Raising the comfort zone

[RoseAmy]

Hi Carol,

This is along the lines of the exercise you were discussing in the last question. My pup is now 11 months and coming along fine. The only real problems ( and I say that in a good way) is her good old stock sense gets in the way sometimes.. She has a great stop, knows her flanks reads sheep like a book.. The trouble is if i ask her to do something that is against that stock sense. It's a battle to get her to accept my way.

 

Let's just say she's very biddable until she thinks I've lost my stock sense and then feels she should take things into her own hands.

 

Example if the sheep are facing left and I want to send her way she has a fit and wants to go come bye. She hates giving up their heads.

 

I've been doing the exercise with the flanks on the fence that you explained to Ragtimedog. It's going fine until that final stop between sheep and fence--way outside her comfort zone any hints for raising the comfort zone?

[Guest carol campion]

Hi Carol,

This is along the lines of the exercise you were discussing in the last question. My pup is now 11 months and coming along fine. The only real problems ( and I say that in a good way) is her good old stock sense gets in the way sometimes.. She has a great stop, knows her flanks reads sheep like a book.. The trouble is if i ask her to do something that is against that stock sense. It's a battle to get her to accept my way.

 

Let's just say she's very biddable until she thinks I've lost my stock sense and then feels she should take things into her own hands.

 

Example if the sheep are facing left and I want to send her way she has a fit and wants to go come bye. She hates giving up their heads.

 

I've been doing the exercise with the flanks on the fence that you explained to Ragtimedog. It's going fine until that final stop between sheep and fence--way outside her comfort zone any hints for raising the comfort zone?

 

 

Hi

 

Rose have arrived at your next level of training! <<She has a great stop, knows her flanks reads sheep like a book..>> If you write this, then she doesn't really know her flanks. If she did, she would take them no matter what. Then it is up to you to use them when you need and not over command her.

 

You might find that to get that last bit of off balance flanking when the sheep are drawing her another direction, it is easier for her in the open. This will depend on your sheep. If too light, she won;t do it. Too much draw. Then take it along the fence. If along the fence, once she will take that last bit if flank that really asks her to let go of her hold on the sheep, stop her between the sheep and the fence and have her push them off the fence. That way, she will see there is a purpose to her taking a command so uncomfortable. Same in the open. Once she takes that clumsy flank, either flank her all the way around to balance and let her fetch to give the flank purpose, or stop her on your side somewhere and have her drive them. If she is not driving yet, do it along the fence and have her stop between the sheep and the fence and you move so she can fetch them to you.

 

The way to teach these flanks and keep the dog from getting frustrated or confused is to add some bit of work to the end of each flank. You decide where to stop her though. Don't let her show her opinion by picking where to stop. It gets to be a bad habit and is as bad as not taking a flank at all.

 

When in the open, don't always ask your dog for the easy flank, the one they are offering. Ask for the difficult as well. That way once further along in training, your dog won't balk at some odd flank you ask for because you have trained for it.

 

Again, once you have these great flanks and the flexibility to flank your dog, it doesn't mean you have to handle by over commanding. These are exercises to make your dog more mentally flexible in case you need the flanks. They will allow you greater handling options.

 

At first, just do a little bit. She may argue a bit at first. They all do-at least any dog with feel for its sheep does. But be patient and consistent and each day she will become more and more pliable.

 

Remember to keep this mixed up with balance work and natural work.

 

Carol

[Guest carol campion]

Hi

 

If your dog has real trouble taking this last bit if flank, stop her before she gets a chance to flip back to the side she prefers and step out to that side yourself and call her around you as a off balance flank. It might help her if this is really difficult for her.

 

Keep in mind she is young and take it slowly.

 

Carol

[RoseAmy]

Carol,

 

Thanks I will try those things. And thanks for reminding me she's young. I think the big problem is me, so much she does comes so easy I forget and assume that she should be doing more.

 

Keep telling myself talent and training are two different things!

[Guest carol campion]

Carol,

 

Thanks I will try those things. And thanks for reminding me she's young. I think the big problem is me, so much she does comes so easy I forget and assume that she should be doing more.

 

Keep telling myself talent and training are two different things!

 

 

I have been thinking more about you & your dog. Make sure she knows what an off balance flank is before you ask her to take it in a high pressure situation as along the fence. Along the fence is high tension because she knows if she takes that last flank, the sheep, if light & touchy, will try to break. I'd work to teach her off balance flanks in an open situation with knee knocker sheep where there is no draw for the sheep. That way she can listen and learn more readily what you are asking for. If she is always trying to cover flighty sheep, it is hard for any dog, let alone a youngster, to do this. So expecting her to learn the commands when her mind isn't really letting go of sheep is hard. Knee knocker sheep—up close—to teach her off balance and then once you feel she knows the flanks, balance & off balance, then ask for it in a higher pressure situation as along the fence.

 

I think you will see that really understanding letting go of her hold on sheep in a high pressure situation could possibly prevent her from learning those flanks.

 

Carol

[RoseAmy]

Thanks Carol I really appreciate you putting so much thought into my questions.

 

I think she is finally getting it. I found that when I'm doing those exercises and I stop her when she is wrong is just frustrated her and seemed to make her more determined to go her way so now I just say no, block her, then tell her to get back then resend her seems the further back she gets away from the sheep the more willing she is to do things my way.

[Guest carol campion]

Thanks Carol I really appreciate you putting so much thought into my questions.

 

I think she is finally getting it. I found that when I'm doing those exercises and I stop her when she is wrong is just frustrated her and seemed to make her more determined to go her way so now I just say no, block her, then tell her to get back then resend her seems the further back she gets away from the sheep the more willing she is to do things my way.

 

 

Good observation. It may be you need to teach all of this a greater distance so her eye isn't as strong holding her to a certain spot. Get it done in a less stressful scenario and move it all to tighter-more pressure packed situations once you know she knows how to do what is asked.

 

Carol