Gideon's girl Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 C54 was great! I saw some really nice dogs run, met some great people, got a Craig Molloch crook from Stuart Ballantyne, and had a great time. The SDT this coming weekend is right down the road from C54 and promises to be every bit as great. I can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted February 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 That'll Do Farm SDT was WOW!! I've met a few people that have been recommended to me from people here, met a few people who are taking new students, and a few people who will let me come and work different types of sheep when I'm ready. We've got one more trial next weekend, then our trial season is over, and since we had temps in the 80s today, I sure can understand why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I'm glad all your research is paying off in meeting new people, and especially possible mentors. Keep us updated on your progress! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Allen Higgenbotham(I hope I got the last name right) is moving down here and as soon as he gets himself settled in, I've got a great new place to start getting some lessons. I'm hoping he also brings a new clinician or 2 or 3 to our state. Linden Hollow is this weekend. It's cold and rainy, so I have found that, for the future, I definitely need better rain gear. I knew that issue was going to come up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Allen's very nice. People I know think a lot of him. Sounds like a good opportunity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 You can find out a little about him here: http://www.sheepdogfinalsblog.com/allen-hickenbottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Thanks! He was really nice and took the time to explain things when we had questions about rules and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Dear Doggers, Ms. Gideon's girl writes: "Linden Hollow is this weekend. It's cold and rainy, so I have found that, for the future, I definitely need better rain gear. I knew that issue was going to come up..." Trials are only canceled for weather when it's life threatening. Be (over) prepared. Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Yep. Adequate rain gear (and other inclement weather) is a must. Another valuable lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I was actually prepared for a spectator. I have a minivan with the back hatch and I have a tarp arrangement that covers the whole back area, so my chair goes under there and we're nice and dry. But I definitely need to find rain gear for when I have to stand around out in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Of course, there's always this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 OK Eileen, that it fabulous! Off to choose a color... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 But where would I park my Segway? Garage? Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconutretriever Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Subbing this thread... I'm in the southeasternmost US (the Virgin Islands) and also looking for training resources. (Posted my story in my own topic - rehabbing rescue crosses...) Gideon's Girl, I am raising hair sheep, mostly organically and 100% pasture fed, keep about 40-70 head on 15-40 acres of pasture, happy to answer questions about caring for them. Did you decide on a breed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Of course, there's always this. I saw a row if these driving by a soccer field this fall, one of my coworkers who is a soccer mom says they are pretty awesome and work better than anything else they've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etlai Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 What a whirlwind of a month! Been so busy during the week, and then trials every weekend back-to-back-to-back meant no rest there either. Worth it. Was able to meet Gideon's girl (and Gideon and Micah- beautiful pups!) and started a hyper-active drive in making contacts and learning about the FL (and some GA) sheepdogging community that doesn't have an online presence. List includes D. Boyce, D. Holcomb, K. Kingsland, D. Saunders, A. Hickenbottom, R. Cannon.. Was absolutely phenomenal. It'll be a long 11mo until the next trial here Well, there's always the GSDA SDT in 2 months to get the sheepdogging fix.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Wow, Eileen, those are interesting! I do have to wonder if SDTs are usually as windy as the ones we attended the last 3 weekends. I think if I was inside a bubble, I would have blown away at C54. I would have looked something like a red plastic tumbleweed. I'm getting sheep from David Saunders, BTW. I believe they are a bit of a mix. Since I'm a beginner, he's got some nice dog broke sheep he will start me out with, and I'll also get a few younger ones. I talked sheep with several sheep people at our trials and a few people told me I didn't want their sheep, too light for a beginner, but they were happy to talk for a while about what I should look for, and they highly recommended David's sheep for my situation. I'll be taking lessons on katahdins and St Croix, and after I get working better, I had an offer to work my dog on some heavy sheep, so I'm thrilled about the different exposures we'll be getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconutretriever Posted March 3, 2015 Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hybrid vigor is good in sheep. My healthiest ewes and young rams are St. Croix Whites with a nice cross of dorper in them - black heads or piebald markings - and keep a little mane/mohawk of wool along their necks/backs in the cooler months. I'm completely new to all this sheepdog stuff, but I'm guessing you can make sheep a bit "heavier" just by handling them quite a bit and getting them