2017 March April

As part of my winter training, I was watching an older video
of my dog working, and it occurred to me that my dog is what my
friend would have called “in tune.” We were working on learning
to drive, and my dog was patient, and watching his sheep, and
reading his sheep. Watching his work from the perspective of a
couple of years, I am amazed by his work as such a young dog. It
is a shame that I didn’t understand this point back then. So much
time wasted. But, I don’t beat myself up. What I do is what my
friend said he and his fellow soldiers would have done during the
Battle of Fallujah. I understand that my dog is in tune with his
stock, and I trust his instincts and decisions.
We are both looking forward to warmer weather and the chance
to continue improving our relationship while working livestock.
We will get there.
Mystery Pup Next Generation (G2)
The dog, formally known as 2G, aka WTCH Cardinals Ashes
to Ashes, aka Ashlei, aka Ash. I’ve decided to not pursue Finals
with Ash. For the last couple of years I’ve been fighting some
mysterious lameness in his back right leg. By mysterious I mean I
can sometimes see where he is “off” but nobody else can see it. It
doesn’t happen all of the time and it never affected his working but
after working or playing ball he will come out of his crate on three
legs. It always works out and he never seems to be in pain but I
hate to see it.
I had x-rays done from his hips to his toes and the only thing
they found was that there is more muscle on the left side, cause or
effect, unknown. I also took him to a vet clinic that specializes in
rehab. They have chiropractic, acupuncture, and water therapy.
During the evaluation they could see the occasional lameness but
after an extensive exam they couldn’t find any actual cause. He did
get a chiropractic adjustment and I can see more movement in his
hips but the lameness is still there.
The part that really breaks my heart is that we were starting
to come together as a team. We just moved up to Advanced and in
one weekend he got his WTCH. He had some awesome runs, too,
a 119 in sheep.
He will continue working stock; he will now become the pen
dog. We have a trial this next weekend where he will be behind the
scenes setting sheep.
****
Question #1 for Mystery Trainers:
How do you crisp up the “there”? How do you get a young
dog to react to the “there” command consistently and quickly once
they know it, i.e.: not over-running the command?
Answer from Mystery Trainer #1:
Teaching “there” is a process. My first step in herding is the
dog going around 180 degrees to balance, then stop and do nothing.
I will help this to happen by not allowing my dog to over flank or
come up short. I use a herding tool to help make it happen. Once
the dog stops without any command then I do a call off. The next
step is adding a stop or down word to the action the dog has learned,
with no words. Next I add “there” and Down or Stop again, helping
Finally, Finals!
with the herding tool to make sure they are pivoting onto the stop
and the point where I said it. I add There/Stop or Down until the
dog is stopping on their own. This gives them the feel of the turn
onto the stock and they find the balance point.
Answer from Mystery Trainer #2:
I teach it with a rope on a drive so I can make it happen exactly
like I want it to, no fuss no muss.
Question #2 for Mystery Trainers:
With a pushy dog on sheep, what are some exercises to work
on with that pushy dog?
Answer from Mystery Trainer #1:
When I start my dogs I put them around stock walking on leash
and making sure they go around. When I think they are calm I turn
the dog loose and have them go to 12 o’clock and do nothing. I
wait till they stop their feet on their own. I may block sides so the
dog can’t come forward, so doing squares right to left and not
coming in on the stock because I am on the fence with the sheep
behind me. The dog stops on their own. Then I do a call off. This
may take a bit to get them to respond. The first step I want the dog
to know is I am not moving, stop moving yourself and second,
come to me when I call you off.
Then I work at getting the dog to balance if they are pushing
too hard. I go back to the fence and stop my movement till the dog
stops moving, and then I proceed where I wanted to go. If they are
working nice we get to move the sheep but if they are being pushy
I will stop the moving of the sheep. You need lots of patience for
this.
I know during the training they can get pushy. So I will also
work in “Walk”, head straight to the sheep if the dog jumps up I
say “Down”. I continue this walk/down till they slow down when
they hear “walk”.
I also work in smaller areas to make sure that the dog
understands to be in close and calm around sheep. Further out isn’t
usually the answer. The dog is learning to be close to the stock
and realizes they will get wider on their own. I spend a lot of time
on this step so that the dog gets comfortable and calm in close, so
that they can get wider as they get older.
Reminder; sometimes the harder we try to make them slow
down they want to try harder, so keep yourself calm and patient.
Good luck.
Answer From Mystery Trainer #2:
Go to a smaller area where you can influence the dog with
your presence and pressure. In the fetch each time the dog pushes
too hard turn directly in to him (step through the stock) and push
him back off his stock each time he pushes too hard. If he comes
right back in push him farther the next time until he starts to
recognize the bubble and starts to rate. What you are doing is
defining the bubble. It is important that for each time you push him
out, you turn your back and walk off with the stock and trust him
to figure out how to work with you and the bubble on his own. If
you are still facing him you are enforcing the bubble and he will
not have a chance to learn for himself. When he learns how to
recognize the bubble, it is the first step to success. This is the first
exercise I work on with young dogs.
AUSSIE TIMES March-April 2017 77