Walk-Up Champ

Taking a few days off to actually work my dogs.  Yea.  65-70 degree days and I am trailering to the desert.  I normally work at Task Farms, but most of their sheep are having lambs and are a bit sour for a young dog.  My 5 sheep are Purrfect.  I have one wether (California red cross), 2 pure Dorper ewes, and 2 Dorper ewe crosses.  The 2 pure Dorpers don't have any stamina because they are so FAT.  They need work.  But, they help slow the pace out in the desert.  They are just wonderful for Champ.  They stay on their hay for outruns and they have a nice flow to them.  So while I can, I'll get as much work as I can get in trailering out to the desert.  He can go over to Task Farms for a little shedding and penning when I have the time.  I haven't had much time, that's for sure.

I signed up for a Patrick Shannahan clinic with Champ up north.  I have never worked with Patrick in person, so I am really looking forward to it.  He used to write me letters to help me with Jet.  Thankfully, Jet was the perfect first working dog :0)  I attended a few clinics way in the past and had disappointing experiences, both with BIG names.  Once with Jet and once watching a pro work with someone else's dog.  It wasn't good.  I thoroughly enjoyed working with Scott Glen, so maybe I know a little more now.  I'm a bit wiser, I hope.  I am not blindsided by talent or am I a wishy washy person who would allow someone to treat my dog or someone else's poorly.  That's my nature.

But, I'm a good listener and watcher.  Most of my training I have done by myself.  Champ was my first exception having Suzy work with him for a few months.  Lucky for me Champ is a lovely mannered dog other than his big eyes for the girl dogs.  He travels as nicely as our Lab did.  You never even know he is with you.  He is a very amiable dog.  He's a bit tense going to the post and on his stock, but hopefully he will work through that with age.  He stops better than his mother has ever stopped.  He really tries to please.  I have entered him in a couple of winter trials in March just to get an idea as to where we are at as a team and to show me the holes we need to work on.

I'm trying to get in as much work as I can with my dogs now, because when I move, I'll probably be lucky to work him once a week without having my own stock :0(  But, right now, our houses (our lives) are taking a front seat to sheepdog trials.  I just have to be patient and play things by ear.  I need to see where things fall.  Plus, I signed up for a Faansie Basson clinic the third week in May up in WA. with Champ.  I am really looking forward to that.

Wayne is keeping my Avalanche down here with his Dodge diesel.  Boy, am I going to miss my Chevy truck :0(   I'm also going to miss Kilt who will be coming back home to stay with Wayne.  I will have my small RV for outings with the dogs up there.  I am driving it up in May.  Lots of changes in the making.  I just need to let it flow.  It's going to be pretty lonely up there with just my 4 dogs.  I can do it.  I know I can.  :0)

"When we face impermanence wisely, we have an opportunity to cultivate a more constructive way of relating to that reality.  If we do so, we can actually learn to feel at ease in the face of unexpected change, and work comfortably with whatever new situations might occur."   Ohmmmmmmm