Joe Anne Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Wow! what an incredible weekend we had! Both my boy Phoenix and I have learned ALOT, and my mind is going a 1,000 miles a minute trying to process everything! Phoenix showed his "true colors", so to speak within about 5 minutes after we arrived. :mad: His maniac little self lunged, with teeth showing at a very innocent dog passing behind our chair. Jack had just started talking and everyone was quiet and settled (cept Phoenix!).. Well, Jack came over, took his leash wacked his little butt (not hurting him at all, just a very major startle!) and told him in no uncertain terms "do not do that again"!!! period....WELL, that was the end of that behavior for the rest of the clinic!!! We had a couple of MINOR incidents after that, but by the afternoon of the 2nd day, he was literally nose to nose sniffing and lying down next to the other dogs and walking peacefully side by side with them when changing fields. A couple of times a dog who had just come off a run, ran right over to Phoenix's water bowl, which was right smack in front of his nose, started drinking, and Phoenix did nothing!! The rest of the weekend was INCIDENT FREE! and he actually acted like a normal dog. He did pretty good with his herding lessons from what Jack said, and made major improvements from day 1. We stepped into the corral(right word??) totally wet behind the ears, and by the end of the weekend realized how much there is to learn and that it's best to take it slow and steady. By the 3rd day, Phoenix was actually watching the advanced dogs in the other 2 fields, standing up and moving around if someone got in his way, so he could see. Jack has a way of teaching you patience and humility when working with your dog. I feel lucky to say the least that Phoenix and I, were able to begin our herding, "career" with Jack Knox. I am awe inspired, to say the least. We both left there wanting to learn as much as time, energy and finances will allow. I am ready for our next clinic whenever and possibly wherever it comes along. I felt like a kid at Disneyland. The farm was sooo beautiful, lots of open space & animals, everyone was so helpful and friendly and the hospitality was awesome. I felt like I had died and gone to Border Collie heaven. What a feeling to be surrounded (literally), by Border Collies. The energy level, the intelligence, agility and grace of these dogs is something one has to live with, or see to believe. I have tried to explain to my family and friends about our weekend, but words fail me. I have truly been severly bitten by the herding bug, and I like it. Phoenix really does seem like a different dog, already. He acts like he has more confidence and even seems like he is glad to finally get the discipline he obviously needs, which will in turn make us both happier. Every since we got home when he even looks like he is gonna "cause trouble", I just have to pat his butt and say, "leave it & lie down", in a stern voice, and to my pleasant suprise, he does. We shall see, what the future brings, but I feel like we are on a roll. I don't mean to go on so, but I really need to tell someone who understands how I am feeling right now, and I know all of ya'll do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat's Dogs Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 WOW!!! What a great time you had! That sounds amazing! Pat on the back for both of you! I hope things continue to go that well in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Hey JoeAnne, That is a wonderful happy story. It's so nice that Phoenix is behaving himself and learning the herding skills. It really sounds like a lot of fun for both of you. Keep us informed of future herding class happenings. Hector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 JoeAnne I do believe the bug bit you hard! You sound as excited as I was! LOL Phoenix is going to do just fine! He's on his way! Good luck to you and Phoenix! It will just keep getting better! BTW, next time how about some more enthusiasm,,,,,,,,,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Anne Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I knew my BC Board friends would understand. Hey Linda, A serious LOL !! I actually thought maybe I was coming across a bit "over the edge" with excitement, enthusiasm and motivation, but I don't know when I have felt this "up", about ANYTHING, in years, literally! I feel like a giant sponge that has been exposed to drought conditions for a long time, and it is finally raining on me! I know this is silly, but, hey...that's how I feel and I like it!!, and I think Phoenix is picking up on it too. Even at home he is behaving much better and actually seems happier... go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I compare it to alcoholics. Only not such bad side effects! It is the only thing that wakes me up in the middle of the night and keeps me awake. When I first started working dogs, I wouldn't sleep for days before a clinic. Be careful...others really don't understand this new addiction. they think we're just weird! Well, I guess we are, but it's wonderful! Nice that you started with one of the best. Jack is just grand! Kristen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 I always hate to go home from Davidsonville, the Collisons are terrific hosts, the training is outstanding and friends...I miss you all tremendously for the longest time after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalyn Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Wow, that's great! What fun! I'm glad to hear Phoenix is doing so well. It must be so cool to see such huge improvement in such a small amount of time. Think you two will end up trialing in a few months? