Urban Sheep?

[Soda-pop]

Hi!

 

Soda and I have regularly, once a week, trekked out to have herding lessons and we have fun and love it. Over the last couple of weeks, because of scheduling of special events, etc Soda and I have been averging about 4 sessions a week and I have a wholly different dog and I suspect that it is because the more exposure to sheep. She has become a faster and keener dog.

 

Anyway, it's about an hour and fifteen minute drive to my trainers and it costs me a fortune in gas + the standard lesson fee so I can't really go out more than that.

 

So my question is: Does anyone have any suggestions for getting more stock exposure in an suburban enviro? I live in Orange county, to give you an idea of where I'm at. I've approached, through a friend that is heavily involved, a 4H group and that was a big fat no-go... not like I blame them, though.

 

Anyway, any ideas?

 

Thanks!

[Smokjbc]

Hi!

 

Soda and I have regularly, once a week, trekked out to have herding lessons and we have fun and love it. Over the last couple of weeks, because of scheduling of special events, etc Soda and I have been averging about 4 sessions a week and I have a wholly different dog and I suspect that it is because the more exposure to sheep. She has become a faster and keener dog.

 

Anyway, it's about an hour and fifteen minute drive to my trainers and it costs me a fortune in gas + the standard lesson fee so I can't really go out more than that.

 

So my question is: Does anyone have any suggestions for getting more stock exposure in an suburban enviro? I live in Orange county, to give you an idea of where I'm at. I've approached, through a friend that is heavily involved, a 4H group and that was a big fat no-go... not like I blame them, though.

 

Anyway, any ideas?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Have you asked your trainer if she knows of anyone with sheep to practice on nearby? Also, if there are horse properties nearby- have you considered buying (VERY!!) dog broke sheep and renting a space for them near a suitable working area? Also try the California stockdog clubs- I think there is sjvbca.org and norcalsheepdog.org - even if they are not near you, they may know of someone who is.

[Chesney's Girl]

I know how you feel! I have looked for places around here too that I could go out and work Chesney myself, since we are to the point that I can get fairly productive things done on my own with him. The places I have found have sheep that have been worked by all breeds of dogs (shepherds to rotties) and they are no fun to work with my dog, nor are the facilities appropriate for the time and money of renting. If you do find something out here, let me know, we could possibly carpool!

[Soda-pop]

I know how you feel! I have looked for places around here too that I could go out and work Chesney myself, since we are to the point that I can get fairly productive things done on my own with him. The places I have found have sheep that have been worked by all breeds of dogs (shepherds to rotties) and they are no fun to work with my dog, nor are the facilities appropriate for the time and money of renting. If you do find something out here, let me know, we could possibly carpool!

 

LOL i don't care who they've been worked by. I'll settle for anything!

 

My trainer told me to get some ducks and put them on my porch, LOL!

[Chesney's Girl]

LOL i don't care who they've been worked by. I'll settle for anything!

 

My trainer told me to get some ducks and put them on my porch, LOL!

 

Hahah Hey you gotta do what you gotta do! And trust me you will care once you work sour sheep and are trying to get training done, that yes sometimes it does matter who works sheep before

[ZoZo]

I'm also in Orange County and sadly, the herding opportunities are rather slim in these parts (which is why my dogs are doing flyball instead).

 

I did hear about a place in Anaheim that does lessons during the week, which doesn't help me since I need to work then, but could be just the ticket if that works for you Herding in Anaheim

[D Strickland]

LOL i don't care who they've been worked by. I'll settle for anything!

 

My trainer told me to get some ducks and put them on my porch, LOL!

 

Don't work just ANY sheep ... depending on what you are working you will need either "velcro" sheep for a newer dog or lighter sheep to work on driving. If all the sheep do is run from one end of the field to another you will only teach your dog bad habits and get really frustrated in the process.

 

I put some ducks in my old agility field ( 100' x 100' ) and kept them in their own covered pen at night.

 

Indian runners are very easy keepers and the eggs are great for baking !! Price of feed has gone up to about $18 for a 50lb bag but you don't use that much in the summer since they eat all the bugs in the yard. With 10 ducks a bag will probably last about 3 weeks.

 

Not sure if the ducks helped or not ... I found them to be very fast .. which only made my dog faster. If you get Indian Runners you want to get them when they are babies because they WILL bond with you. You want that !!!!

 

We don't have our own stock yet but we've bought the land. We ran our first trial when she was 2 yrs old.

 

Good luck !!!!

[Chesney's Girl]

I'm also in Orange County and sadly, the herding opportunities are rather slim in these parts (which is why my dogs are doing flyball instead).

 

I did hear about a place in Anaheim that does lessons during the week, which doesn't help me since I need to work then, but could be just the ticket if that works for you Herding in Anaheim

 

Ahh yes, those would be the sheep that are worked by all kinds of breeds of dogs that I mentioned above. Paige, I would just keep going to your trainer as often as possible, you will make more progress that way (even though its slower that you would like, since you... Like me are an addict) then going out and working the sheep in the link above. Take advice from someone who started there and had to restart my dog properly. *sigh* oh the mistakes we make.

[Soda-pop]

Ahh yes, those would be the sheep that are worked by all kinds of breeds of dogs that I mentioned above. Paige, I would just keep going to your trainer as often as possible, you will make more progress that way (even though its slower that you would like, since you... Like me are an addict) then going out and working the sheep in the link above. Take advice from someone who started there and had to restart my dog properly. *sigh* oh the mistakes we make.

 

Been there too. --I think everyone starts there, lol.

 

I thought about the ducks for like .02 seconds and realized that they would smell up the house (I live in a condo), the HOA would crap their pants and evict me, and my malamute and littleblackdog would happily kill and eat them all. And I would be sad.

 

I was kind of wanting a like "rent your sheep" type of deal with payment either chores or a monthly stipend to help pay for feed.

 

Yeah, I trek my butt down every week and I lerv it... I just have seen such a huge difference in these few weeks of lots o'sheeps for the So. It is addicting. It's my weekly escape from the OC. I'd just kill to live in the country again...

 

I still hold out hope that there is some lost tribe of sheep somewhere in the concrete jungle of OC. Can you hear me? Sheepie People? Can you hear me??