Kathy Chittenden Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Hi All, My boy Drake who just turned 7 years old, is showing me some very nice things when out with our sheep. I got him through NEBCR at the age of 13 months and he has been instinct tested a couple of times over the years. He was always too afraid and showed no sign of interest in the sheep. We got our own sheep a little over a year ago and I am very surprised but Drake really seems to be doing some nice things out there with them! He is very handy when it comes time to get them in - this time of year we open up their pen and let them help keep the lawn mowed in the back yard. Here is a video of him from the other day: Sorry about the quality but I was standing on the deck shooting from a distance with bright sun on the viewfinder. Anyway, I'm pretty proud of him and thinking of taking him for some real lessons with a local trainer if he has the time. He has been my agility dog but now I'm wondering if it's time to give him a new job. Have others worked successfully with an "older" dog just beginning? I don't know if we'd ever trial but I'd leave that option open. He is calm and methodical around the sheep, very focussed on them and never grabs. I have a lot of learning to do as well so that would be down the road for sure. Thank you for your thoughts and congratulations to all from Gettysburgh - I enjoyed reading the updates! Kathy Chittenden www.sugarbushfarm.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Three words for you and your dog - GO FOR IT! Some dogs take some time - we had a great farm dog that was scared stiff of the cattle until he turned two. He was so funny - he would go to the barn where we fed the young stock and sit in an old horse tie-stall, and peek around the end of it to watch, but pull his head back if any cattle looked at him or moved too much. This is a dog that just a couple of years later, helped save my hubby from an angry new mother cow who was trying to rub him into the ground. Also, your dog might be feeling more confident and interested since they are "his" sheep and they are more familiar to him, and he's on his home territory, his yard. If I were you, I might try checking out a trainer and seeing what he does somewhere other than home. If he's "into it" at home but not elsewhere or with another person present, you might want to audit a clinic or check out books or videos (I'd recommend Derek Scrimgeour's "The Shepherd's Pup" - even though it's about starting young dogs/pups, I think it would be relevant to your situation) and work with him at home. A farm dog can be very helpful with limited training as his jobs are often routine and repetitive and, as long as he understands what to do and it's done with minimal stress to the stock, he can be a fine helper. Perhaps when he gains some experience and confidence at home, he would then be ready for some more challenging training with a trainer or clinician, to increase his usefulness and abilities. Very best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 We mentioned it before, Kathy, but I don't know if you saw it. A rescue dog named Lil made it to Gettysburg, and finished in very respectable 26th. Story goes that Lil never even saw a sheep until she was 4 years old. I agree with Sue, you should give it a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Bo Boop Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 What Sue said ;-) I'd go for it too. Look what a fine job he did bringing in his sheep :-) hey you've got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Violet and I are both beginning at a *cough* more mature time of life, and we're enjoying it. I'm 47, and Vi is somewhere between four and five probably - she was rescued as a young adult so we don't know exactly. Just like your boy, she was afraid of sheep the first time she saw them. Well, it may not have been the sheep so much as the situation: she'd only lived with me about six months, and we were on the first road trip we ever took together, so she may have just been overwhelmed by the situation. But when she saw sheep again a year later she was a different dog. She and I have started working with someone locally, and we're having a blast. I'm finding it helpful to start with an older dog. Even though we're both green as grass, Vi's fairly patient and generally keeps a nice distance from her sheep. She's much easier for me to learn with than my eleven month old pup (aka the tasmanian devil ) would be. Trialing is a long way down the road for us as well, but we're having a lot of fun getting there. So I say "go for it" as well. Keep us posted on how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Aww, looks like he's having fun! Definately give it a try! By the way, I am SUPER jealous of your mini lake, sheep, and agility setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted September 29, 2007 Report Share Posted September 29, 2007 Just by the way, the "reserve" Most Promising New Handler was a lady who is quite a bit older than I am. It's never too late to try something new. I just wish I'd gotten into this years ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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