Redirects

[Shoofly]

Do you have any suggestions for working on redirects in a smaller field? My place is about 8 acres or so and hilly, so i can hide sheep but that seems to turn into lookback practice.

 

(I'm watching the 2006 Finals DVD and feeling inspired. )

[Lambert]

I use several exercises to work on redirects.

 

I will send a dog for sheep and then stop him and cross him over to the other side. This is to get him to listen on the outrun and take commands. It doesn't really teach them anything else and don't worry it doesn't make them into habitual crossers.

 

I will set up two groups of sheep in sight to the dog with the first group near and the second group further away. I set the dog up and send him for the first group of sheep. When he is committed to that group I will stop him and give him a wide flank to send him bigger and after the second group.

 

Finally, when he is listening and obeying on these easy exercises I will hide a group of sheep as you are doing and send him for a group he can see. When he is committed to the group he can see I will give him a big flank to go wider and deeper (as I have hopefully taught him). If he doesn't take this command I don't redirect him. I go to him and make him take the flank command.

 

It is easy for the redirect to become a look back and in the heat of the dog trial you will do whatever it takes. But in teaching it I try to keep the two exercises separate and so if an error is made in the redirect I don't give a different command(look back) but I go to the dog and help him understand the redirect command.

 

Beverly