Melodie's Ty

Melodie and Ty pictured winning HIT from the started class

Ty is a rescue Border Collie. He is a good natured, super fast agility dog. He inherited a ton of stock sense. Mel doesn't get to work him too often on stock. :0(  I don't think she takes him out on sheep but maybe a dozen times a year. Ty never forgets a thing. He loves to work. He reminds me of a dressage horse on sheep. Intense, but supple and relaxed. I love to watch him.

Ty is getting ready for Intermediate on the A course.  The weather was so nice on Sunday I talked Melodie into working dogs with me.  Ty needs to learn a few new things for the intermediate course.  Intermediate is ALWAYS a huge jump from the started class.in AKC.  In started you can fetch the WHOLE course. In intermediate, the dog has to be able to take inside flanks, drive, and hold sheep in a 3 sided pen. 

Ty put the sheep in the 3 sided pen and is now flanking around the outside to take them out.  Ty caught on quickly.  Melodie can't leave this position for the rest of the course.  He could go in the pen, but we want the sheep as quiet as possible.

  Here Ty is going to the back of the pen slinking under the pen fence to pick up his sheep.  The sheep already got the message.  They are heading out.

Now, the handler must flank the dog far enough around the sheep without the sheep going back into the pen to put them on the rail in order to get them in good position for the cross drive.

Ty flanking out perfectly just catching the lead sheep's eye.  The sheep are heading to the fence line in perfect position.  Melodie must now stay at the pen while Ty drives the sheep half way down the arena and cross drives them through panels to the other side of the arena.

Next week we will have to work on the cross drive.  There is an AKC trial coming up in Oct.  I will be entering Yoko in advanced B course (field)  to get in some shedding practice.   I try to trial when ever I get the chance (any venue)  :0)