Young Border Collie thats keen

[Guest mjplant]

I have a now 5 mth old b/c, i started in our backyard with lefts and right, stopping her on command all over the yard, she first saw sheep at 4 months and after her initial excitement we managed to stop her behind them and had her moving left and right, most times on command. As to be expected she was coming too far around the flanks and really didn't have a clue other than this new game was fun. She certainly is not frightened of sheep and a number in the mob were quitelarge ewes that still had grown lambs at foot so as a result were a bit stroppy. I have a good mentor who has already told me I expect too much due to her age, as a result I have lightened her training and my expectations.

Our training each night is fun and now reached a point where she will ignore a command until I tell her no, and lower my voice to correct her.

I am very pleased with her to date, not too much eye, she stays on her toes and has regular contact with sheep.

I am considering taking her to a local sheep station where an offer has been extended to work her on some sheep. Given her young age and the potential for things to go wrong I would like to take her down on a long rope and just practise giving her commands with sheep around without actually letting her loose or get too close.

I am hoping that this will aid her in realising there is in fact a third party involved in her fun, (me) and if she can focus with intensity on the sheep as she currently does and learn to listen to my commands while the 'sheep distraction' is present, this could be beneficial further down the track and lessen the "ears painted on syndrome".

I am concerned though that not allowing her to get close to the sheep and work them, or try to while I am reinforcing my commands may put her off sheep and teach her she is not actually allowed to 'chase and gather' as she currently wants to do.

At the end of each session when sheep are involved I have to literally drag her away from where she will be standing guarding 'HER SHEEP'.

I realise she is only a baby and I am tryiung not to push her too much but she seems happy with the quantity and type of work we are doing.

I am apprehensive about putting her off so what are you're thoughts on the matter regarding the rope and focussing on commands while sheep are present

 

Thanks

[Guest Amanda]

Stop what you're doing. Your bitch is too young. No five month old has the speed needed to cover sheep. Nor do they have the mental stamina to accept the training.

You are reporting a more serious problem, however, with the idea to teach a youngster left and right without livestock present. That's silly. Sheep dog training should be job oriented. Dogs should learn to partner up with you, to manage livestock. Asking for left and right with none present is akin to doing military marching drills, with a blind discipline, no relevence to learning to adjust to sheep and to to you and be part of the action. Such work philosophically runs agains the grain.

Teaching a young Border Collie to come when it's called and lie down when told are the ends of its early training. After that, left and right will only really be meaningful in relation to the movement of the sheep. When the sheep move, it all makes sense, before they are on sheep it makes confusion.

I would take that bitch home and wait till eight months old, at least. No left and right in the back yard.

Amanda

[Guest mjplant]

Thanks, I will stop the left and right and simply focus on coming when called and stay until she is older, I must admit I had wondered whether or not she would make a connection with what she was being taught in the back yard. I don't want to ruin her before she has even started working or create a frustrating set of problems, no she certainly dosen't have the speed yet to overtake sheep that bolt and I certainly want her to enjoy her job when she starts.