kelpiegirl Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 In all your opinions, is it okay to just stand there, and watch said pup chase the sheep all over the arena/pen? Is there any purpose to that? My gut says it is stupid, but again, I am no expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockdogranch Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Totally depends on the dog. If the dog is plenty keen, then I'd try to do a bit of "directing"--letting the dog know that cheap shots aren't cool, getting it to go to balance, etc. But IF the dog is quite tentative, and not sure that's it's "allowed" to interact with the stock, then I MIGHT let it have a free-for-all for a BRIEF moment or two, just to let it know that it has permission to interact with the stock. Then I would start trying to get some direction to what's going on. But as far as just standing there--nope. As I was told when I was first learning to work dogs, "this is not a spectator sport." Meaning--you need to be an active participant, A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 And then there is the pup who finds a hole in the fence and takes a ride, hanging from a ewe's wool, all the way around the pasture while the handler screams, "Frankie, you little pain in the ***, stop it! Let go right now!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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