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Hi, I have a young dog that seems to have taken the "steady" command to mean shorten the stride. She really has 3 speeds: 1) 110MPH, 2) the fastest trot she can do, 3) stopped.

 

I have been working to get her to stand up quietly from a down, and to move off quietly from a Stand. I can get her to walk okay from that, but as soon as she gets moving I either need to stop her and start over or I get the shortened trot. The pace is the same. I was joking I could get her to do a Passage soon, but unfortunately this does not settle sheep.

 

Any ideas on how to get through to her that I want a walk, not a fast short strided trot?

 

Or do I just stick with what I am doing. The sheep BTW are not running. I put them on hay or grain or on a fence and am working her on fetching and driving at about 20-30 feet. I try to vary where I stand, but am looking for a nice "lift".

 

There has been some improvement, but I know if I lie her down, she does not think that has anything to do with her keeping the same tempo, but with a shortened stride. She is Very keen, bidable dog, but has a bit lack of confidence as well. I think she is weary of really walking stright on the the pressure as well.

 

She is going on on three, and I think I can give her some more training pressure now.

 

thanks!

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Hi, I have a young dog that seems to have taken the "steady" command to mean shorten the stride. She really has 3 speeds: 1) 110MPH, 2) the fastest trot she can do, 3) stopped.

 

I have been working to get her to stand up quietly from a down, and to move off quietly from a Stand. I can get her to walk okay from that, but as soon as she gets moving I either need to stop her and start over or I get the shortened trot. The pace is the same. I was joking I could get her to do a Passage soon, but unfortunately this does not settle sheep.

 

Any ideas on how to get through to her that I want a walk, not a fast short strided trot?

 

Or do I just stick with what I am doing. The sheep BTW are not running. I put them on hay or grain or on a fence and am working her on fetching and driving at about 20-30 feet. I try to vary where I stand, but am looking for a nice "lift".

 

There has been some improvement, but I know if I lie her down, she does not think that has anything to do with her keeping the same tempo, but with a shortened stride. She is Very keen, bidable dog, but has a bit lack of confidence as well. I think she is weary of really walking stright on the the pressure as well.

 

She is going on on three, and I think I can give her some more training pressure now.

 

thanks!

 

Hi,

 

I too, have a youngster who loves to push. She'll push so hard that she ends up through the middle and on the other side of the sheep, stop and look at me as if to say " how did that happen"? I really like her and know she'll eventually be a great dog. I'm taking my time and letting her learn as she goes. I don't want to spoil her confidence or her pushiness. I do want to teach her to "take time" when I ask for it, just not all the time. I know that there will come a time when that pushiness/forwardness will be much needed.

 

You say your bitch lacks confidence. Do you think she lacks confidence in her ability to move sheep or in you as her coach? I'm a bit confused by your statement that she is weary of walking straight into the pressure. Has she done so in the past? If so, has something happened to make her uncomfortable? If you'll clarify for me, I'll have a better idea of how to answer you on the confidence issue.

 

I'm sure you've heard this before, but I'll say it again. When you ask for a steady/take time and don't get it, lie her down immediately, wait for the sheep to settle, then ask her up very quietly. If you're consistant with this, it will work. Some dogs get it pretty quickly and some take a while. She will learn that if she slows down when asked, she'll get to continue. She'll also hopefully learn rhe amount of pressure certain sheep need to keep moving. Don't forget to let her push sometimes.

 

Jeanne

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Hi, I have a young dog that seems to have taken the "steady" command to mean shorten the stride. She really has 3 speeds: 1) 110MPH, 2) the fastest trot she can do, 3) stopped.

 

I have been working to get her to stand up quietly from a down, and to move off quietly from a Stand. I can get her to walk okay from that, but as soon as she gets moving I either need to stop her and start over or I get the shortened trot. The pace is the same. I was joking I could get her to do a Passage soon, but unfortunately this does not settle sheep.

 

Any ideas on how to get through to her that I want a walk, not a fast short strided trot?

 

Or do I just stick with what I am doing. The sheep BTW are not running. I put them on hay or grain or on a fence and am working her on fetching and driving at about 20-30 feet. I try to vary where I stand, but am looking for a nice "lift".

 

There has been some improvement, but I know if I lie her down, she does not think that has anything to do with her keeping the same tempo, but with a shortened stride. She is Very keen, bidable dog, but has a bit lack of confidence as well. I think she is weary of really walking stright on the the pressure as well.

 

She is going on on three, and I think I can give her some more training pressure now.

 

thanks!

 

 

The confidence issue clarified, I hope.

 

She is the type of dog that started off by coming right through the sheep. I mean she would always single one off given half a chance. Also, in the beginning she would only use her body to move the sheep. I thought she had no eye for a while. But things progressed, and she started really doing well, and I wanted to get a bit more control on her pace.

 

I put her on some heavier sheep (ones that look at a dog and size them up). At first she was blasting through them. When I asked for a steady (and they finally had a chance to turn and look at her), she would look at them for less than a second and then flank away from the pressure, and try to get them moving with little flanks. I lost the dog that would blast through the sheep, and got a flanky one. When I tried to get her to lie her down in the pressure, she lies down side ways.

 

I mix up 3 very light hair sheep and 3 heavier woollies I use together for her right now. The three light sheep always move, and the other follow slowly. Less pressure than the heavy sheep, so I can get her to walk straight on to them to make them move. That is when I started to get the fast, intense, short-strided "steady" intead of a more relaxed slow walk/trot than I get with my old dog when I say steady (I bought him trained, she is the first I am trying to train myself). I do not want to lose any power off her, so I am trying to be certain I am clear in what I want.

