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Daisy's Progess & Devon's first sheep experience!


WildFlower
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Hi Everyone,

 

I just had to share a bit about our last lesson.

 

Daisy, Devon, and I went out for a lesson on the 22nd. A brief histroy, Daisy and I have had maybe 10 or so lessons. We seemed to be progressing well, went from the round pen to the medium field in about 4 lessons. Well, we had two or three lessons in the medium feel and I was unable to adequately control her so we moved back the round pen for the last 4 lessons. She developed a bad habit of "dive bombing" the sheep and trying to grip. I was not fast enough or "stern" enough in my correction. At any rate, we moved back to the round pen and she is finally slowing down and not attempting to "dive bomb" nearly as much. So, yay! I am hoping that we can start in the round been at our next lesson and then move to the medium field. :rolleyes:

 

On to Mr. Devon. He will be 5 months old this Saturday. Well he came with Daisy and I to our lesson. (I got Devon from where I take lessons.) I know that you don't really start to train a dog on livestock until they are about a year but John asked me to put Devon in the round pen to see what he would do. He was incredible. All business this boy - tail down, crouching, moving those sheep around like he had been doing it for years. I should have brought my camera. I will be ready the next time it happens!

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They are all very different. One caveat though, just because a pup seems to be all business (tail down, focused), doesn't always equate with he/she being able to take the pressure needed to form a good working dog.... Damage can be done without even knowing it. Sounds like Devon is cool though :rolleyes:

 

As to Daisy, I would say she's pretty normal :D We need pics next time!

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On to Mr. Devon. He will be 5 months old this Saturday. Well he came with Daisy and I to our lesson. (I got Devon from where I take lessons.) I know that you don't really start to train a dog on livestock until they are about a year but John asked me to put Devon in the round pen to see what he would do.

 

Hello Vicki!

 

My name is Ronnie, I'm from the U.P. of MI and I am wondering if you take lessons from John Wentz? If so, I think your Devon is a littermate to my newest pup, Suede. Is your pup a Nat x Chuck?

 

~Ronnie

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Nor does it equate to being al business in a few months. :D At 4 months old Juniper was doing some nice calm flanking, and even a bit of driving. At 6 months old she was a terror and lost her mind. :rolleyes: OK, so I have to give her some credit. She was taking her lie down command if I could get her attention for a moment. She is about 7 months old right now and I am hoping that in a few months she will decide to be serious again. Then we can start her real training.

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I am in the same boat as Liz. My puppy at 5 months was quite serious, but now is a wild man on sheep. I speak from experience this afternoon. He got after a group of five lambs and chased them all over the place. It was NOT easy catching him. He is 7 months old now and I am hoping that he will be more serious again in a few months. Good thing it's winter right now.

 

Kathy

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C'mon people! Let's not rain on this girl's parade :rolleyes: I have what I believe is a littermate to Devon, and my little guy is the same way, and I'm absolutely lovin' it! Yes, I know it doesn't mean he's going to be the next Nat'l Champ, but heck, it sure was a kick to see how gung-ho he was to work the first time he was near the sheep and his little light bulb went on. I have to be careful now, because when he's outside with me, ALL he wants to do is get in with the sheep. But, I sure do like knowing that odds are he's going to turn right on in the spring when we really do get on with some serious training. I think that part is my very favorite part of training a working BC--the beginning--when they first start really thinking and moving around the sheep and realize that they are a *sheepdog* Can you imagine how that must make a young dog feel?

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Hey, Ronnie, I am not raining on her parade. I am just telling it like it is. I know that my pup will be a great dog. It's just that right now when he busts into the sheep it is quite the job for me to catch him. He ran lambs into two different gates today and down the driveway. Thank doG for the gate at the end of the driveway or else they would have been out on the county road. I am not saying that I don't like his enthusiasm, but boy did it tire me out to catch him. :rolleyes:

 

Kathy

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No worries, everyone - and no one is raining on my parade. :rolleyes: But it was really fun to watch and just wanted to share.

 

I know that it doesn't mean anything that he was like that now. Daisy's first experience on sheep was just so different - she was tail up, chasin', and having a good ol' time. Perhaps that's why it struck me as so different.

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Yes, those young, eager ones do make you appreciate your older ones. Of course, my older ones are not really advanced at this point. But they do listen and do take their downs for the most part. But, I sure am looking forward to when this eager youngster is older.

 

Kathy

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