Fetch anxity

[Guest kimkathan]

Ellen-

I was wondering what your recomendations for a frenzied fetch might be.

 

My dog will stop at the top of an outrun, however, as soon as the stock start to break down the field and you give her a walk up, she's off like a flash. Til the stock slows or comes within 30 yds. it as though she's in a panic that they are getting away, and is in hot persuit. There is no downing, slowing or flanking, just a feeling of "ho! they're getting away". Once they are slowed she's back in perfect control.

 

Would doing alot more silent wearing help with this?

[Guest kimkathan]

:?:

[Guest ellen]

I would imagine it is because she probably IS in a panic. I dont know what distance you are speakling of on an 'outrun', or what type of sheep you are working (ie why are they 'breaking down the field'. Is it because they are 'dog broke' and start down the field as soon as they have an advantage over the dog? Or is it because the dog jumps up, startles the sheep and then can't be in control because the sheep are running) Another question or two I have; 'Is she driving yet?' Will she always stop when you ask?

A good exercise to test the effect of the dog on the sheep is to stop her while you are wearing and let the sheep keep moving. Make the dog stay still until the sheep are settled, the distance betweeen dog and sheep may be ten yards or thirty yards or more. I would be careful not to stop the dog in a position where the sheep will move toward a strong draw as they will move in that direction, and often not stop, until they get back to their 'safe spot'. But stop the dog until the sheep stop moving, then ask her up. If she jumps up and startles the sheep, rushing at them. Immediately lie her down again until the sheep are stopped and relaxed. You will still be just in front of the sheep in a position to control the dog.

This should tell you the flight distance of the sheep. It will start to show the dog where she needs to be to be in control. When the dog can work on the edge of this with you close to the sheep you can start to gradually lengthen the distance, keeping the dog moving at a nice steady pace. If she speeds up and this speed increases the speed of the sheep you will know she is pushing too hard. Stop her until the sheep settle and ask her to 'lift' again, gently.

I hope this is advice is not too belated. And again I am sorry for the long delay.

[Guest kimkathan]

This is the same dog as the "Take Time" post. She is a pushy dog, and our sheep are NOT dog broke(She'll actually turn off and leave if sheep are too dog broke). They know what a dog is, but are far from knee knockers. (Just gotten them in the last year to stay as a group) We work the whole flock (25) or just 3 or a mix in between. She's doing distance outwork (necessary gathers of 200+ yds, not pretty, but gets the sheep in) I think that the reason the sheep are "booking down the field" is that this little dog is very fast and often too close. It also seems lately that she's strong eyed and often pulls herself in unknowingly.

Also, would working cattle hinder this? She is working on dairy cattle, but as you know, cows need the extra push and she can grip head and heel.

She is driving, and always has been a natural driver (can drive over 200+ yds with no problems. Not always on line, but gets stock from point A to

When driving, up close, or when the stock is calm, she'll lie down with no problems. When the sheep are moving away at a clip is another matter til they slow down.

On longer gathers she can have a tendancy to pull in a bit too tight at the top, causing the sheep (not cows) to get startled.

[Guest ellen]

Hi Kim,

I thought I had sent a reply to this post a long time ago but think it got lost in cyberspace.

If it were my dog I would be going back to much shorter distances and working to make things 'pretty'. It all sounds like the same ball of wax. She knows she doesn't have to listen when stock are moving fast, or rather her inner ear takes over and she listens to her own instinct rather than your command. Cattle will certainly tolerate much rougher work than sheep. The fact that you tolerate the rough work probably has more to do with the problems on sheep than working cattle per se.

If her eye pulls her in you need to be able to stop her as soon as you see any indication of this happening, go up the field toward the stock and make sure she recasts correctly. It sounds to me as if the dog is doing a lot of 'self-training' which works remarkably well with some (rare) dogs,and that you need to go back to some foundation work, get good flanks, an absolute stop and stretch things out slowly so that you are always in the picture.