Guest elayne Posted May 14, 2003 Report Share Posted May 14, 2003 Hi Sam! I'm on a roll here. I need some suggestions please. When my dog goes left on the outrun its almost as if he goes into outerspace at times. He does not make contact with the sheep, his head does not turn in. I've been yelling at the top of my lungs but he ignores me. It's almost like he's hard of hearing in that direction. I work him close and he's fine, I keep moving it out and it's still fine, and sometimes on a long outrun its still ok, I never know exactly when it's going to happen and he is oh so subtle. If you are reading this while you're away, I hope you're having great success. Till you get back... Elayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tucknjill Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just back and I am flat worn out from a ten hour drive, but promise willl think on it and answer you tomorrow. Also have some thoughts on your gripping question after facing off some very tought sheep...with some success and some failure..anyway off to bed, more in am. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tucknjill Posted May 21, 2003 Report Share Posted May 21, 2003 Hi Elayne, The only thing that springs to mind in addition to what you are already doing is that you can mechanicalize it a bit. ALL DOGS WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BE GUIDED ON THEIR OUTRUNS. They need to learn to take guidance from you. This might be a good time to start teaching the fundamentals of that. With the sheep fairly close at hand and you in the middle, send your dog and practice stopping them and pulling them in and pushing them out. Unfortunately, I use my recall whistle to slightly pull my dogs in when they are at a distance (can think of many reasons why that and or the walk up whistle would be a bad idea.) I would like to think that I will train my young dog with different pull in whistles for each side and just a drawn out wider version of the flanking whistle to push them out. So decide what commands you are going to use and then start practicing close, pushing off and pulling in..then gradually lenghten the distance. My Grace can be quite wide on the outrun and I have had to really work on this and now I know she understands what I want she gets a pretty stiff verbal correction if she goes wide and doesnt take my call in...of course I am 100% certain she understands and she is just not minding. Be wary of the dog starting to stop on the outrun or getting confused. As with all things, do this in moderation. Be consistant with your commands and listen to what your dog is trying to tell you to guage how well your training is going...Ok that is the short answer, please let me know if you need more explanation on any parts...as always, I am a bit hard up when I have to put the words on paper so to speak. I am off again to a trial in NC and will be leaving Friday back late Monday night. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bonnie Lindsay Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 This is for Elayne. I noted that you said you scream your head off at your dog. Dog's are just like kids, you yell at them a lot and they quit listening. I am fortunate enough to work with Alasdair Macrae and Scott Glen - Everything is done quietly so your dog will have to listen to you. The only time we raise our voice is for a correction, and then it's only a couple of words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GDavis Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 wow Bonnie, that IS fortunate. two of the best. I'm curious though, how do you manage to work with a guy from Canada and a guy from back east when you're in So. Cal.? also, does the approach they take depend on the situation and the dog, or are they always quiet, like you said, "everything is done quietly"? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tucknjill Posted June 21, 2003 Report Share Posted June 21, 2003 Bonnie, Not picking on you, just joking, but I am fortunate enough to work a good bit with Alasdair as well and am pretty good buds with Scott, and you are correct in your assumption that they are quiet till something goes wrong....HOWEVER, I have heard them both be far less than quiet on many occasions! The key to any correction I think is to establish it close at hand. For them and me, Noise or yelling isnt just yelling. It has consequences which is why it transfers and MEANS something at great distances...it can be just running them off stock, to picking them up and giving them a shake....or whatever, but (their dogs even more than mine I am afriad) know that if I am sounding that pissed, I am generally going to do something about it other than just yell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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