Novice do/don't list

[borderlicious]

What, in your opinion, are the most harmful mistakes a novice trainer/handler can make with a young dog? What are the best things to do with a young dog?

 

I'm just curious, so rattle off what's on your mind please! Explanations would be great.

 

Thanks :-)

[Guest CleverDog]

Great idea! If anyone doesn't mind me adding to the list above...what was something you wished you would have done differently with your first dog? (Or any dog, for that matter).

[Bo Peep]

The best thing I learned was pretty simple. When switching from a round pen to a larger square area, if the sheep always go to a certain corner- tie another dog there and they won't go. Sometimes the problems that seem so hard are solved so easy.

Another thing when you are brand spanking new. Herd the sheep through a few obstacles yourself, so you can get the feel of where the dog should be and how sheep move before even trying to put sheep to a dog.

Oh also, have control over your dog before going out to the sheep. Take him/her out where the sheep are on a leash and practice the lie down a lot. Make sure you have a good stop-

 

BOY- Have I made a lot of mistakes, that I keep repeating. DOH !!!!

[Bill Fosher]

No. 1 novice mistake: not letting your dog learn or work. Making it do things. Putting it off contact.

[kelpiegirl]

Bill- you've hit the nail SQUARE on the head describing me. My dog knew it was wrong from day one, I, however was not so fast on the uptake, but never fear, I got it now. Every time I start to micromanage I make myself

do 10 jumping jacks.

Julie

ps: I have never been so fit ;0)

No. 1 novice mistake: not letting your dog learn or work. Making it do things. Putting it off contact.

[bcnewe2]

My biggest mistake was/is using the lie down as a means to get my head together. Not letting the dog from stay on contact.

 

I agree with Bo Peep iin having the dog go to sheep with the right attitude but not with the lie down.

 

Kristen

[Pearse]

I'll second (third) Bill on number 1.

 

2. on my list, is getting after the dog for stuff that is your fault. Time and again I've found myself blaming the dog and figuring out in hindsight that I was responsible for the wreck, or that the dog was doing the right thing when I was asking for the absolute wrong thing. So, have some faith in the dog and evaluate carefully before deciding the dog is wrong.

 

3. Lack of patience. Everyone wants their pup to be an International Supreme Champion out of the box, and we all know for certain that our dog is the greatest thing since Wiston Cap and should be able to do anything. Some dogs are working well at a year, some take three. Stretching a dog out is OK. Forcing it to do things it doesn't yet have the tools for isn't.

 

In my limited experience, I've concluded that these dogs really really want to do the right thing 99.9% of the time. If they don't it's because;

 

- you asked them to do the absolute wrong thing

- they did not understand what you wanted

- they don't have the skills yet

[Deacon Dog]

Pearse's #3 is my personal #1 since I have a tendency to spend too much time on the fancy stuff and not enough getting the basics down pat.

 

The more I've gotten to watch and talk to top-notch trainers, I'm surprised how much time they spend on the building blocks--proper flanks, 100% stop, etc.--even to maintain training on their open level dogs.

[Guest WoobiesMom]

Impatience and embarrassment. Mine and mine. I'm training myself to say "Sorry pup" and walk away and calm down when things just aren't working. It's always something I'm doing and when I take a deep breath, I can usually figure it out.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Things I wish I knew when I was first getting started:

 

Trust your dog, but don't be afraid to correct your dog - it's better to be wrong than to be wishy washy.

Don't make excuses, find solutions.

As others have said, be aware of the limitations every dog has and be fair.

Make it your number one goal to find out what good stockwork looks and feels like so you can aim for it with your own dogs.

[MickeyDogs]

One thing I think a lot of novice folk do is talk to their dog too much. A young dog learning his way around the sheep is learning much more by the handler's body position and language and the sheep's movement than by verbal yaking. I think the words just get in the handler's way and in the beginning the dog isn't hearing them anyway. Save putting the word to the move when the dog is consistantly "right" when he makes the move. Even the ever popular "lie down" doesn't have to be said - when the dog is on balance, stop the movement and the dog with a feel for his sheep should stop on its own.

 

Another thing, and it's been said quite a bit lately, is give the dog the sheep. Correct the dog for incorrect flanking or diving, but then step back and let the dog go around the sheep. Consistanly blocking the dog, not allowing him to get to the sheep, produces a frustrated dog that is learning to fight the handler, not good. I often wonder how many so called "hard headed" dogs are made ...

[red russel]

1. Put your ego in the closet before you go out to the field.

 

2. Help your dog. I always hear my trainer in my ear... Help your dog. Works well to help your dog do the right thing as opposed to correcting your dog for the wrong thing. This would suggest that corrections should be instructive and provide guidance.

 

3. Work with a professional trainer. Develop a relationship with someone that is a successful open handler that trains their own dogs. My trainer knows my dogs as well as I do. Really helps when we talk on the phone about current challenges and next steps.