Puppysitting

Winter of Herding: Day Twenty One

Another gorgeous day, practice in Molalla. We worked on our homework, flanking contrary to body language, trying to put a cue to adding distance on his flanks, slowing down on his lift, driving with precision and lying down on his fetch. It all went pretty well, I don’t think it necessarily addressed our biggest issue, which is his outrun. But we gave it a try. We also looked briefly at a shedding exercise, but I wasn’t entirely sure I was doing it correctly. Shedding is on the list for after the February trial.

Last week of herding vacation, we will all miss it, I think.

Winter of Herding: Day Twenty Two

Down in Scio, outruns for Haku, pro-novice distance. The good news, he looks much better going out, still tight on the top but he recognizes this distance and is pretty confident with it, no problem finding sheep out there now. The bad news, zero response to anything I shout once he gets out there, so way too fast and then just following running sheep down the field until he gets to about 100 yards from me, then he’s like, “Oh hi!”. Some options to fix this included using a 4-wheeler that I could zoom up and fix the issue when he doesn’t respond (ha!) and moving quickly up field after I send him so I can be closer to fix the issue once he gets up there, which is probably a more realistic option.

I did eventually get some response by ‘cheating’ and starting to ask for a down before he had even got behind the sheep. The good news, he did lie down, but I had been walking up the field while he was getting up there and he did get in trouble the last attempt for complete lack of response – so he was more receptive. So we have been given the green light to teach a stop whistle. I am not feeling overly optimistic about the whistle thing, I am not a musical person. But, once again, the whole herding thing in general most definitely doesn’t play to my strengths, so hey. The stop whistle also sounds the easiest to do. As I haven’t touched my whistle in months, that seems like a good thing.

Progression of introduction should start by asking for a lie down and then whistle to introduce it, then whistle and hard ‘LIE DOWN’. The theory being when they hear the whistle they want to lie down before getting the hard verbal. I’m pretty sure we can pair it in a nicer way though.

Not entirely sure where I’m going to train this – in the house, I guess? Maybe in the field? I’ll start by trying to find my whistle and seeing if I can remember how to work it …  Might also be time to practice in the big field and see if we can work on this on our own.

I worked with Navarre today, I take back everything I said about him always bringing back all the sheep. However, for whatever reason he actually DOES slow down on his outruns when approaching the sheep, which is so much nicer than Haku. But sheep split for Navarre, which they don’t for Haku, so I’m not sure what it is he’s doing that’s incorrect but we kept ending up with two groups and a ram with his own agenda. We can usually do like 2 minutes of things at the start that aren’t a total train wreck before Navarre decides that I obviously don’t know what I’m doing and just starts running me over with sheep again. Then I just get really frustrated. Ian says I’m being way too unfair to him and that I’m way more patient with Haku – and I totally agree. I also think Haku is trying to work with me and Navarre is not. Then we talked about how I need to be sharper with my corrections with Navarre, which is all I ever feel like I do with him, so I think I’m trying to keep calm and unemotional. But I apparently need to be more sharp with my corrections to get him to notice. Ah, more on the fine art of yelling ‘hey!’ at your dog. Herding is very amusing.

So, yeah, Navarre does a lot better with Ian and Dave, for the obvious reason that they actually know what they’re doing. They both seem to think he’s trying hard, and I do agree, Navarre would rather be doing this than anything else. However, I feel quite justified and letting the experts deal with Navarre while Haku can still do it. They are more enthusiastic about it than I am.

Navarre was extra naughty today, he was doing some ignoring of Ian and running off to catch sheep that he clearly thought were getting away, refusing to lie down and basically feeling like he knows better than anyone around here what needs to happen with the sheep. Him and Dove are similar in that way, they are quite certain they’re correct.

I did actually work Dove a little today, which I have never done before. Not entirely sure why Ian thought this would be helpful, but I found Dove way more relaxing to work with than Navarre. Well, other than the occasional busting up of sheep, which she is quite confident is part of the process.

Winter of Herding: Day Twenty Three

It’s still not pretty or correct, and certainly not when I actually ask him to, but Haku is doing better with his downs at extreme distances. At least he’s eventually responding, anyway. So, progress of a sort. Our driving was pretty terrible though. The blame has been put squarely on me. Hopefully I will improve with time, but Haku is patient in the meantime and enjoying himself.

I had a hard time knowing how to help Haku with a sheep that kept turning and facing him. I thought I was having Haku lie down as soon as he turned the sheep, but apparently not at all soon enough or long enough for Haku not to annoy the sheep again when he got back up again. In my defense, Haku would turn the sheep, I would lie him down … and the sheep would just stand there grazing, I wasn’t sure what to do. I like it when sheep move, though I also screwed up when I would lie Haku down to try to figure out where the sheep were in space so I could do the cross drive correctly – which was also incorrect, he needed to keep moving. Always something new to learn, and today we did not do things correctly.

Navarre and Ian looked really good! Navarre was probably just thankful I wasn’t working him. Ian didn’t need to get on his case very much at all. Relatively speaking. He was being all surprisingly cooperative. And Navarre continues to do things that I have no idea where he learned them, like his outrun is all crazy long and he’s way better at not cutting in on top than Haku. And he was driving and actually lying down when asked and looking all kind of professional – and VERY proud of himself. This herding vacation was not about him at all, but he has very much benefited. I still have no intentions of actually working him until Haku has had his time in the spotlight, so Navarre can continue to play with all the good handlers. Haku is stuck with me, but I don’t think he minds. Navarre finds my inexperience frustrating, Haku doesn’t – because he’s perfect, of course.

At the end after Navarre moved the sheep into the exhaust he didn’t want to leave them there though, I’m not sure where this new found obsession with not leaving sheep behind came from. While he will normally call off sheep without an issue, if he thinks sheep are being left behind irresponsibly he will blow off Ian like there is no tomorrow to go take care of it. And while he can be pushy, he’s not normally completely disobedient and refuse to come unless it’s in those situations. Ah, herding, teaching my dog all sorts of good habits. Still, herding makes Navarre enormously happy, I’m glad he gets to play – and I don’t care if he ever does anything with herding, it’s worth it to see him do what makes him happiest.

Four days of herding left, the dogs actually have a day off tomorrow. Ian said the dogs were going to be upset when it was over, especially Navarre. And, sadly, it’s true – while this is all for Haku, I think Navarre is the one that actually loves it the most.

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Hey, look, a puppy! We have an adorable visitor this week, a herding bred border collie puppy, 9 weeks. I think he’s going to Nevada? Something like that. Really nice little puppy, so very sweet, cuddly and playful. No bad traits at this point, just seems like a nice boy. Bright thinks he needs SO MUCH DISCIPLINE. Not sure why, he doesn’t seem too forward or pushy, but Bright is usually right about these things. Haku tries to ignore him and Navarre thinks he’s okay, but doesn’t like any puppy fussing or possible drama. Luckily puppy is not much into drama, so that’s worked out okay.

I imagine he’ll get more plucky as the week goes on and he gets more comfortable, but for now he’s an easy addition – even slept through the night on the bed. We’ve done just a little training, he’s got a wave now and we’ve done a little bit with hand touches, downs, relax and spin. And rewarding anything cute, of course. He’s just starting to connect his behavior with the rewards, but hasn’t quite got the concept yet. He’s a people focused little thing though, lots of eye contact and wanting pets. I like him, he gets my approval despite being red. I’m no colorist.