blackacre

I own it, have for years, and keep meaning to listen to it. Me bad. Maybe I will now, if I can find it. On the calm voice thing, I was at one of his sheep camps a few years ago, or maybe a clinic somewhere, and we were doing shedding. You know when you first start shedding, you get a gap and get all excited and frantic trying to get the dog to come in? Well, I do anway. So his comment was: "You need to be like Eeyore. Say "iiiiiinnnn heeeere Scottttttt". I still think about his advice when things aren't going well in the shed. Not that I can shed, even today. A

OK. I can't stand it. What happened? Here's an amusing one, admittedly not at my expense. Terry won't mind, though. Maryland, Sherry Smith's trial. On the back field. Cold, misty. Scott Glen is judging, high up in Dave's combine, wrapped in a blankie. Terry sends Boss, recently acquired. Dog starts on outrun. Scott shouts: "Terry, call your dog!". Terry turns around and says, "Why?". Scott shouts, "Because there's no sheep out there." Terry: "Oh". Long pause, Boss still running out, getting farther away every moment. Terry: "I can't. I don't know his recall." Scott: "whistle whistle whistle". Boss comes back. A

Melanie, It happens. Welcome! You have now been initiated into the Long Walk Association and received its top award. Well, almost. You really need to do it at the Bluegrass or Meeker or the Nationals for the ultimate prize, but, in a pinch, we'll take any walk of shame, coz Misery Loves Company. Anyway, some stuff to try: 1. Teach your dog to "look" every time you go to the post or go send a dog for sheep in practice. I start doing this right from the beginning of training. Watch for the telltale signs so you can recognize if/when she sees them: head goes up, ears prick forward, dog gets very still, that kind of thing. It might be subtle; some never show anything but most will. And, by the way, some dogs have better eyesight than others and will be able to spot sheep at any distance; others must learn to compensate by going out until they find them. 2. Reinforce or teach the look back so you have some way of helping your dog get out there. If you are just starting to teach it, try to reserve it for looking for sheep *directly* behind the dog ie 180 degrees more or less, so you have directional control. It does no good for the dog to be casting aimlessly about in every direction. Useful in a double lift too, when how far you pull the dog around the first group before giving the look back to get the second will tell it how wide to cast going back. 3. Teach variations of the flank directing the dog back once it does look back, so it knows how big to make the cast. Hey, I can't do it, but the pros can. 4. A lot of dogs do not know how to run terrain. It's tricky and dogs need to get the experience. So try to go somewhere with hills and blind spots and practice. In my observation, the dog needs to learn to keep the image of the sheep and where they are in their mind as they go out and refer to it mentally so that they don't start coming in as soon as they lose sight of the sheep. 5. In practice, always make sure there are sheep there and never let your dog come back without sheep. Help as needed. A

Awwww! Thanks Cyn! He did a damned good job, didn't he? 500+ yard outrun on a flat field, patches of brilliant sun and cloud, gusting wind straight into our faces. He got out there with only one or two redirects, brought them straight as an arrow and then took every command. Every mistake was mine and mine alone. I was ever so proud! Love the Nappy! Good on the Buff Puff and Libby too! A PS Pumpkin Head has a ticket to ride unless you get her soon. She might even be bred to the Scottie ram we brought in. Actually, we're pretty well done with him too if you're interested.

The Jolly Green Giant was the post. Hey, it's coming up to Hallowe'en and he wanted to come as . . . himself. As the days wore on, first he turned his back on us, then he lost one leg, then the other . . . I finally had to carry him off the field in, er, pieces, poor fellow. And as for autographs, as this Hugh Grant likes to say, "You must be talking about the OTHER Hugh Grant." A

Yes, the backing lesson was really popular. It was interesting to see which dogs took to it right away. In four or five goes, both before and during the actual clinic, Sheri's Wylie was racing across the sheep's backs and tearing back under the sheep faster than she could be directed. She totally 'got it'. Undoubtedly something instinctive, which would make sense of course, given the concentration of Chris Stapleton's breeding in her background. Other than that, Kelpies work a lot like border collies. A Kelpie qualified for the USBCHA Nationals a few years ago and did very well. A

