Slowing my dog's pace

[Guest anngili]

Hi!

I'm a novice (so is my dog), and she is doing pretty well on the fetch and fairly well on flanks, but I am trying to find out how to slow her pace. She is a pretty intense dog; her nickname is "Speed demon". I'm trying to teach her a "stand" so that I don't keep downing her to slow her down. The more anxious she gets, the faster she goes, too.

I've made the mistake in the past of downing her and making her stay even though it was making her lose contact with the sheep, which made her equate being downed with the sheep getting away. I'm avoiding that now, but still need a way of just slowing her pace.

What's your suggestion(s)?

Ann in HOT Texas

[Guest Carol Campion]

Here is one method to try.

 

Then stop her. Decide what word you want to use as your "pace/slow" command. Ask her to walk up. As she moves forward, go forward into her "space" and give her that pace word in a gruff lind of way. You want to see her show a reaction to it. You don't want it to make her quit—you want a reaction that puts her off a bit. When you get it, lie her doen. Then repeat the process until you can say the word and get the reaction without the physical movement.

 

You need to watch to make sure she doesn't misunderstand and start to flank around the stock. If she does, lie her down and wait a minute before beginning again.

 

Once she understands the word, ask her to "walk-up". Give her the pace cmmand. If she doesn't take it by just voice, lie her down. If she does, let her go on. As soon as she picks up speed—which most do, give her the pace command. If she doesn't shift gears down, lie her down. Go through this til you can ask her up with the pace command. Another option is to ask her up, as soon as she picks up speed, lie her down. Ask her up. If she gets up slowly, give her the pace command and et her come on. As soon as she speeds up, lie her down. Repeat the process. Works like a charm.

 

The key is do not let her ome on if she is too fast. Ask her to do this while always in contact with the sheep. No need for her to feel like she will lose them.