kelpiegirl Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 Today I was working Lucy, and experienced one of those moments when you just are just pretty amazed- your dog does something beyond what you thought you were at... I have been working on driving and she has been doing pretty well. It is new for her, but we are able to go longer and longer, and we are getting there. She always sort of likes me near though. I had her drive them down a hill, and she was pretty far away from me. I then downed her. Then I flanked her. She flanked BEAUTIFULLY with me many yards away- I mean, I wasn't even NEAR her- no zippy-ness, no nothing. She settled in and then brought them to me. Now, it was bad that I asked her for this, because I don't want her bursting ahead to bring them back when we drive, but I DID lay her down (yeah, I know, won't happen again) I know all you old hands are probably saying "jeez- what's she gonna do when the dog does something really good?" But, to me, this was way cool. WAY COOL. Thanks for letting me tell you the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Hey, anytime they do something "right" and flawlessly, is cause for some celebration! So you go right ahead and feel good and do a little happy dance. Give Miss Lucy a scritch for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesney's Girl Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 Chesney and I had a similar moment as well a few days ago, he actually didn't try to head them off and bring them back when we were driving, he simply just steered them where I asked him!!! It was a great feeling. Yay for you two! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Thanks guys- like I said, it really was no big deal in the whole scheme of things, but it stoked me for at least a day! Now the freakin' SNOW is coming down (that IS a four letter word you know!!!), so no work for several days ((( Oh well, maybe some goose control, although even that is winding down! I hate winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sheepdoggal Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Sorry to hear about the snow, cause its nice enough to still work dogs here for me today, but just wanted to join in with a WOW moment of my own that happened today. More like a FINALLY! moment really. I too have a dog that Ive been working on driving with, and its been a hard concept for her to grasp. We have had the one step forward and two steps back syndrom for quite some time now, but to day was an awesome work! No looking back at me, no loosing contact with her sheep, no getting 5 feet of a drive and then trying to flank, circle and bring them back, she drove them a good way, (for her) before I flanked her and allowed her to fetch them back to me. Flanking and driving so nicely that I had to look to see that I had the right dog out there with me! She showed confidence and control, of which I hadnt seen in her while trying to teach her to drive. Like you say, it wasnt all that great a thing, in the whole scheme of things, but it sure felt good to see her finally getting it, and enjoying the fact that she is. It was quite a confidence builder for us both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hi Julie, Snow teaches young dogs pace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted December 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Bill, Yeah, well, for some delusional reason, I always hope that winter will some how- forget to come?? When we get the first snow, I hunker down. Then, I finally accept it, and am back out there. Yesterday we had that small storm, and I didn't leave the house- went out for the paper in my robe, and then worked in the house-see, I hibernated. This morning, however, the first thing I thought of was getting my dog on sheep again. We worked all last winter in the snow. Although this morning when I had her down in the snow on the deck- you would have thought I was asking for her to lay in hot coals- come on girl! It will get worse, trust me! On the pace thing- we *finally* are getting there. She is finally seeing that a good brisk walk is what I want- though I still have to remind her. The biggest indicator of that for me, is that the sheep are no longer crushing my toes and my clothes stay sans wool dirt smear- that's good huh? Did you guys get snow there? Oh, and now the goose control boss wants us to cut back. Jeez, when it rains it pours. Great. The only cure for that is more sheep work!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 We got about four inches overnight and it's still coming down hard. There's supposed to be some rain this afternoon (blech) and then changing back to snow tonight. 6 to 12 inches before all is said and done, and considering were not halfway through the storm and already have four inches, I think it'll be closer to the 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBP Posted December 10, 2007 Report Share Posted December 10, 2007 I know exactly what you mean about a wow moment. I had that happen Saturday when I was working my female BC at my trainer's house and wow moments occurred. It was a blind outrun and fetch, and when the sheep first topped the hill where I could see them, they were coming on at a slow trot which means she lifted like a lady without me! woohoo! Then, on the fetch I flanked her until she came all the way around and then drove the sheep back away from me. Double woohoo! And 3rd, I did all my direction work sitting on a stump whistling, not out there helping her with my body/cues. Triple wow moment for me and I went home happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted December 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2007 That's a WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW moment!!!!!!!!!!!! WE aren't there. We didn't have our most auspicious training this weekend, so that makes me relish the wow stuff even more. Sounds like you are really gelling. Nice job I know exactly what you mean about a wow moment. I had that happen Saturday when I was working my female BC at my trainer's house and wow moments occurred. It was a blind outrun and fetch, and when the sheep first topped the hill where I could see them, they were coming on at a slow trot which means she lifted like a lady without me! woohoo! Then, on the fetch I flanked her until she came all the way around and then drove the sheep back away from me. Double woohoo! And 3rd, I did all my direction work sitting on a stump whistling, not out there helping her with my body/cues. Triple wow moment for me and I went home happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted December 10, 2007 Report Share Posted December 10, 2007 I had a nice moment at Robin's with Cord Saturday. I sent Cord for the sheep off the top of the hill, not really blind but he wasn't really looking ("What mom? You sure? I mean, I haven't fetched up sheep farther away than 100 yard or so in forever!"). He actually took my redirect and kicked out and found the sheep - and brought them back nicely, again listening to my requests to steady up. Then had one of those, "Wow, lookit my dog" moments and everything went to pot. Duh, what was I doing here again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBP Posted December 10, 2007 Report Share Posted December 10, 2007 oh boy, I know exactly what you mean about the proud moment immediately becoming a "oops, operator error" moment. I wonder sometimes if open handlers that have been doing this forever ever get these woohoo or oops feelings! Of course after a day like Jill and I had Saturday, I find my job is so intrusive on what could be working time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 I wonder sometimes if open handlers that have been doing this forever ever get these woohoo or oops feelings! Although I'm an open handler, I haven't been doing it forever, but at least in my case the answer is "yes," especially with respect to the youngsters where sometimes you're so happy something is going right (you've had a breakthrough) that you end up with an oops and something going a bit wrong (like a slice and a grab that you otherwise would have prevented had you not been so caught up in that wow moment).... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo Peep Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 I had a "WOW" moment- a looooong time ago. It was dangerous and risky, but my open friend said "Go for it". I had a pup that was 9 months old that was bred out of natural out run parents. She had done a little work in a round pen, some in my little area, but we figured WTF.....let's see. We did and sure enough, that pup took off and did a complete natural pear shaped outrun around those sheep 5 acres!!! I would NOT recommend doing this unless you had a few beers and very good friends that trusted you, but......it was amazing. I had never done it before and will never do it again, but WOW..... we expected to really do some running and bandaging, but it was great. The open handler- talking a long time ago- Kathy Brunetto, loved her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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