used to you. It seems to be the case with my sheep. Anytime I've gotten a new group, they bolt for the hills off the trailer and run from us at chore time. Over a few weeks and months, especially when grouped with my calmer sheep, they become much calmer and more trusting. Since I have worked my sheep for a few years with no herding dogs, I've learned to identify and cultivate relationships with the sheep with the most proclivity for chin scratches and belly rubs. They become my most sensible lead animals. I imagine they'd be less likely to panic at the sight of me with a herding dog than some of the younger, flightier sheep. Best of luck with your sheep! I'm excited for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Dear Aspiring Shepherds, I doubt it is ever a good idea to "cultivate relationships "with the sheep and certainly not with rams. "Pet" rams are dangerous. Such sheep will be more difficult for the trained sheepdog and I'd suspect they might ruin a less confident beginner. Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconutretriever Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Hmmmm, that's an interesting perspective from the sheepdog side of the shepherding job. If like me you've raised sheep without herding dogs altogether for a few years, you do have to have some relationship of mutual trust with the stock to be able to do any work with them. Like any animal, they are able to learn from experience. I never turn my back on a ram but my sheep know and trust me because of how I treat them. Maybe once you have sheepdogs your focus shifts away from interest in knowing and respecting the intelligence of the sheep themselves? I guess a good herding dog would preclude the need to spend time cultivating trust with and recognizing the lead sheep individuals in your various breeding groups? Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxi Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Hmmmm, that's an interesting perspective from the sheepdog side of the shepherding job. If like me you've raised sheep without herding dogs altogether for a few years, you do have to have some relationship of mutual trust with the stock to be able to do any work with them. Like any animal, they are able to learn from experience. I never turn my back on a ram but my sheep know and trust me because of how I treat them. Maybe once you have sheepdogs your focus shifts away from interest in knowing and respecting the intelligence of the sheep themselves? I guess a good herding dog would preclude the need to spend time cultivating trust with and recognizing the lead sheep individuals in your various breeding groups? Interesting. Oh not so, IME , shepherds with working dogs respect their stock, know their individual sheep and build a trusting relationship with them ...but Rams who have been petted and loose their fear of humans can be very dangerous (especially in the build up to tupping) ...and very tame sheep who have not been brought up being worked by a dog do not respond to a sheepdog in the same way as less tame ones do. If tame sheep are used to being worked by a dog, they can still have issues, but less so than ones who have not seen a dog before. Jmo ETA. There is an old saying often quoted by the ISDS 'there is no good flock without a good shepherd, and no good shepherd without a good dog.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Dear Aspirng Shepherds, I guess a good herding dog would preclude the need to spend time cultivating trust with and recognizing the lead sheep individuals in your various breeding groups? We had sheep for maybe 4 years before we had a sheepdog and in my case at least the opposite was true. I started to really understand sheep and their ways because effective dog handling requires it. Immediately knowing the leader of three sheep who may never have flocked before on an unfamiliar trial field takes sheep sense and, indeed, top handler' are finally disniguished from the rest less by their skill with dogs than their ability to read sheep. I must repeat, however, how dangerous it is to make a pet of a ram. While you may be suitably wary, how about your nephew's toddler whose berry bucket looks just like a feed bucket to your ram? Several years ago, there were newspaper reports of a pet ram in soiuthwest Virginia who killed his elerdly shepherd and his wife when she came to his aid. Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etlai Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 From correspondence with toney on these boards, ref: rams: As far as Rams, never ever keep a ram raised on a bottle. They are cute little devils but have no fear or respect for the person. Therein lies the major issue. Always always know where the ram is at all times. They prefer to butt from behind. The first time or two will be gentle nudges... Checking out your responses...your response should be the Wrath of God. You should never let them in your space. Emphasis mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I haven't had a ram yet, but I have had buck goats, and I would agree about the wrath of God. My first buck was 4 months old when I got him and already perfectly willing to headbutt you from in front, behind, wherever. Nothing dissuaded him except knowing I had a good stout stick in my hand. He ended up in the freezer pretty quickly. My second buck figured out that butting me was not an option, but didn't carry that lesson over to others, especially not children. Since my kids are mostly grown, and I can control where he is when people are over, he lasted much longer before going in the freezer. The one I'm using now is as mild as they come, so he probably won't have a date with the freezer ever. My up and coming buckling is only 11 weeks old, so it remains to be seen where he will end up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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