ragtimedog Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hope I'm not wearing out my welcome here, but I'm determined to figure this out with this dog. He tries so hard to please and worries about things. The least I can do is try to figure out how to make it understandable for him. I was working along the fence flanking him. Beautiful. We went out to the middle, nice! As soon as he's driving, however, he loses that nice square flank. He slides up, too close. The sheep split and we spend time putting things back together. help. Lana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol campion Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hope I'm not wearing out my welcome here, but I'm determined to figure this out with this dog. He tries so hard to please and worries about things. The least I can do is try to figure out how to make it understandable for him.I was working along the fence flanking him. Beautiful. We went out to the middle, nice! As soon as he's driving, however, he loses that nice square flank. He slides up, too close. The sheep split and we spend time putting things back together. help. Lana Hi Lana Glad to see things are progressing for you! Your new question is a common problem with dogs on the drive. I have some exercises for you but am on my way out the door to a dog trial til Sunday. Yours requires a bit of typing, so I will need to wait til I return to write the answer it deserves. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtimedog Posted June 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I have some exercises for you but am on my way out the door to a dog trial til Sunday. Yours requires a bit of typing, so I will need to wait til I return to write the answer it deserves. Carol That's ok. I'll just play my bodhran until I hear.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol campion Posted June 30, 2009 Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 That's ok. I'll just play my bodhran until I hear.... Teach him to drive parallel to you—basically a cross drive. When it is time for a flank, have him flank towards you-an inside flank. If you are between his head and shoulders, you can tell if he is slicing. You can't tell until it is too late when they are flanking in front of you. If his first step of a flank on a parallel drive is into the sheep, stop him and make him turn out on the flank. Don't be behind him. You don't want him going backwards or off contact. Just turing cleanly out on a flank. At present, your dog is translating flanks on a drive as a continuation of the drive—in other words-still moving forward. He should translate a flank as a separate move that cleanly places him somewhere else around the stock. My take anyway. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtimedog Posted June 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 You are right about him continuing forward on the drive. (I've just been happy when he moved instead of standing there trying to decide which way to go.) And my little field is too small for me to really walk alongside as many have told me to do. That just ends up with us both frustrated. But he certainly can do a cross drive!!!! I LIKE IT. I'd go right out right now and try it if it wasn't dark and wicked muddy... Thanks so much! I'll let you know what transpires. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol campion Posted June 30, 2009 Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 You are right about him continuing forward on the drive. (I've just been happy when he moved instead of standing there trying to decide which way to go.) And my little field is too small for me to really walk alongside as many have told me to do. That just ends up with us both frustrated. But he certainly can do a cross drive!!!! I LIKE IT. I'd go right out right now and try it if it wasn't dark and wicked muddy...Thanks so much! I'll let you know what transpires. L Stop/pause him before you give that flank to make sure his brain has a chance to clear away the "forward" that is spoiling his flanks. Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtimedog Posted June 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2009 Stop/pause him before you give that flank to make sure his brain has a chance to clear away the "forward" that is spoiling his flanks. Carol I will. I had been, mostly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtimedog Posted July 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 WOW, CAROL!!!! This is fantastic!!!!! This is the step I've been missing. It makes sense to BOTH of us! I never thought of doing it on a cross drive. Doc gave me some funny looks the first time I made him take a square flank but after a couple of times he was doing it on his own! And the sheep tend to curl around but that's ok here since I can then have him drive them the other direction. I don't have to try to keep them going much of anywhere which takes the frustration out of the equation! We had so much fun this morning, we went out this afternoon and tried it again. We're pretty sloppy, but getting it. THANK YOU!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carol campion Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 WOW, CAROL!!!! This is fantastic!!!!! This is the step I've been missing. It makes sense to BOTH of us! I never thought of doing it on a cross drive. Doc gave me some funny looks the first time I made him take a square flank but after a couple of times he was doing it on his own! And the sheep tend to curl around but that's ok here since I can then have him drive them the other direction. I don't have to try to keep them going much of anywhere which takes the frustration out of the equation! We had so much fun this morning, we went out this afternoon and tried it again. We're pretty sloppy, but getting it.THANK YOU!!!!!! Good luck with it, Lana! Possibly Bob will have some thoughts and ideas for you! Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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