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We're going to one camp with an American trainer, and one with a British trainer. But over there in the States, you guys have a whole heap of choices - including sheep camps (sigh!). Just did a search on my favorite search engine www.dogpile.com (what else) using 'dog camps' and got some good hits.

 

BTW - apologies to AKDogDoc - I'm afraid your thread got hijacked - but then Ali-Ollie-Wallaby has his own thread now. I do think a hyphenated name is so classy - and yes, it's a bit hard to call - but no worse than "Kirra/Fergus/whoever you are". :rolleyes:

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No worries, Tassie; actually it's quite comforting. It helps me know I'm not doomed to go completely around the bend yet on the training thing. If you can cling to sanity (ie, have not yet bought a 3,000 head sheep operation), then so can I. It's inspiring. :rolleyes:

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Hey Barb,

Have you made some friends amongst your trainer's students? Maybe your trainer would agree to let you bring in a guest instructor and do a sheep camp of your own at your trainer's place. I could help you with the format etc since I've done a few myself.

Andrea

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Sheesh! Take a few days off and look what I missed. Gee did I start something with the Lucher site :D . I suspected all along there were closet lurcher folks about .

I have always known about folks who hunt coyotes with site hounds (mostly wolf hounds) Not my idea of a fun date, but I imagine it would be magnificant to see them running flat out . But I always maintain they could do that any way. Not unlike the extreme thrill I get when I see BCs hearding and doing the job they love so much.

About the sheep, I hear baaa baaa baaa in your future. You can't avoid it it's happened already .

At least it won't be hard to keep them all in one place. And if you need more your poaching dog could round some up for you. Hmmmmm I guess that wouldn't be the approved method and you don't want to start him on a life of crime. Apparently in other parts of the world this is an easy leap :rolleyes: . Hey I have some space, 10 acres and I'm still figuring out how I can get some sheep and do all the critters justice,on my income and I have only so much time, with out extra help. But I have been bittn by the herding bug with my dogs. I make the time when I can afford it and mean while try not to do anything to mess them up. These dogs may not become the herding fools I would like. But there is always a plan in the back of my mind and for right now it's enough.

Ok so back to reality no sheep in the back yard now( but think of the money you could save on mowing) continue on hearding lessons with Finn, even Ali could be the fastest sheep dog in Alaska who knows:D I'm glad your healing from your loss of Buddy, and that you have discovered the Woolies. The Universie knew what you needed.

Andrea D.

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You should have seen the look of ill-concealed disgust on my herding coach's face when I mentioned Ali's heritage. I decided not to suggest that we might investigate to see if he has any interest. :rolleyes: However, one of the Aussie people up here is sponsoring an "instinct test" up here on the 17th so I might take Ali to that, just for grins. I know we here on the boards don't have a lot of respect for instinct testing, and would never substitute an instinct test for proven ability on stock in assessing a BC's worth as a stock dog, but since Ali is a mix, I have to admit the idea intrigues me. (No need to test Finn's instinct, since he's proven he has it.) So we might try Ali on that.... one of Ali's original owners says she's seen him skulk along behind his mother when she's slinking around the stock, but whether he's just copying her or has some real instinct is another question... to be honest, I don't expect him to have any instinct, but it might be interesting to see the instinct testing anyway, so I can see what they consider proof of instinct to be.

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Andrea, you?d be sooo welcome in Tasmania in January ? weather could be anything from heat wave to snow! Sadly, there are only 2 students at the moment ? and one of those has an incapacitated dog at present. And fine wool prices aren?t good enough to pay airfare. :rolleyes: Now if Nan was growing fat lambs ? lambs are bringing A$160 a head ? about A$5 per kilo at present ?..

 

I?m off to sheep practice ? thank goodness it has finished snowing on the highlands for the moment, and the snow and ice if there was any should be off the highway by now.

 

Hey Doc, I think you should take Ali to that instinct test - as long as there aren't any rabbits or hares in the arena!

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Hmmm, you've sussed me out Mark.

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of one of the Kelpie guys like Michael Johnson or Chris Stapleton, selfish brute that I am. I assume they wouldn't turn their noses up at working with border collies. :rolleyes:

So, to plan B: talk up the joys of sheepdogging with the likeliest agility folks. Build up a group that goes out to your trainer. Once there are enough of you, you can sponsor all sorts of events and give your instructor a cut for using her facilities. She could do the first clinic herself. Eventually, you can look into renting a field for yourselves and take turns caring for the sheep.

Gosh, I'm just full of ideas for the obsessed, having come down that road myself. As a matter of fact, I still don't own a farm. I do all my trials, clinics etc at my friends' farms.

Here's some pics from our last trial at my friend Sheri's place:

 

 

Hillydale SDT

 

A.

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AKA DD,

I had a friend who had a German Shepard, and she got a similar reaction from one of the herding Gurus here in Mo.(Horror, distain, shock and dismay) Until she badgered him in to letting her dog try. Well it was a respectable showing and her dog did well. She worked on advancing her ability until her hips started bothering her and she couldn't continue to work her anymore. I think it could be fine for Ali, his BC heritage might have enough instinct for both sets of parents. Hey if you want to give them your money and see if he is able to work then what's the difference? It's not like you decided to come up with a better version of a working dog and you want him to give you his blessing. Sheesh people can be sort of narrow sometimes :rolleyes:

Andrea D.

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Denise, my friend and inspiration,

Yup, the 5700. Still haven't cracked open the manual, but it sure is fun using it in the limited way I can and posting stuff to my homepage. mac.com is bloody brilliant, everything ties together and creating pages is a piece of cake. Yay for Macs!

A.

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Hey Doc,

I seem recall that some kind of coursing breed figured in the ancestral border collie anyway, for speed and endurance (and poaching small game, no doubt) so it'll just be a question of whether you have too much of it in Ali to make for a useful sheep dog. Does he show any eye?

A.

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Not to me, he hasn't, but I've never taken him near stock. He did go still as a rock and stare at my cats the first time he saw them, but no crouching and he was more looking down at them that levelling his head predatorily and fixing them in his stare. So I think I'd characterise that as good manners more than having Eye.

 

At any rate, if he DOES have any instinct, I'll feel obliged to at least attempt him on stock. Then I guess we'd see. Assuming I could find anyone who'd be interested in letting him anywhere near their stock...

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