mckaycanada Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 I have a dog with only two speeds. Full out and full stop. If I ask him to walk up he covers half the distance to the sheep before the words are out of my mouth. I'm trying to steady him up but it's a frustrating affair. Anyone else been successful getting a quick dog to slow down? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 I asked a well known trainer about this problem(with my dog). And she told me I could try to first give the dog a "steady" command, and then a "down" at once. After some time the dog will believe that it will be told to lie down when the "steady" comes. And hopefully he will slow down for the down-command. makes any sense? ------------------ ---- Thor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookcove Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 My trainer would say "walk" real quiet and almost before Rick moved shout "HEY" which would get him to stop (or lie down! - Steve can make you think the sky's about to fall with that yell of his) then repeat "walk"/"HEY"/"walk" until Rick came on to the sheep sensibly. Basically he was not letting him work until Rick came up with the right answer. Your mileage may vary. ------------------ Rebecca Brook Cove Farm, NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Charles Torre Posted January 1, 2003 Report Share Posted January 1, 2003 John: I just spent a couple of days getting help with my dogs from a pro. First on my agenda was getting my Jen to quit being so darn pushy. I just wasn't having much luck getting her to take the "steady" when in a strange place with strange sheep. Typically I was having to constantly cajole her to keep the pace reasonable at best. The advice I got was to try a whip... Wait! Before I get email bombs, let me explain. The procedure we tried was "Steady" (no result), followed by verbal correction (no result), followed by a crack of the whip - the dog is a couple of hundred yards away at this point, but the sound really got her attention. After a couple of those, it was enough to give the command with an occasional verbal correction to see her steady up. By the second day she was being MUCh more careful with her pace with very little correction being needed. I've come home now and the lesson seems to be sinking in. It's a real pleasure to see her work so carefully. Finally, I was advised to wean myself from the whip as soon as possible so that the dog does not rely upon that correction to behave. Depends upon the dog, some are more sound sensitive than others. Jen definitely notices the noise, but it doesn't scramble her brain. She is very keen, so there seemed no harm done. Might work for you. charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PrairieFire Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 John - I've had some luck by working up close and getting a handle on the dog before sending them a distance... And try not to let the dog I'm working with gee up before I send him - he's one of those dogs that doesn't show he's geeing up, so I hadn't done anything about it - but I can notice the difference when I DO do something about it before it happens... ------------------ Bill Gary Kensmuir, Working Stockdog Center River Falls, WI 715.426.9877 www.kensmuir.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 I think the first step in helping a dog learn to pace is to make sure it understands what "lie down" means. Don't allow cheating. Once you have that tool, you can stop the dog if it starts to blast in at the sheep when you tell it to walk. Also, I've found with my rocket boy that it helps to keep my voice very low, almost as if I'm telling him a secret. I've started using his name, rather than steady or walk up, and I'm always ready to blast through the sheep and by god stop him if he gets foolish. I'm using a single toot on the whistle for a walk-up, and that also seems to help. It's coming along. But the main thing was letting him know in no uncertain terms that if he came on like a freight train, I would be there to meet him. ------------------ Bill Fosher Surry, NH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.E.S Posted January 2, 2003 Report Share Posted January 2, 2003 "Also, I've found with my rocket boy that it helps to keep my voice very low, almost as if I'm telling him a secret. I've started using his name, rather than steady or walk up, and I'm always ready to blast through the sheep and by god stop him if he gets foolish." My young bitch is extremely pushy. I've been using her name to slow her down too. Steady, Take time etc does not seem to work as well as using her name and maybe saying "hey" in a gruff voice. If she still doesn't slow down I also will blast thru the sheep to get her to slow down. My older dog can get very pushy also, when he is working a distance away. I don't have him on whistles yet (my new years resolution)and I know it is hard for him to hear me at that distance but I have started saying "hey" to him in a growly voice too and its working. Of course I am a complete novice, but this is working for me. JES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest newguy Posted January 3, 2003 Report Share Posted January 3, 2003 John Be like Johnny Cash and walk the line. You have to teach the dog to steady not force them to steady. Keep the dog into the sheep, heavy sheep are best. when the dog comes on hard step sideways and change his balance, if the dog slices the flank when he moves to balance you hace to step sideways and into the dag at the same time. Watch for a reaction from the dog. This is a hard thing to explain. Do not give gound by this i mean do not let the dog walk onto his sheep till he comes on nicely. The theory I have is do not correct the dog on balance because i believe you are teaching him that that is the wrong place to be. By changing his balance when he rushes the sheep teaches him that if he walks on nicely he is allowed to walk on, if he comes on hard it is just work. Remember using this method the dog might look very bad before it gets better depending on the dog. Do not over do this exercise or you could make a dog not want to walk up at all(speaking from expeience) When training for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckaycanada Posted January 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2003 Hey Guys: Works killing me and I'm just getting back to read the responses. I have a lot to think about. Thank you. This dog has a solid down. But I get the "W" of a whispered "walk up" out of my mouth before he's off like the bullet from a gun. Never grips. Sometimes spills his sheep and is not afraid of them. He does a Mohamed Ali head bob when someone charges him but stands his ground. Thad. Got it. I do understand and it does make sense. Can you guys check out my next post as well because I got some really good feed back here. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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