Petes Mom

It's been a long time since a clinic has been posted here! Where are clinics posted now?

I have not used one, but a good friend did, for her Sheltie who was having some lameness issues. She said it didn't work for her dog. Pet insurance covered it, though, so she wasn't upset about the price.

Just watched this. What an amazing run! I had to watch that shed several times over! They made it look so easy! James McGee is such an impressive trainer/handler. I remember watching a video of him & Becca in a big trial in the UK years ago, and just being blown away by how she worked with him.

This was all before the Dexter the Peacock incident. Now, things are going to get really tough, getting your dog on board in the cabin.

Haha!! What an amazing guy!

You may want to take him to a chiropractor. I'm wondering if it's his back, or maybe his digestive system? Has he had any problem with gas or moving his bowels?

I only wash my BC and my Aussie/ BC/ whatever mix when they get into something stinky, like when they take a dip in a mucky pond or roll in stinky poop. I also use Buddy Wash, and I love that stuff! I've even used it myself! I love the green tea & bergamot scent.

I love your little trailer!! I want one just like it!

I posted this question in the "ask the expert" section, and several people suggested I post it here in the training discussion, so here goes! My dog, Pete, loves to run his "away" flank so much that he doesn't want to stop and hit that balance point. He just keeps going! On his "come bye" flank, he'll stop at the top, and want to turn around and do his anti-clockwise zoomies. I believe that this behavior is probably a good deal my fault, as he is my first border collie and my first experience working a dog on sheep. He has always been a strong, fast dog, and I believe that made me nervous about being run over by stampeding sheep (it's happened more than once), so I'm wondering if I have frustrated him by asking him to lie down too much, or by not moving with the sheep fast enough (after he has lifted them and is bringing them to me). I have worked with several different people, as far as training goes, but most of them work towards the AKC titles, or AHBA and ASCA, which are fine but are quite different from the border collie trials that I would like to run with Pete. I now have a larger farm, with bigger fields to train him, but I need to help him to understand how to do this work with me. It was way too hot to do any work this weekend, but last weekend, he did some nice work with a group of about 15 yearling lambs. I have started using a "rattle-paddle" that I found on the farm, which I smack on the ground to get his attention and turn him around. It worked well, but I'm wondering how long it will take for him to understand about hitting that balance point, and I will be able to ditch that thing? Any experienced insight on this situation will be most appreciated! Thanks! Rachel

All the best to you & Dora! And, yes, you must post a picture soon! Rachel

I apologize! I did not read past the first page of posts!

Maja, not sure if you will see this or not, but I am curious about Darinka's hips. It's been almost 2 years since your last post, and I really enjoyed reading about your training dilemmas and breakthroughs. She is a lovely girl! I'm just curious about how you & she are doing now, and about how her hips turned out?

Thanks, Amanda! I'll give it a try! Rachel

Also, Luana, the video looked good! Whoever was taking the video, and mentioned something about using "shockers" to keep Spillo from gripping the sheep, please tell him to keep his shockers to himself!!

Hi Luana! I was concerned about Spillo after your lesson last Saturday! Please tell me that he is ok! Did you take him to the vet? I've noticed that you and Maureen have very long lessons (2 hours!!). That is a long time for a young dog to be going through this kind of training, and is especially hard on them when the weather is as hot and humid as it has been! One thing that I've noticed in your work on the long line, Spillo seems to be getting more and more frustrated and stressed. You have to allow him to move around the sheep, and find that balance point. If he gets a bit aggressive with the sheep, you have to move through the sheep and get him to back off. He barks a lot, and I think that is his frustration. You have to allow him to gather, that's his instinct. Constantly interfering with that frustrates the heck out of him, and could cause him to quit on you. Again, I hope that he is okay. Rachel

Hi Luana! It's Rachel from the Spicy Lamb! Let me just first say that I think you are doing very well with Spillo. I know that rectangular pen with the ditch running through it is not the easiest thing to work in! I have been hoping that they might set up an actual round pen. It would make things so much easier for folks starting out with dogs for the first time. Is there any chance that you can bring Spillo out to Nova? Judi's farm is dedicated to training stock dogs, and I think we could work in an area where it would be easier for you to move around, and for Spillo to learn what you are asking of him. Do you know where this is? Maureen knows the farm. I am going to talk to Maureen and Laura about setting up a round pen. I think it will make a big difference in training young dogs/ green handlers starting out. You're doing a great job with your boy, Luana! Keep it up!

