Harford's Apprentice

STAGE 4
By now the young dog knows and should be responding correctly to the
Stop/Take Time, Stay, Walk On, Come Bye and Away Commands – and the
Recall. While continuing to test that the dog is consistent on these basic tasks,
now is also the time to teach it a few new skills including the following.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
THE OUTRUN & LIFT over increasing distance
FETCH the sheep towards me in a straight line over increasing distance
DRIVE the sheep away from me in a straight line
SHED a few sheep off a flock with some urgency
LOOK BACK and fetch sheep that are left behind
While you teach these skills, talk quietly to the dog – don’t be tempted to shout. In fact, try
to use as few voice commands as possible during these new training sessions, as they may
only create confusion and encourage the dog to look back at you – a fault as far as I’m
concerned because I am training it to keep its eyes on the sheep. My approach is to show
and explain to the dog what is required by creating the right situations with the sheep and
by my own actions. Better to quietly make sure it knows what is required of it and allow the
dog to practice new ways to control the sheep so that later, when you do need to give
commands, it knows what you are asking it to do and has no need to look back at you.
Outrun & Lift at increasing distance
At these early stages of Outrun training, I would begin by asking the dog to stay at the point
at which I would normally stand, then walk backwards towards the sheep while watching
the dog to make sure it doesn’t get up. Once I am a few yards from the sheep I quietly give
the dog the Away or Come-Bye command to go out around the sheep in a wide arc.
18