Hey, I wanted to post a link to the pictures that our friend Larry Jackson took at the Kelpie only clinic with Scott Glen that we held on October 12 to 14 at Sheri Prucell's farm in Pickering, Ontario. (OK, there was one Cattle Dog and a couple of border collies too). My dog Nap did the honours as chore dog all weekend. ISN'T he CUTE?!?!?! Hugh Grant, Sheri's significant other and his sister Karen, Larry's wife, did a tremendous job preparing nutritious and healthful breakfasts, lunches and a blow-out Saturday night dinner. As for the dogs, there wasn't a dud amongst them. Every one of them made great progress under Scott's watchful tutelage. Every handler learned something too: Scott takes the time to make sure that the handler understands what he's trying to do and goes away with a toolbox of training techniques. Participants were clamouring for a repeat event next year. Well, maybe . . . first we have to recover from this one. Saturday night dinner was preceded by an inaugural meeting of the WAKC (Working Australian Kelpie Club) of Canada; most of the participants chose to join on the spot, while I am told that more memberships are arriving daily. Contact Gina McDonell for more information. Anyway, to the main event: http://www.kodakgallery.com/editorialedge/...s/kelpie_clinic It's a nice site; I found the slideshow feature particularly convenient, since there are lots of pictures. The shuffle feature is cool too. KELPIES RULE! (Well, that weekend they carried the day on numbers anyway ) Andrea

Oh, and PS Bill F. Hustling to bring out the remaining two sheep for that handler that sent early had exactly the opposite effect to what you intended. Best course is to stop what you're doing, stand still and let her find herself short a sheep or two at the post: DQ and end of story, whereas trying to fix it has exactly the opposite effect: rerun and unfair advantage. In other words, now that I glance back to Pearse's post, What he Said. A

OK, here's a setting decision I always struggle with: sheep are set, I'm holding them so that they are aware of the dog going by at 3 or 9 but are not disturbed by the dog in the sense that they haven't decided to move yet and are still watching its progress. Dog continues to go past the sheep, but rather than bending around on the same path, continues on quite a ways and ends up so deep that the sheep decide to leave before the dog makes contact and gets hold of them. Do you let the sheep go or hold them until the dog comes up and makes contact? Of course, ultimately it is up to the judge to decide, and my inclination is to let them leave, but there has been a time or two when the handler gets a rerun for this and I am left shaking my head. A ETA Scenario 2: As above, but the sheep DON'T notice the dog going by but will still leave if I let them.

Hi Mark, If you've ever been to the Fogts' New Year's trial, they push the sheep out onto hay and then guard against the sheep returning to the set out by leaving the dog between the set out and the sheep. The set out person pretty well stays out of the picture. So, the sheep are free to wander about or stay on the hay and will react to the dog coming out in a much more realistic manner. Of course, you need pretty good sheep for this to be effective. I would expect that most NEBCA sheep would take this style of set out as an invitation to bolt down the field to the post. A

Good topic Julie, Actually several good topics, every one of which would all be fun and interesting to reply to, with enough time. So, just to pick one for the moment, let's call it Theories of Setting Out: First, learning HOW to set out contains, in microcosm, almost everything you need to know about reading sheep and handling a dog. Here in Ontario we almost always use other handlers to set out, rather than hiring a set out person. Often, there are not enough Open handlers to do the job, so novices with various degrees of competence are pressed into service, with predictable results. Seeing this early on, and accordingly being determined not to screw up an Open run, ever, I made it my business to learn set out. In fact, I have often suggested that the local club put on a one day setting clinic, with instruction from Open handlers, but have never been taken up on that suggestion. So, first, your dog needs to know the job, or you need to have enough control on the dog to achieve a successful set. Second, you need to have enough dog and, preferably, the right kind of dog to do the job. Third, the less dog and the more handler, the better. Sheep need to respect the dog AND the handler; handler needs to hold his/her side. Fourth, once sheep are set, handler needs to have enough experience or feel to read how the sheep are reacting to the dog coming out, and to what extent to get involved if the sheep try to move. For example, are they starting to move down the field because they are sour and have learned to routine or because the dog coming out has disturbed them. Just a few random thoughts, I'm sure Anna, for example, would have plenty to add. A

Well, you're the moderator Eileen, so you certainly have the right to decide what can or cannot be posted. However, I do find your position somewhat inconsistent, a point you address but do not, to my mind, dispose of persuasively. Of course I don't actually*know* anything about these people, except what they've posted here over the years. Nor do I actually *know* anything about most of the other people on these Boards. Nonetheless, when you post all sorts of absurdly personal things about yourselves and then solicit input, you can't expect people not to respond taking that *information* into account. You will also note that I did not actually express an opinion myself. I simply said others were entitled to do so, given the situation. A

