-legged mates, his love for them grew from an early age.

"When I was a 10-year-old kid I had a blue heeler that used to go dive into the water and pick up rocks for me and bring them out," he reflected.

"I have been in the collie side of things for just over 30 years now and I got into them because we had a mountain property [and] I found I could work with the dogs and get the cattle that way."

Denis and Rosslyn Hanrahan are enjoying the dogs more than ever. ( ABC Rural: Lara Webster )

The cattleman has spent those three decades working to develop a particular line of traits in his border collies.

These include bites, steadiness, quietness, presence, and intelligence.

"I liken a dog to a toolbox," he said.

"You have many tools in that toolbox and when you want [a particular tool] you can bring that out.

"They are a part of our culture, to educate our cattle and get them to the meatworks with quiet, calm control; what I have been looking for all the time."