Pressure at the pen

[gvmama]

One more question......

 

My bitch is flanking nicely at the pen now, but she is still a ticking time bomb. What I mean by that is that she explodes when she feels a certain amount of pressure. She hates 'stalled" sheep and at the pen lots of time we have to wait a bit for heads to turn, etc. This bitch will feel the pressure and start to slither on on her tummy with tension. She is like a rubber band pulled all the way back ready to fire. Just as I think the sheep are about to go into the pen, BAM...she flies in for a bite. Exercises, suggestions?

[RMSBORDERCOLLIES]

One more question......

 

My bitch is flanking nicely at the pen now, but she is still a ticking time bomb. What I mean by that is that she explodes when she feels a certain amount of pressure. She hates 'stalled" sheep and at the pen lots of time we have to wait a bit for heads to turn, etc. This bitch will feel the pressure and start to slither on on her tummy with tension. She is like a rubber band pulled all the way back ready to fire. Just as I think the sheep are about to go into the pen, BAM...she flies in for a bite. Exercises, suggestions?

 

 

Hi again. The pen is an exercise in quiet control. Most of the time I like to see the dog on it's feet at the pen but there are times when it would be better on the ground depending on the nature of the dog and the sheep. If you can get to some nice quiet sheep that are used to penning this would be a good thing right now. This would teach your dog that she doesn't have to put all that pressure on the sheep when she is at the pen. Now, remember, that she can read your feelings at the pen also and, if your are nervous or aggressive at the pen she probably will be too. What the pen should look like is a very confident feather pushing the sheep in. So to get there, you need to teach yourself and your dog PATIENCE, and CONTROL. Harsh movements will only upset unbroke sheep so you need to keep your movements and the dog's movements quiet. To accomplish this you need to have your dog under very good control using a nice soft voice to ensure that she doesn't get the idea that she has to blast them. You should be aiming the sheep into the pen at about a 45 degree angle with the hinge corner of the gate your point of aim. This will push the sheep into the gate so that they have to turn into the pen. When you have them into the gate opening this is the time that you should start to inch your way around the opening with your crook held out around the sheep to block that side. This forms a kind of wall around them with the dog controlling the only opening left that isn't covered. This is where you must make the dog listen and just take the steps that are required to keep that nice steady pressure to convince them to go in. You should also be helping by just moving your crook ever so slightly to let them know that they're covered. NO FAST MOVEMENTS AT ALL!!! When you ask the dog to "walk up", you need to tell her to "stay there" right away the second that you you see the sheep reacting to the dog's presence. If there is too much pressure, the sheep will squirt, if not enough they may challenge the dog and you and leave, so it's just like a game of bridge and you need to use a lot of FINESSE. Once your dog has worked the broke sheep for a while try and move up to a tlittle tougher sheep and progress from there. Another thing while I think of it. Let your dog cover the sheep at the pen as naturally as possible. You only need to get into the picture when things aren't going right. A dog that reads her sheep is very valuable when penning as she will cover on her own when she sees they are trying to get out. Once you ahve been penning for a while she will recognize what it is you want and become natural with it. We don't do penning practice at home as our dogs are pushing sheep in and out of pens all day long so they don't really need it. But, under your circumstances, it is necessary to practice penning. Have fun and hope to see you at the finals.......Bob