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Donald McCaig
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Dear Sheepdoggers,

 

If keenness is required for sheepdogs, focus is demanded of us. Yep. Forgot.

 

Since Thanksgiving I've been too busy becoming bionic to train Jake. (Could have been worse.) After the machines were installed/adjusted I entered the Bluegrass. Until the pastured sheep arrive next month I've only got 7 aged, extremely rank ewes who've seen it all. I'd NEVER try a young dog on them but Jake's an open dog and a good one who needed to be reminded to down NOW and 'out' and 'keep' and Barbara Ray agreed to coach us once a week so I wouldn't make a fool of my dog. In between we'd train on the ancients.

 

Going pretty good yesterday, Jake was hitting his marks and I was able to be quieter - though not as quiet as I need to be. Anyway, we were just about done and my Teflon ancients were at my feet when I lost focus and had the odd notion that maybe - with an appliance hanging off my shoulder because I can't strap it down until another appliance has healed - we should try a shed. Jake was trained by Ian McMillan from his wheelchair, dog had to do all the shedding himself, why not?

 

Hadn't gone sheep surfing in such a long time! I went down like a cowboy in a western movie stampede. Poor Jake, puzzled and concerned. I didn't short out but my knees hurt. I entered the Bluegrass? What say?

 

Donald McCaig

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Dear Sheepdogging Geezer

 

 

DAM the torpedoes full speed ahead!

 

No guts, no glory, no pain no gain.....

 

go get 'em say I

 

Hugs and aspirins

 

 

T

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I agree with T - Go for it. All the miles pay off - we are always learning and so are the dogs.

 

Yep shedding is where I get in the way too. Jack Knox was here recently doing a clinic and happened to have several of his dogs with him. We were blessed with a couple demos. Jack brought up his oldest open dog to show us. He is always telling me "call the dog through" just do it, let him make the hole as he comes... Well I witnessed a torpedo in action - the sheep had no choice but to split cause Nap was coming THROUGH. No pussy footing around there.

 

Now if only I get myself out of the way when my dog comes through that confidently I will be good.

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I am glad to hear you are alright and are still considering going ahead with your plans.

 

I can't even brag that I was shedding when I got my 'sheep smackdown'. I was at a herding clinic a few weeks ago. We were using an ~2 A rectangular field that was fenced with 4 board wooden fence. All the human participants were clustered at one end with 2 10 x 10 pop-ups and camp chairs clustered under and around. I and another participant were leaning against the fence. A novice dog was working the sheep as they approached the crowd (20 +/- people). The 3 sheep were walking toward the crowd. Walking, not running. One sheep was slightly separated from the other 2 and about 10-15 feet away from me. I figured he may turn to follow his friends. Oh no. S/he launched herself at the fence and hit me squarely in the chest. I didn't fall down, but my hat fell off and my elbow scraped against the wood fence. That night I had a slight headache which was gone by the next morning. All in all, minor aftereffects.

 

What did I learn? :)

(1)Even sheep that are walking are capable of springing up and/or forward or both. If they had been trotting or running toward me, I would have moved out of the way.

(2)Maybe I should have moved if only to indicate to the sheep that I, in fact, was not part of the fence. I think I stood so still (because I didn't want to disturb the sheep) that they couldn't tell the difference? Do sheep have poor eyesight up close?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Do sheep have poor eyesight up close?

 

Sheep have relatively poor eye sight for motionless, very bad if the object is above their head. However, I think most of all, they don't have a reaction to avoid something, once they get into the suicidal mode, just because the obstacle is a living thing. If it decided to launch itself at the fence, then why not a you, presumably a softer target? :)

 

Humans are actually remarkable when it comes to motionless object recognition,

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Dear Doggers,

 

Sheep very accustomed to dog training lose all fear of humans. Normal (non-woolblind) sheep will break around you with just a hand flutter and range sheep unused to humans may be unwilling to come within ten feet. I am much more likely to get lambpeeded by my 7 old rank dog-savvy sheep than a thousand range sheep fleeing coyotes.

 

Donald McCaig

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Sheep very accustomed to dog training lose all fear of humans. Normal (non-woolblind) sheep will break around you with just a hand flutter and range sheep unused to humans may be unwilling to come within ten feet. I am much more likely to get lambpeeded by my 7 old rank dog-savvy sheep than a thousand range sheep fleeing coyotes.

 

Very true too! However, there are differences among breeds. E.g. my ouessants even when very dog broke did not run into people, while Polish wrzosówka even completely wild is likely to. Skuddes on the other hand, while normally avoid people, are just unpredictable. That's just my experience of course.

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Dear Doggers,

 

I didn't expect anything from Jake and he did a little better than my expectations. Nice outrun and he stayed with me to the end though he'd NEVER SEEN NO SHEEP LIKE THESE!!!! They were actually pretty good sheep.

 

I'm happy despite a score probably south of 50. First time I ever towed a trailer. 7hrs. First time bringing an ATV (luxury). First time trialing with an oxygen tank. First time I risked using both shoulder straps (pacemaker surgery) and Jake, who is unsheepdoglike sociable didn't pause to say hello to the set out dog. (As pickup dog he did ignore the exhaustable sheep to say hello to the retiring dog but not points lost so what they hey!)

 

That's what I like about sheepdogging: one always wins something.

 

Donald McCaig

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It was wonderful seeing you again, Donald!

 

My first embarrassing sheep smackdown was at Celt's and my first training clinic. It was a slo-mo one. I felt like I'd been knocked down by gigundi-sized marshmallows.

 

The second one was at the Virginia State Fair, outside the arena, when the helpful young man who wanted to close the gate for this old lady did not do so and a sheep in full flight came out through it, heading for the exhaust - and running right through me. I still have some issues with that leg...and I know that I should close all gates myself.

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