Heading vs. Pushing

[Guest DebM]

Hi Ellen!

 

I have a question that ties in with Smoknjbc’s driving question. I have a daughter of Jack (Jack x Floss) and she much prefers to head sheep than drive from behind. I think her thoughts are more to keep the sheep from escaping than avoidance or fear.

 

She also prefers to work further off her sheep when driving or fetching than I think she needs to be and I'm wondering if my asking her to be closer is adding to her desire to head the sheep. She seems content to get on balance then lie down when the sheep are controlled and I have to really encourage her to get up and move up on them to push them either to finish the fetch or drive them through the field.

 

Trying to give her more push, I worked with her pushing large groups of sheep through a stall door and having her push sheep into corners and through tough terrain.

 

I think your suggestion in the other thread will help her, but I was wondering if you had any thoughts on what's she's doing or thinking.

 

(BTW I really like her and think she’s doing well for being handicapped with me! )

 

Thanks for being our resident expert!

[Guest ellen]

Hi Deb,

You are doing the right things; just have her keep pushing. I think some dogs have a stronger sense of 'distance balance' than others. I heard Alasdair MacRae describe dogs as 'defensive' or 'offensive'. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Dogs with a strong sense of 'distance balance' are of the defensive type. They want everything neat and tidy all the time. Nothing escaping, nothing breaking. There are two other excercises I would do with this sort of dog. 1) get the dog in tight spaces with sheep (a packed pen) to get them comfortable being close, and 2) in a securely fenced paddock where the sheep can't get away have the dog start driving them away from you toward a draw; when the sheep begin running lie the dog down don't allow her to head (remember the sheep can't get away) Then get the dog walking on again, straight into the sheep that may be on the fence. Keep pushing until the sheep start to split. Be ready to help the dog learn how to cover without gripping and ask them to keep pushing on when the sheep are settled again. This lets the dog know that its okay to push and have the sheep split, and that its kind of fun to get them back together again. When the dog will stop with sheep running away when you have driven them, begin sending the dog on a cast with the sheep running away a teach the dog to stop on a cast with sheep running, more difficult, but definately a useful tool. This is to make the dog more comfortable with sheep leaving. When you have the stop let the dog continue the cast and bring the sheep. The dog will begin to understand and relax-- "See no big deal, the sheep are not going to get away"

Good luck

[Guest DebM]

Thanks, Ellen for your great suggestions. We'll keep plugging away!

 

Could you talk more about "defensive vs. offensive" working styles? Their strengths & weakness? How each would be handled differently? I had never heard those traits discussed before - it certainly makes sense and I can now see them applied to dogs I know.

 

Thanks!

[Guest ellen]

Defensive dogs tend to be great 'readers' of sheep. If a situation gets dicey they tend to have a default of 'flank to pressure'. At the top they tend to be naturally very careful lifters, wanting the sheep to come perfectly straight toward the handler. If sheep are putting pressure on them, they wait for the sheep to make the first move and then react to it. This sometimes leads to 'sticky on the top'. In the shed they are loathe to let sheep go. As pups they are the kind that 'break out' to catch running sheep.

 

Offensive dogs are always coming into their sheep. They tend to be good natural driving dogs. They want to make stock move. Getting a stop and square flanks can be difficult. Given a choice they will take the shorter route to get to their sheep.

 

Of course what we all want and rarely get is the perfect balance between these types of dogs. Both can be gems in the rough. What is important is to watch is the moves that create the desired effect with sheep or cattle. What moves 'work' to get the desired result? When I first take a pup out I am looking at its working style, and I immediately begin 'shaping' its moves. I have a picture in my head, from years of watching livestock, of the skill set that the dog will need to be an effective stock dog. I begin pruning the 'wrong' moves and encouraging the 'good' moves. If the pup has a lot of defensive tendencies, I find every opportunity to line it out and hold it behind its stock. If the dog wants nothing but to come straight into its stock I work early on developing good flanking moves. New comers to the stock dog world should take every opportunity to carefully watch livestock, with and without dogs. Those not raised around livestock should take every opportunity to handle them. I make it a goal when handling stock in pens to avoid 'manhandling'; I use pressure and position to get the stock where I want them. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to develop 'stock sense' in order to understand how it is that the handler and dog in essence 'create their own reality'.

[Guest DebM]

Thanks again, Ellen!