My Second Time at the Post

[r b m]

Well, I went to my second trial last weekend. Despite being rained out before my second run, I had a lot of fun. I wasn't happy with our run, but we did better than last time. She crossed over on me again, chopped off the top, unsettled the sheep and then after that it seemed it was slicey-chasefest 2008 around the pen. Oh, and she listened "fairly" well. My major concern is that she refuses to set up on her away side(even in training), which is the side everyone was sending at both trials. She may line up on my right, but will face left. It's really strange.

 

The judge asked us to walk to the post off-lead and let your dog choose. I told him my predicament, and he said try to guide her to the right and see if she takes it. I was happy I had her under control going to the post, and she of course chose come by. He told me to just let her have it. At both trials, she got about 10 yards away, stopped, then crossed over like "oh, I was wrong, I need to cover this way."

 

My trainer was there, and I only wish I had got my second run to implement her suggestions. However, she likes to use the "get back" command, and I personally don't like it, esp at a trial. Am I wrong? I need to work on her fear(?) of the away side, which has always been slicey. Some days it's good, others not. On her come by side, she has a nice lean where I can release her, I'd like the same for the away. Any suggestions?

[Lambert]

I'm afraid that I find dog training mostly consists of making it smaller. Shorten up the outrun to about 5 feet and make sure she will go around the sheep on her 'bad' side. You need to look very closely at your dog as she circles the sheep. Is her flank around the stock correct?

 

Its very easy to skip the boring "go around the sheep" stuff and move on to the outrun. But a dog that won't correctly flank around sheep will not run out correctly. You need more ground work, more up close work. Your dog should easily walk to the post at your side, set up as you tell her and never cut off the top of her outrun. Circles. Lots of circles with you very close. You need to get her running around sheep and relaxed so she can listen to you and stop when you ask her to.

 

I'm sorry there isn't a magic bullet but it sounds like your dog is running a bit out of control with a poor shape to her flank. This is why you had trouble at the pen and it showed up even more on the outrun because you were asking for an even bigger flank there. The outrun is a big flank. You can't get the big one right without the little one is correct already.

 

I'm guessing you are working with someone and don't have your own sheep. This makes training very hard because your dog gets out seldom and you need to try and accomplish a lot when you have an opportunity to work. The tendency is to move along through the basics as fast as possible to get to the "real" stuff. The basics are crucial to everything that will follow your dog must be relaxed and responsive. The rest will follow easily when laid on this base.

 

Beverly

[r b m]

After my first trial, we shortened things up and her away was looking really nice as we got further and further. But she does regress. So I guess we'll simplify things again and again until she gets it. Any suggestions on helping her take the away side?

[Lambert]

practice and keep it simple and close. Dogs are very like people. If they are confused, upset or stressed they can't learn anything all they can do is worry about the situation. So you need to keep her well within her comfort zone as you try and teach her something new. Keep it close and keep it easy.

 

Beverly