Based on your and your wife's willingness to solicit advice on a public forum and based on your use of the self-same public forum to place the dog in the first place. A

Eileen, Not to be harsh, but I know WAY more than I want to about the personal lives of these people and their dogs, and it's not because I made a special effort to find out about them, believe me. You know quite well who initiated this thread and dozens more like them. The tone was set; responses were invited. As with other topics, you will get a range of replies. In my opinion, it's perfectly appropriate that people have expressed their opinions on what should be done about this dog. A

No, Florence will not cut you any slack. She and I share a door mat. It says "Leave". Isn't that hilarious? I got one for myself when I was down in Virginia last year. I think Sam has one too. Where did you move Eileen? Do you have sheep on site now? Do tell all. A

Girl! How much did you get? Per pound of course. You hauled them further away this time, right? And you're buying another horse?!?!? Jeez. I hope you saved me some lambs to play with in the spring. Glen is keen to have a go and Nap! Well, you know Nap . . . he's keen too, if not exceptionally er . . . skilled. Never mind, we love him anyway. Oh, and BTW nice work breeding the Nursery Reserve Champion. Next time keep the "Star" of the litter, though, OK? A

Jaime, Well, I'm no sheep expert, believe me (we joke that Sheep Producers R Us--As IF) but for my purposes I find that they are wonderful dog sheep for most types of training, light, agile, fast, clever. Being a hill breed with their eyes set far to the side of their heads, they have excellent peripheral vision and react like little quarter horses. They're hardy, good mothers and easy keepers, at least in a climate like we have here in Canada. I don't think I've ever lost one to a gruesome sheep disease. They don't dog down the way a lowland breed like a Dorset would. They cross well with a variety of terminal sires. I've used Border Liecester, Blue-Faced Leicester and North Country Chevios for this purpose. This year we're going to use a Scottie ram (a friend had this cross this year and I really liked them.) My shearer hates (but admires) the little buggers, even as they're pinging off his forehead or dragging him across the barn--they are incredibly strong for their size. For starting young dogs I keep St. Croix, the drudges of the sheep world. For cranky, evil sheep that suss out the dog, I have a Corriedale named Pumpkin Head, who manages to evade culling every year, even though I hate her, and her two sidekicks who are Shetland crosses. What do you have? A

Hi Sam! I make the chains myself, they have brass clips on the end. They're just threaded through. It's been dry and hot here for months. We got a first cut off the field in early June and nothing since: the field hasn't been cut since then and that's how it looks. Usually we get two or sometimes three cuts. What's it doing Down Under? Hot? What are you doing at the Royal? Love to Baby J, hope he's feeling better. T-Bar: I recommend you get to where you can use Preview Post. A

That's Bette, a Toby daughter. I'm starting her for Gina. She looks like Toby, doesn't she? Hi Sam from Australia! Where have you been, girl? Spot Glen was hoping you'd spot him Paula. <waves paw> A

First, before they get put away, some of the new Border Cheviot lambs. For BlackWatch Debatable, who has excellent taste in sheep. Everyone's eager to start. Get on with it, already! OK, this is looking good. Someone's bringing out sheep. Finally! Libby's down from Peterborough to show off and have her picture taken for Sam. Buff shows us how to line them up for the cross drive panel. He wants Sam to know that he loooooooves Canada. What now boss? (He loves the Boss too, can you tell?) Nap's up next. Unfortunately, I haven't mastered running and taking pictures at the same time, so here he is waiting to be sent. Jeez, get on with it! And, naturally, I'd be insane to try to take a picture of Glen working, so here's Glen looking seriously annoyed at sitting this one out. He sure would like to get out there!

Yup, pretty good run. 150, currently third. A

Hah, that's funny. I just spoke to Robin, who was babysitting Scott's phone. He just ran the red dog (Jackie?) and apparently had a pretty good run. He'd just gotten his pen. Congratulations Diane. A

200. 100 from each judge. That's a brilliant run. A

She means breaking the sheep to the will of the dog without either pissing them off or letting them think they can escape or win--particularly important with these undogged difficult commercials. No surprise that Alasdair is a master of this. Watch Denise's "In the Mind of a Champion" DVD where he comments on one of his winning Bluegrass runs. It'll blow you away. The subtlety and detail of his thinking and analysis is mind-boggling. Meantime, it's DQ and RT land all over again today, if I am reading the results right. So much for the early in the day theory. A

Too bad he didn't have enough time to train them to pen yesterday. 161 without a pen or shed is damned impressive. A