Mini Aussie Drives Sheep Away...

[ClickMeBC]

This isn't regarding a Border collie, but I'm in rather urgent need of some sort of advice from some more experienced trainers and handlers.

 

I've been asked by an older woman to help train her mini aussie to bring her flock of Icelandic sheep in. All she really wants is the dog to be able to make a neat outrun and bring the sheep up to the barn or into an adjacent pasture, but she hasn't a clue how to train a sheepdog and whereas this is a mini aussie with a rather crazed style, she's a bit stumped.

 

I've only worked with my Border collie, and he's got a lot of natural talent. This woman's main problem is that the dog will either make half an outrun and drive them sideways, or drive them way out into the pasture and then return to her handler. She hasn't been trained to respond to any commands.

 

Should I begin with basic basics, then being work with the sheep in a round pen or smaller paddock? How does one train a breed that's insinct is to drive the sheep away from the handler to make an outrun and return them to the handler?

 

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[Lenajo]

Just train her like you would any stockdog.

 

It doesn't sound like she has an "instinct to drive away"; it sounds like shes a young dog that doesn't really know what to do so she's halfway going around, then falling in on the easy side and following the sheep where they want to go anyway.

 

 

This isn't regarding a Border collie, but I'm in rather urgent need of some sort of advice from some more experienced trainers and handlers.

 

I've been asked by an older woman to help train her mini aussie to bring her flock of Icelandic sheep in. All she really wants is the dog to be able to make a neat outrun and bring the sheep up to the barn or into an adjacent pasture, but she hasn't a clue how to train a sheepdog and whereas this is a mini aussie with a rather crazed style, she's a bit stumped.

 

I've only worked with my Border collie, and he's got a lot of natural talent. This woman's main problem is that the dog will either make half an outrun and drive them sideways, or drive them way out into the pasture and then return to her handler. She hasn't been trained to respond to any commands.

 

Should I begin with basic basics, then being work with the sheep in a round pen or smaller paddock? How does one train a breed that's insinct is to drive the sheep away from the handler to make an outrun and return them to the handler?

 

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

[hsnrs]

Tell her to get a Aussie. Minis weren't bred to do real stock work; sorry. They were bred to be a companion in homes where people need a smaller dog.

[Lenajo]

Sorry, but many mini Aussies do herd. You get some duds of course, but you get that in standard Aussies as well.

 

Why tell the women to get a new dog when she obviously wants to train the one she has?

[Debbie Meier]

How does one train a breed that's insinct is to drive the sheep away from the handler to make an outrun and return them to the handler?

 

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

 

 

I don't know that it has anything to do with the breed, it sounds like she just thinks that she is right and does not know what to do once the sheep have been driven off. I have a male border collie here now that started by doing great drives, nice and straight, the sheep would get to a fence and he would just hold them there for a second or so, then he would return to me, he just did not know what he should do next and is not one to create work, he is lower on drive then our other dogs which is probably why he would just come back instead of stay with the sheep, but he now has a nice little outrun, knows his flanks and can be a handy farm dog. Personally I would not worry about what she does on her own but work to train her the basics so she can learn what is wanted when a command is given.

 

Deb