Light sheep=wild dog

[Jean&Co]

Hi Jeanne

 

I have my first dog ever and he is nice and has been easy to train (with guidance from experienced mentors). However, once he hit 2 1/2 he has become very pushy and hard for me to hold. I know this is to be expected, but I would love some ideas on how to train him to handle flighty sheep better. He is best on heavy wool sheep as he can push and I guess slice without upsetting the sheep, he loves to work close to the sheep. He is not a clean flanking dog and does have a tendency to flanks tight when he gets excited. Hence, the problem on light sheep. If they run from him he goes faster and tighter...then all goes to hell in a handbag. In these situations his listening goes out the window.

 

At home I mainly train on wool sheep, so he does well. Then we go to a trial like the nursery finals this past week and he gets a running group and he looks like a wild untrained dog. I have been putting him on a small group of very flighty lambs to train, and at home on the small field with correction I can get hold of him. I have also traveled to friends that have wild hair sheep and run up the field numerous times to get after him for basically chasing the sheep down the field and ignoring me. Any suggestions of other things I can do the teach him to take his time on light sheep and keep his cool? In my novice inexperience I am tempted to take a step back and impose more control on him...stopping him more, doing flaking drills, putting pressure on to get square flanks etc. What do you think?

 

 

Thanks

Jean

[JW]

Hi Jeanne

 

I have my first dog ever and he is nice and has been easy to train (with guidance from experienced mentors). However, once he hit 2 1/2 he has become very pushy and hard for me to hold. I know this is to be expected, but I would love some ideas on how to train him to handle flighty sheep better. He is best on heavy wool sheep as he can push and I guess slice without upsetting the sheep, he loves to work close to the sheep. He is not a clean flanking dog and does have a tendency to flanks tight when he gets excited. Hence, the problem on light sheep. If they run from him he goes faster and tighter...then all goes to hell in a handbag. In these situations his listening goes out the window.

 

At home I mainly train on wool sheep, so he does well. Then we go to a trial like the nursery finals this past week and he gets a running group and he looks like a wild untrained dog. I have been putting him on a small group of very flighty lambs to train, and at home on the small field with correction I can get hold of him. I have also traveled to friends that have wild hair sheep and run up the field numerous times to get after him for basically chasing the sheep down the field and ignoring me. Any suggestions of other things I can do the teach him to take his time on light sheep and keep his cool? In my novice inexperience I am tempted to take a step back and impose more control on him...stopping him more, doing flaking drills, putting pressure on to get square flanks etc. What do you think?

Thanks

Jean

 

It sounds like your young dog needs lots of miles, on lots of different kinds of sheep and of course, different fields. Do not ever hesitate to take steps back in your training. This is something that should immediatly happen whenever you are having problems. If you can't control your dog at 100 yds, then shorten up until you do have control. Don't stretch him out until he is ready and responding to you, then do it gradually.

From your comments, it sounds like you know how to fix the tight flanks. You need to do it.

Good luck.

 

Jeanne