Look backs and TRUST

Kilt has this flying pirouette of a look back when the sheep are in the arena. If anything, I have to catch her in mid air and tell her to down and count to 10. My, how she loves to anticipate this command and just fly off without looking for her sheep. Guess she hasn't really had to look, since she learned the command in the arena. Today about 80 or more goats and sheep were out in the big field. The field has ditches and gentle rolling terrain. The flock were scattered just about everywhere. I put on my rattlesnake gaiters and told Kilt to move quickly and stay on her feet to avoid the foxtails :0)

I sent her to gather the herd and she missed some stragglers way off in the distance. I gave her a look back whistle and she half heartily looked back. Kilt was running in a ditch and the stock weren't in her line of sight. I was up on a hill, so I could see them. She then continued on bringing the stock she had gathered. I whistled her down again and she ignored my look back whistle. She was on a mission. She made me walk a mile. She had already crossed over. I got close enough to her to verbally tell her to look back and she did. By this time she was out of the ditch. She noticed the stragglers and went about picking them up. Ahhh...this opens up a whole new training exercise. She doesn't trust me enough to give her a flank and go on a blind run. Interesting.

We spent a few minutes splitting the large flock and moving one group away from the other. I'd give a look back whistle and let her get the other group while in the line of sight. We only did this a few times. The ground is oh so hard on their feet (love Calif. desert foxtails, cactus and sticks and rocks) plus I don't want to drill this exercise.

But, I think I'm on top of it now. We will on occasion put the flock out there and drive a group away from her line of sight. I need to build up her trust in me to guide her to her stock.

P.S. Do NOT think that photo above is from So. Cal. That is from the Pacific Northwest. My dogs think they have died and gone to heaven to be able to run in grass like that!

Two by two...sheep that is...

I'm always looking for new exercises for my stockdogs. I have a local ranch (10 acres) 15 min. away where I work my dogs a good deal of the time. Lucky for me there are lots of pens, arenas, and a field. And, of course, lots of stock, sheep and goats. About the only time I use an arena for my experienced dogs is while working on penning. For the rest of our work, I try to use open spaces. I don't mind working around RV's, haystacks, trailers, etc. All make good learning experiences.

This week I have been shedding/sorting two sheep at a time into a field. One sheep is usually pretty berserk by itself, but I have found that two sheep work great keeping my dogs on their toes! The two sheep aren't sure why they have been chosen to be separated from their flock, so it puts lots of pressure on the dog. Also, on occasion, at least one of the two will challenge the dog trying to protect itself from being isolated from the flock. But, with two you usually don't get an idiot sheep running full speed into a fence. That's not to say they don't run. But, the dog learns to flank wider to catch the lead sheep's eye.

This morning I would sort two sheep into the field and work both Jet and Kilt. (Yoko still has stitches from being spayed...due to come out Friday). Sad Yoko...no sheep for her for awhile. It is so interesting to watch how each dog maneuvers the two sheep. Just when I think Jet doesn't have the balls to stand up and move them, he surprises me and does a much better job of it than Kilt. This morning he did a grand job of holding his ground and walking nose to nose with a confronting ewe. Kilt always holds her ground, but sometimes the ground shakes and moves when she leaps into their faces.

Great exercises, fun for the dogs, new for the sheep, and good for me to observe as their handler.

Those were the good old days!

Wow.....Here's a clip from an old newsletter. I had Aussies way before they were recognized with AKC. Piper was a grandson of Jay Sisler's John. I owned his sire and dam. I bred, owned, and handled him. And, look folks....lots of work, no bouncing or barking...all business. Sigh. Unfortunately, my last two Aussies are buried on our property. But, I still have a very special place in my heart for them.

Mac and Betsy pictured on the back porch (my last two Aussies)