oisin10708

Thanks for the replies. I find it particularly interesting that a dog trained for herding and without other treat-based training can still be a food-monger. I also have to run the gauntlet of little-old-ladies (and men) leaving bread, pretzels, baegels and event prok chops around the park - maybe that's behind it. "Leave-it" is said A LOT but I can't always predict when he's ready to pounce. I've had my hand down his throath on more than one occasion. I did'nt mean he is desensitized to sheep by food - he is not. It's just difficult to move on to praise type rewards during agility training which I would like to do for speed. This dog started by getting a treat for each new obstacle performed. Then when chaining came in and moved on to one treat for say 4 obstacles performed, he would poke me repeatedly for more treats - I get the impression he was keeping score. I got to do a whole run eventually by placing the treats on a table to be got at the end and gradually fading the number of treats (not getting 18 treats any more!). I don't like tugging - he is 50 lbs and it would take the arm off me. Ball-throwing would be great but rarely practical in our class. I suppose I have to practice enthusiastic cheering - 18 treats worth of it . Catherine, NY

Hi, I trained my now 3 year old bc using food treats (obedience, agiity). He is now an intense food-monger, constantly on the lookout for grub (and often finding it under bushes - he's extrordinarily good at finding bits that other dogs just pass by). I wonder have I turned that intensity from herding -wish and chasing etc into an intense food thing? He does'nt look for it when herding (except rarely when he's in a funk over being chased out from the sheep, then he looks at their droppings). I have an 8 month old bc for the past 3 days and he's learned sit and down for approval and pets. We hope to do obedience and agility with him too and I wonder should I aim to do it without treats if I can. Thanks, Catherine, NY

Thanks Sue, I'm glad to know I'm not just being lazy! In my current indoor class, our teacher thinks the dog is slow enough for me to to make front-crosses ahead of him at weave polls etc. but she does'nt know what happens when we go to a trial and he suddenly speeds up after the first few obsticles. Added to this, he does'nt LOOK fast because he is unusually long-legged for a bc (a "lassie" type in a tuxedo) but whn he gets into it, he can cover ground terribley quickly. Catherine

Hi, my bc takes his time on the dogwalk in the agility ring which I assumed was due to his being cautious of heights. However, I noticed he is not cautious on other high things (fence etc). Then it dawned on me that I say "walk" to direct him to the dogwalk and "walkies" meaning "walk steady without pulling on a loose leash". I'm thinking of speeding him up on the dog-walk but should I change th command at this stage to something else? (I'm assuming the dog responds to the early sylables of a word rather than the whole work). Thanks, Catherine

That's very interesting Inci. Glad to know it's not just him. You are quite right! he does go in on the sheep when I try to block him and the trainer has told me not to say anything. I'll keep blocking and praising and maybe get hold of the collar if he keeps facing the sheep. Thanks, Catherine

Hi, My dog has a definite preference for going clockwise and can be stubborn about anitclockwise (I can't use "come bye" and "way to me" as come and away are agility terms for him. I use Gaelic words instead). How do your members deal with this? Does it gradually improve or is it set for life? He's a big BC, 3 years old now. I live in the suburbs and do agility and walks to keep him exercised. This spring I took him for a herding test and he was interested. I was curious to see how he would react (he is a rescue, found aged 6 weeks and parents unknown). Also, it is likely he will live where there are sheep in Ireland in the future so I want some control over his reactions (or he' might get shot!). After some lessons, he is much calmer around sheep, interested and pretty biddable. Also, he his personality has changed for the better (much calmer, more confident, less likely to herd inappropriate things) even though he had only intermittent lessons. This is a relief to me as I thought he might pine, get moody or chase things after seeing the "holy grail". Anyway, I'm interested in doing some more lessons with him now ('though hard to find from where I live in Westchester, NY) and would like your opinion(s) on the one-sidedness. Thank, Catheirne, NY

Thanks Cindy, Daphne and Barb. I will try and do some distance handling. Maybe I can find a NADAC club in Westchester, NY. Ironically, I went for my first open trial run today and it was so hot and humid that both me and the dog were half dead by the time we ran, so speed was'nt an issue this time - we were both wilted. There was no water there to cool us down so I had to leave without even trying the jumpers. Hoping to find a distance handling person relatively near to Yonkers, NY. All the best, Catherine

Hi, I'm doing agiity with my first BC. He's now 3 yrs old and has a novice title. He's speeding up now at the trials (more focused, does'nt wander off on me) and now I'm having a bit of a hard time keeping up with him. Either I'll have to get fitter or develop a more "remote control" style of handling. Do BC agility handlers often adopt this style? It seems to fit more with the way the shepherds do herding with them. Is there any info. on that type of handling? Thanks, Catherine, NY