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Anne Posted June 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Debbie, you are so right about the Collisons as terrific hosts, and obviously caring people. I felt very welcome. I don't even really know everyone that well yet, but somehow I feel connnected and anxiously anticipate getting together again with everyone whenever that may be. We really learned alot from Jack, and all the other dogs and people there. Everyone was so helpful and willing to answer all my "beginner" questions. It was so good meeting you as well. Jenny, I don't know about a few months. I have no idea what level he has to be at to trial??? I am hoping to work with someone locally with sheep so we may be getting in some practice with a high level dog and handler. What is the minimum your dog has to be able to do in order to actually trial? Phoenix has just come off the leash during this clinic, and is still in the corral.. it was our first clinic & training lesson,(not counting the intro to sheep day, of which he stayed on leash the whole time). When we got home Sunday night, and sat and talked, I told him, hopefully some day with lots of practice and GOOD behavior, he would be able to run with the BIG dogs in the BIG field!! LOL!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenalyn Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 Hehe, I think I got ahead of myself, sorry! I honestly have no idea about how long it takes for a dog to be ready for a novice trial. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please, but a trial at the novice level consists of fetching the sheeps and penning the sheeps. Your dog should have a good outrun and know basic commands/directions (bye, away, down, etc.). I remember entering Chili in a novice trial after approximately a year of training. She had a nice outrun, directions, and a bit of driving (but that didn't matter at the trial). It was a complete disaster. I was about 13 at the time and very soft skinned, so it scared me off of trialing again. I know I'll get the nerve back up one of these days, though. -Jenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted June 24, 2006 Report Share Posted June 24, 2006 Jenny - A Novice run consists generally of a short outrun (100 yards or under), lift, and fetch (sometimes through fetch panels and sometimes not). The dog brings the sheep around the handler's post in a pre-determined direction (clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on the direction of the wear). Then the dog wears the sheep to you as you proceed to a set of wear panels (generally a shorter distance than the outrun) and takes the sheep through the panels (whether or not you proceed through them). You then turn back towards the pen as the dog continues to wear the sheep to you, and the dog pens the sheep while you hold the gate. That is, if all goes as planned! Since all classes but Open and Nursery are determined by the host/local/regional association under which they are being run, there may be variations. In some areas, rather than a wear, there may be an assisted drive (in a wear, the order is you, the sheep, and then the dog; in an assisted drive, the order is the sheep, then the dog and you). Occasionally, another obstacle may be substituted for the pen, like a Maltese cross. You are correct that the dog needs to know its outwork (outrun, lift, and fetch), and basic commands for flanking and control (down, take time, or similar commands) for a typical Novice run. Pro-Novice will require the dog to be able to drive a course similar to a Novice course, but perhaps a bit larger in scale, and occasionally with also a cross-drive through a second set of panels. Complete disasters can happen to any handler/dog team at any level and on any run. Retiring your dog from the run before things get out-of-hand is a wise choice. You just have to prepare the best you can beforehand (trust your trainer to tell you when you are ready) and realize that trialing is also a learning experience, and we learn from our mistakes. A dog can be pretty solid "at home" on sheep that he/she is familiar with, but much of the familiarity goes right out the window in a new venue and on different stock. That's one reason trialing is a good test of a dog (and handler) - it shows what they can do under different circumstances from the "everyday" at home or at the trainer's. This is all, of course, just my personal opinion and is coming from someone who will be very fortunate to ever make it out of the Novice class level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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