Donald McCaig, I was truly looking forward to attending your trial someday, and to meeting you. You were the person who, inadvertently, got me involved in border collies herding sheep. I was interested in the sport of agility, in which border collies excel, and, an interest in border collies led to an interest in herding. Looking for information on border collies and herding on Amazon.com led to the books "Nop's Trials" and "Nop's Hope," both of which I loved, and both tore my heart out. I wanted you to meet Pete, my sweet and crazy boy, the border collie from Lakewood, Ohio. His parents are Winston and Salem, and that's all that I know of his pedigree, but I know that he has that strong instinct burning in his very being. I hope that your health gets stronger with this Spring, and that you continue to write and love your dogs and your land. Thank you, Rachel Simpson

My boy, Pete, loves to flank around wide on the "away" side, but he doesn't want to stop! Eventually, when he starts to relax a bit, I can get him to go back behind the sheep by waving a stick out on the left and asking him to "Get Back!" When I send him on the Come Bye side, he'll stop where he should, but then, he wants to flank all the way around "Away" again! Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Rachel

Hello Buckeye Man! I am also a fellow Buckeye, living in NE Ohio, and I also have a border collie who was a car chaser as a puppy. If I were you, I would avoid allowing your dog to chase the Canada Geese completely. It can be very frustrating for these dogs, as the geese can fly away. I have had many dogs that love chasing them, and forcing them to fly off, but with my border collie, I have been told that it can make them crazy, because they can not gather the geese. You definitely need a good recall with your dog, or you may lose him!! My boy, Pete, is also a difficult and independent-minded dog, so I have to be careful about where he is allowed to run loose. I still can not walk him anywhere near a road where there are cars! He hears them, and he goes into his crouch and stares at the road! He is six years old now, and I am finally able to get him to cross roads, and not worry about the possibility of cars coming along! Some of them are like that, and it can be very difficult to change their minds! If you want to train him on ducks, domestic ducks that will not fly away, then do so. Also, get him on sheep. Work on his recalls and his downs, go outs and stops at home. Make it game that he can enjoy. If you need somewhere in Ohio to work him on sheep or ducks, please feel free to contact me. We'll get you going!

I know this post is a month after other postings, but I thought I would add to the conversation. I adopted a bc mix seven years ago who was very, very sound sensitive. He is a very sweet boy, but had been through a lot of bad treatment and had been dumped (literally pushed out of a car). We found out after we brought him home about the fear issues with different sounds. Even the sound of sneakers squeaking on a floor would scare him! It just takes time and patience, a lot of love and understanding, and good management, meaning don't allow him to get in a situation that will overwhelm him and freak him out! Be aware of your environment and what it is that is scaring him. Let him know, with treats and gentle treatment, that he doesn't have to worry, and that you are there for him.

Reading it now. It's a great book!

You go, bunny!!

I would love to see someone with an alto-sax, or any other sax, for that matter, at the post!! That would be amazing!

I have a metal whistle that I bought on Amazon a while back, and I have been trying to use it while driving my car (without the dogs!). Haven't had much luck with it. Just started using my fingers, and have found that works much better!

When I was a kid, about 14, I think, I had a mixed breed dog as a pet. One day, I was working on my bicycle in the garage with a friend, and Ruffles, the dog, was hanging out with us. At one point, we were doing something in which both my friend and I were holding onto some bike parts, trying to put something or other back together. Our hands were full and we couldn't let go, but I needed a shop rag. There was one lying nearby, but not close enough for either of us to reach it without having to let go of our work in progress. Kidding, I said, "hey, Ruffles, can you bring me that rag?" Guess what? She did it. You could've knocked us both over with a feather! Rachel Pete, Annie & Jack