latest posts from the BC forums http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:30:46 -0400 15 http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29081 oh no! I'd be roundin' up a posse and I'd be getting my dog back, I can tell you that!
You folks that do shelter work, is this SOP? I mean I understand if someone adopts a dog, they want to be fairly sure they're going to get to keep it, but surely there has to be some common sense in this right?]]> Little Bo Boop Little Bo Boop Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:29:28 -0400 29081 http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29079
He is coming on strong with a lot of drive and doing some really nice things, he has a good stop, a pretty solid left and right and a powerful commited drive when you give him a walkup command. I really have not pushed this pup other then holding him to a high level of obedience and self control. He's already showing alot of self control around stock and the ability to stay put while working another dog and not volunteer for work until a command is given. This pup is doing things at 10 months old that is coming hard for my 2 year olds. But, my gut feeling is that he needs to get out into a open field on a larger flock to really get the concept of gathering, controlling livestock and developing more feel. At this point we don't have any open field work available, come September/October we should have plenty as the field around us was planted in soybeans (provided they don't tear it up right away). We are also hoping to haul out next weekend down to Southern Iowa.

I have been using him almost daily to load and unload the calves into the pens for their daily milk feedings (morning and night), he is taking his flanks and stops, putting pressure on when I need and learning to control his bite, both nose and heel, he is already beginning to exhibit good judgement as to when he needs to bite, though without guidence he would be a heeling fiend. When clearing pens he's giving to the pressure on his flanks when he goes into the pens (6 foot deep x 3 foot wide, little jersey calves) and not showing any resistence when asked to get around between the calf and pen, but also not being unfair to the calf and easily keeping everything calm and quiet and I am being sure to have him drive the calves on past me taking a little time to flank him over left or right to drive the calf to another location before calling him off and clearing the next pens. He's really a fast learner, if you can clearly show him what you want and get your corrects timed right it only takes about 2 tries and he's got it. He's showing me that he can handle things easily that took me ages to get Jake to handle and is actually easier to handle then Jake in pressure situations, it's kinda sad why you find yourself wanting to go to the pup for some of the chore work. Jake sometimes get's overreactive in pressure situations and will not stay at the heel on his own, tending to slide forward and create a stop.

Here is my question, would you put him up totally until we have open field work or would you continue to do small lot work and use him like I am, but not set him up for the short distance work in the confined areas, where I see he is having difficulty? My biggest area is about 100' x 150'. I have another area that is about 100 yards long but it is only 50 foot wide. It just seems as though he's not getting a chance to see the bigger picture and I can't seem to get enough distance on my drives to really test his ability to rate. In the larger areas he is collapsing or quiting on his flanks and wanting to continuely create a drive line, often times we don't have enough room to get out and around to get a proper flank without having to make an adjustment and deal with a fence. But, he also will take the space when it's available if he is committed to flanking, and example is in our narrow area, it opens up to the big area to the right, on a Away to Me he will go down the fence to the right and then kick out when he gets to the corner.

I hope I'm making sense, this is the best dog I've ever worked with and am finding myself questioning as to where I need to go with him. I'd love to be able to send him out for 90 days to someone that can give him the right type of work environment but it's just not in the finances at this time, and I'm also thinking it would be better served sending him south this winter/early spring when we are down with the snow, ice and mud.

Thanks in advance.

Deb

]]> Debbie Meier Debbie Meier Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:28:46 -0400 29079 http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29078
Cress: I can say down in any situation and she drops and won't move. I can say down while she is running for a toy and she will drop (while giving me a dirty look) and wait till I release. I normally will put the dogs on a stay and either trow a toy and no one moves. I can release just one for a toy while the other stay. I can take off running and they will stay. But on the start line she will creep ever so slightly but she still moves form the spot I left her. Agility IS work for Cress and she takes it very seriously. I am wondering if when I move out(lead out from teh start) it taking pressure off and she move accordingly to a better spot. (While I can't say for sure) i swear Cress generally have a better understanding of any course then her handler and she is very pressure sensitive.]]> SS Cressa muttlycrew Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:06:02 -0400 29078 http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29077
Thanks
]]> Jimmyd65 Lenajo Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:49:15 -0400 29077 http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=29076




]]> sweet_ceana juliepoudrier Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:29:37 -0400 29076