The hold after the shed

[Guest Kathy]

Okay, I will see if I can ask this here even tho you cannot see what my dog or I am doing.

 

I have a 5 1/2 year old male who has been trialing at lower levels. I introduced him to sheding last fall and starting working him on it. He appears to have an understanding of coming through the sheep so that he can split them. (sometimes too well as he has been known to split them while driving now) At any rate, he is coming the sheep, but it appears that he is having problems understanding the hold after the shed. At times he will appear to start to hold the sheep, but then when they go to run to the other group he just watches them and then will flank around to pick up the whole group again.

 

I guess what I am trying to ask is how do you get a dog to understand the hold after the shed??

 

If you can think of any other questions that you want to ask me to get a better picture, ask away.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

[Guest Penny Tose]

I need to apologize. I was away longer than I planned.

 

Age: It has bcome clearer and clearer to me that waiting to teach the shed

is a mistake. With my next youngster, I am teaching the shed well before age

two.

 

Standing there looking: I am incredibly sympathetic. I think you have to get

to a shedding clinic.

 

I know that is not the advice you wanted to hear. It's also true.

 

In the meantime, go back to big groups, let the dog take charge, and put the

shed sheep in a different pen with great gusto. Make your dog like to shed. Never yell. He won't forgive you if you do.

 

Penny

[Guest Kathy]

I will see what I can do to get to a shedding clinic.

 

My dog seems to enjoy the shedding part, but I am having problems getting him to understand and do the hold after we separate the sheep.

 

I guess it just means more work for us.

 

Kathy

 

So many things to do with a young dog that shouldn't be left till they are older, shedding, driving......

[Guest Penny Tose]

Down the dog at the point to hold the sheep or pause him, then start walking with the sheep so that you and the dog take the sheep away or so that you turn the shed into a fetch.

 

Have you done that?

 

Still no yelling.

 

Penny