 

She gets to move them from one pasture to another everyday other day. And once a week to a larger "round pen" for a young dog to work them. But I do not have any other work for her any time soon.

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The confidence issue clarified, I hope.

 

She is the type of dog that started off by coming right through the sheep. I mean she would always single one off given half a chance. Also, in the beginning she would only use her body to move the sheep. I thought she had no eye for a while. But things progressed, and she started really doing well, and I wanted to get a bit more control on her pace.

 

I put her on some heavier sheep (ones that look at a dog and size them up). At first she was blasting through them. When I asked for a steady (and they finally had a chance to turn and look at her), she would look at them for less than a second and then flank away from the pressure, and try to get them moving with little flanks. I lost the dog that would blast through the sheep, and got a flanky one. When I tried to get her to lie her down in the pressure, she lies down side ways.

 

I mix up 3 very light hair sheep and 3 heavier woollies I use together for her right now. The three light sheep always move, and the other follow slowly. Less pressure than the heavy sheep, so I can get her to walk straight on to them to make them move. That is when I started to get the fast, intense, short-strided "steady" intead of a more relaxed slow walk/trot than I get with my old dog when I say steady (I bought him trained, she is the first I am trying to train myself). I do not want to lose any power off her, so I am trying to be certain I am clear in what I want.

 

She gets to move them from one pasture to another everyday other day. And once a week to a larger "round pen" for a young dog to work them. But I do not have any other work for her any time soon.

 

Put your heavy sheep back out. Get on the side with your dog and help turn the sheep, then let her take them away as you walk along side. Don't lie her down when the sheep are looking at her. The sheep are learning that they can buffalo the dog. Every time they turn and look at her, be there to back her up. Pretty soon, she'll be feeling confident that she can move them. The more confident she becomes, the less likely she'll feel the need to run through, split or blast. If she's got what it takes, she'll start feeling where she needs to be in order to move sheep. Don't be in a big hurry to develop pace. You might find that with confidence comes pace.

Each dog is different. Try not to compare her to your old dog.

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The confidence issue clarified, I hope.

 

She is the type of dog that started off by coming right through the sheep. I mean she would always single one off given half a chance. Also, in the beginning she would only use her body to move the sheep. I thought she had no eye for a while. But things progressed, and she started really doing well, and I wanted to get a bit more control on her pace.

 

I put her on some heavier sheep (ones that look at a dog and size them up). At first she was blasting through them. When I asked for a steady (and they finally had a chance to turn and look at her), she would look at them for less than a second and then flank away from the pressure, and try to get them moving with little flanks. I lost the dog that would blast through the sheep, and got a flanky one. When I tried to get her to lie her down in the pressure, she lies down side ways.

 

I mix up 3 very light hair sheep and 3 heavier woollies I use together for her right now. The three light sheep always move, and the other follow slowly. Less pressure than the heavy sheep, so I can get her to walk straight on to them to make them move. That is when I started to get the fast, intense, short-strided "steady" intead of a more relaxed slow walk/trot than I get with my old dog when I say steady (I bought him trained, she is the first I am trying to train myself). I do not want to lose any power off her, so I am trying to be certain I am clear in what I want.

 

She gets to move them from one pasture to another everyday other day. And once a week to a larger "round pen" for a young dog to work them. But I do not have any other work for her any time soon.

 

Put your heavy sheep back out. Get on the side with your dog and help turn the sheep, then let her take them away as you walk along side. Don't lie her down when the sheep are looking at her. The sheep are learning that they can buffalo the dog. Every time they turn and look at her, be there to back her up. Pretty soon, she'll be feeling confident that she can move them. The more confident she becomes, the less likely she'll feel the need to run through, split or blast. If she's got what it takes, she'll start feeling where she needs to be in order to move sheep. Don't be in a big hurry to develop pace. You might find that with confidence comes pace.

Each dog is different. Try not to compare her to your old dog.

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Put your heavy sheep back out. Get on the side with your dog and help turn the sheep, then let her take them away as you walk along side. Don't lie her down when the sheep are looking at her. The sheep are learning that they can buffalo the dog. Every time they turn and look at her, be there to back her up. Pretty soon, she'll be feeling confident that she can move them. The more confident she becomes, the less likely she'll feel the need to run through, split or blast. If she's got what it takes, she'll start feeling where she needs to be in order to move sheep. Don't be in a big hurry to develop pace. You might find that with confidence comes pace.

Each dog is different. Try not to compare her to your old dog.

 

 

thanks, I was thinking the heavy sheep were causing the problem. I will help her like you said, and back her up! I was not doing that before.

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thanks, I was thinking the heavy sheep were causing the problem. I will help her like you said, and back her up! I was not doing that before.

 

Good news. This is working. I walk with her behind and drive the heavy sheep. She is walking right in to the pressure and taking the steady. She does turn her head a bit off the pressure, but it is getting better. These sheep also do not stay in a flock as much as others. They tend to turn and amble off in a random direction when the dog stands it ground. She is actually taking her own smooth flanks to keep them bunched up. IT is nice to see her thinking about what we are doing.

 

I am trying to walk slightly off to the side and eventually turn it into a cross drive. On occasion I let her go a fetch them back short distance when I know her flanks will be okay.

 

THANKS MUCH!!!

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