Hi-

This is a six year old female dog whom I would describe as being looser eyed. I have always had trouble with her staying on the higher pressure point with sheep. It seems that she is not comfortable and will start to try to peel off of the pressure. Typically she will start to do the windshield wiper movement or almost take a cheap shot and then be way off of contact. I have been starting her on her driving and it really shows up here. I know that if the sheep are looking right at her that she does not want to walk up.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to make her more confident on her walking up?? Is there a way to help a dog like this??

Please let me know what other information that I can provide to you.

Thanks,
Kathy

I think the two most important things you can do for a dog like this are:

1) Make sure you give her enough easily moved sheep to work. These sheep will help build her confidence.

2) Make sure you keep her working a distance off her sheep. Often dogs get into the habit of weaving because they are working heavy, too dog-broke sheep and when they get a certain proximity to the sheep, they have no where to go but back & forth. They catch up to the sheep and start to weave. If you keep her back off you can teach her that it is her eye that can move the sheep and not her physical presence.

Unfortunately, if you have only a certain packet of sheep to work, they may be in the habit of plodding along with this dog, so it will be harder to teach that concept of keeping her distance. If you have the opportunity to work other sheep than heavy ones, try to teach her this concept on light ones. Then she will be more able to transfer it to heavy sheep.

Also, when she has walked straight forward and gotten sheep to go, lie her down to let the sheep drift forward allowing a space to develop between the sheep and the dog. Then she has room to walk straight forward and not weave when you ask her up. Your timing has got to be good on this one. Stop her BEFORE she gets too close but while the sheep are still moving and then ask her up BEFORE the sheep stop. By applying the pressure of the dog onto the sheep in the right increments using good timing, you can put pressure on the sheep to make them go without ever having to get the dog close. In doing this, the sheep never really know how much power the dog has because she is always walking directly onto them. Again, the key is the sheep you are using!!