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why is my dog not as good as 3 months ago ?


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Topic Title. Is it my dog cannot be bothered ?

 

I am no expert and new to this sheepdog training. I love dogs especially sheepdogs. We have had a dog for 35 years. And collies for half that time. I have a 4 year old bitch who we are training on sheep. We have a professional trainer and attend two days a week, each day is up to 3 20minute sessions depending on how well she is doing. We have been training for 8 months and she seemed to be advancing very well. My main aim is to do some trialling. I don’t think would ever do that well but just to get round the trial with my dog would be great. Before Christmas she was doing well. She held the sheep to me,(I was the fence) she new her sides. Her out runs would over cover but she managed to bring the sheep to me. Now however each lesson seems a step backwards. The sheep are really dogged and very stubborn. My problem is she seems to have a lot of eye and not much power. She will go round the sheep lay down and will not get up on command to lift them to me. The sheep keep apart just eating the grass as if she wasn’t there! (she used to bring them to me!) She also will not hold the sheep to me any more . Her driving however is great with little flanks we can hold a pretty much jaw dropping straight line. Its as if she really cant be bothered. However I can call her off at any time even when she’s laying down behind the sheep and she will come immediately so she hasn’t got her full focus on the sheep she is still listening to me. Then, last week the trainer suggested to pen all the sheep, but one, and tried to drive the one away from the pen. This was really hard work . That one sheep really wanted to join the others. but something clicked in my dogs brain. She was really on her game. Little flanks, holding the sheep to me , loads of power and above all she very quickly realised that I just wanted that one sheep in the middle of the field and wasn’t distracted by the 7 that were penned. She was completely exhausted and looked pleased with her self at the end of the session.

My question is:

Have I been over training?

Is my dog to old ?

Is it really important to work different sheep as much as possible? (I am beginning to think it is)

Do dogs get bored with the same field and sheep so its not a challenge anymore?

Any tips exercise for confidence building would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Mike :rolleyes:

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Guest carol campion
Topic Title. Is it my dog cannot be bothered ?

 

Little flanks, holding the sheep to me , loads of power and above all she very quickly realised that I just wanted that one sheep in the middle of the field and wasn’t distracted by the 7 that were penned. She was completely exhausted and looked pleased with her self at the end of the session.

My question is:

Have I been over training?

Is my dog to old ?

Is it really important to work different sheep as much as possible? (I am beginning to think it is)

Do dogs get bored with the same field and sheep so its not a challenge anymore?

Any tips exercise for confidence building would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Mike :rolleyes:

 

Hi Mike

 

Without seeing dog or sheep my guess is that the sheep are boring, boring boring to her and she feels there is really no work to be done. :D Once sheep are brought to handler, some dogs with good balance will stop as they feel the work is done—the sheep are under control to you.

 

If she perks up and is keen working the one, that would tell me you need to brighten it all up.

 

What kind of sheep and how big a training area?

 

Are you wearing around with her or is she able to outrun and actually fetch sheep without you walking with her?

 

Carol

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Hi Mike

 

Without seeing dog or sheep my guess is that the sheep are boring, boring boring to her and she feels there is really no work to be done. :D Once sheep are brought to handler, some dogs with good balance will stop as they feel the work is done—the sheep are under control to you.

 

If she perks up and is keen working the one, that would tell me you need to brighten it all up.

 

What kind of sheep and how big a training area?

 

Are you wearing around with her or is she able to outrun and actually fetch sheep without you walking with her?

 

Carol

 

Thanks for the quick reply. I am sure you are right. Interesting, I often thought maybe she’s getting bored. The field is around 4 acres with 8 sheep. The sheep don’t get changed that much maybe once every 3 months and they do follow me around the field with the dog following and not having to do that much as if she is following the sheep who are following me :D . She will do out runs and the first of the three sessions is generally the best when she’s fresh. We have tried a different, bigger field with much lighter sheep and she was doing 100 yd + outruns, and bringing the sheep back. We tried even lighter sheep where I didn’t stop the dog she was continually heading them and holding them to me working really hard. Ill try and liven it all up , maybe setting up a small driving and , penning then taking a couple of sheep off just to make it different. Will keep you posted (I am out for the next few days back Saturday).

PS great web site I am really glad I found it. :rolleyes:

 

Mike

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I had three sheep I had to get rid of and replace. My dog Pete did not like these sheep. When he would work them they would come to me and had to be forced to move again. Even if they just saw Pete they would run for me. I think Pete was really bored with them. However because of their behavior they were great to drive and cross drive and a good challenge for Pete, he had to be on the move all the time. Every chance they had they would break and come back to me so Pete had fun with that. We practiced driving a lot with them and Pete enjoyed it.

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