Slow maturing dog ever do well?

[Bill Orr]

Have you ever known of a young dog that was slow to keen-up (12 months) that ever made a top trial dog?

 

By being slow, I mean not bearing much pressure in the initial training stages before looking more to the trainer than to the stock. Also assuming the parents were very good dogs and same litter siblings were very keen.

 

If so, who trained it?

 

If you had such a dog that you were hoping was going to get with it, what are a couple of the things you would be sure to do and things you would not do?

 

Thanks,

Bill

[Lambert]

I'm not sure if you mean that dog isn't interested or can't take pressure.

 

I have had dogs that were slow to learn and were very soft starting out and had to be handled very carefully.

 

But in all truth I have never had a dog that I wondered about at 12 months that I was still running at 2 years. If I take that youngster out at that age and I'm not sure they are going to make a dog for me in the end they don't.

 

The only worthwhile question about the breeding to me when the dog is that age is were the siblings/parents this way at that age and did they turn out ok? In that case slog on. Otherwise I might be thinking pet???? They don't all have it in them this one may not?

 

Beverly

[Bill Fosher]

We have one that didn't keen up until he was about 14 months old. He'll never make a trial dog, but I don't think that's because he was late to start (long and sordid story). He's useful on the farm and excellent at trailing sheep through the woods. I don't like his working style, but he suits my wife to a T. We think, but do not know for certain, that he hit an electric fence while looking at sheep when he was about eight months old and thought the sheep did it to him. I mean, we know he hit the fence while looking at sheep, but we don't know for certain that's why he was cool about sheep.

 

But in all truth I have never had a dog that I wondered about at 12 months that I was still running at 2 years. If I take that youngster out at that age and I'm not sure they are going to make a dog for me in the end they don't.

 

I've heard this from other trainers as well, and I think this is the case with me and the dog that I'm talking about here. But I wonder whether it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words, did this dog fail to suit me because I wrote him off as a pup when he didn't come along at what I considered an acceptable rate?

[ajm]

I had a dog who did not look like work until he was fourteen months old. I like him. Clive. I am glad to have waited.

He barked and rung the sheep with his tail in the air, looking for all the world like the laugh he elicited from all who watched.

How does that song go? "They all laughed.....Ho. Ho. Ho. Who has the last laugh now?"

Amanda

[Guest carol campion]

I had a dog who did not look like work until he was fourteen months old. I like him. Clive. I am glad to have waited.

He barked and rung the sheep with his tail in the air, looking for all the world like the laugh he elicited from all who watched.

How does that song go? "They all laughed.....Ho. Ho. Ho. Who has the last laugh now?"

Amanda

 

 

I remember that late October day well as Emily and I were there. He started out that way but by the end of the session was casting & working very seriously. There was no laughing from either of us and Clive never looked back!

 

His mother, Mabel is due to have puppies today! Maybe Emily will post pictures.

[DeltaBluez Tess]

I had a dog who did not look like work until he was fourteen months old. I like him. Clive. I am glad to have waited.

He barked and rung the sheep with his tail in the air, looking for all the world like the laugh he elicited from all who watched.

How does that song go? "They all laughed.....Ho. Ho. Ho. Who has the last laugh now?"

Amanda

 

 

Amanda,

 

I'll take that barky-ass, tail wringing, worthless cur off your hands.....

 

Diane

[Louanne]

This is my first ever post. Hope I am doing it right.

 

Question for Amanda

 

When Clive was not interested in working how often did you take him to sheep?

 

I have a soon to be 18 month old female who is not really interested in sheep.

One day she will go around ok but not to keen. Then the next time out she will

do nothing. Really not to sure what to do with her.

 

Louanne

[Louanne]

This is my first ever post. Hope I am doing it right.

 

Question for Amanda

 

When Clive was not interested in working how often did you take him to sheep?

 

I have a soon to be 18 month old female who is not really interested in sheep.

One day she will go around ok but not to keen. Then the next time out she will

do nothing. Really not to sure what to do with her.

 

Louanne

[ajm]

I try them once a month or so. I probably did not do that with Clive given the time line-- I first started him in October. He was a year old in August. I would have been very busy in the several months leading up to then, probably not home for much of the time. It was one of those "Let's try the young dogs" days. I usually try to train something over the winter, a project. You always hope they will then be ready to accept training, when the concentrated time id available.

Amanda