taking a small flank

[Guest elayne]

Hi Amanda-

I have a 5 1/2hr old male BC that was imported and then I purchased him at 1 1/2. I need ideas to make him want to take a small come flank. His strong side is his away side and he is much freer moving in that direction. I have a feeling somewhere in his very early training he did not take that small flank, an issue was make out of it (do not even let him see a whip) and now he just doesn't like to or want to do it.(very poor attitude). Do you have a new idea or different approach I can try to maybe make him want to take the small flank from ME and not seeing some mean person with a whip everytime he hears that little "come" word. Can I go back perhaps and re-teach it a different way that will make it fun for him and he will have some spirit doing it-instead of his turning like sour grapes?

BTW, thank you for all your suggesions, they have been interesting to read. We'll settle your bill when I meet you :-)

[Guest Amanda]

Five and half years old, and curing a refusal to flank, are not a happy combination. He has had four years of practice doing the wrong thing. Letting dogs get away with something wrong, is giving them practice.

Having said that, you can take long walks beside your sheep, along a fence line, where the right hand flank would send your dog uncomfortably close, between the fence and sheep. Your being beside the sheep, at nine oclock, when your dog is at six, puts you in a position to step in and enforce the left flank. The right flank feels none too appealing at the same time. The left flank is the freer of the two and therefore more appealing and on top of that, there is you, the enforcer.

Should have done that though, when the dog was a year and half. While timing is everything, it might work.

Amanda

[Guest elayne]

Hi Amanda-

 

As a follow up to your idea:

Initially when you are starting this exercise with the dog, When the dog is at 6 and you are at 9, and the dog doesn't want to take the flank, and you have to step in and make the dog take the flank, do you want the dog to just take a very small flank or do you want the dog to take a larger, freer, flank.

I want to also add, that this isn't a problem that I haven't been addressing for the past number of years, it is not 100 pcnt of the time either. He is unreliable doing it.

I will try your idea this weekend, I want to make sure I am looking for the right response.

Thanks again.

Elayne

[Guest Amanda]

go for the deep wide flank.. You can always shorten it with a stop. Kinda go big or go home. Make the dog go between you and the sheep, by stepping out of its way, while it's flanking, ensuring it's driving, not skooting around behind you.

Amanda

[Guest elayne]

Hi-

 

1. what does go home mean?

 

2. when starting the exercise and you are at 9, how far from the sheep are

you?

 

3. when the dog does not take the flank and you step in there (does this

mean towards the dog?) to make it take the flank, are you then saying that

once the dog starts to take the flank that you step back and away from the

sheep, so that the dog then comes inbetween you and the sheep?

Elayne

[Guest Amanda]

1. I shouldn't joke.

 

2. It depends how unresponsive your dog is, and how light your sheep are. As distant as you can be and then get to your dog if it disobeys, and nimbley get out of the way, so it's driving

 

3. Yes this means towards the dog, and step back is just as you describe, when it starts to take it.