Ruger and Sheep - what do you look for?

[Aussiedawgs]

Ruger is rescue dog picked up as a stray so we don't know his background. I pegged him as an Aussie but, some people have told me they think he's an Aussie-BC mix. He's funny, silly, and very very sensitive. This is his 2nd exposure to sheep (the first one was when there was still too much snow to do much, so was abbreviated). I am wondering what to "look for" when a dog is first introduced? He is so different from my other dog - who was very intense and hard headed at times (not the best choice for novice like me).

 

I think Ruger has been punished for chasing stock - being a stray in a rural area that wouldn't be surprising - so his first exposure was getting him to understand it was "ok" to go after the sheep (he was convinced this was a "set up") but we got him interested and willing chase the sheep abit, until we ended and then when I called him over he belly crawled to me and flipped upside down ("see - I knew it was a setup!") - boy did I feel like a cad!

 

The second time went much better - as soon as we went in, he looked at the sheep and was interested and when I took the leash off he went right around them. What I liked - and I'm not sure this is a "good" thing, I'm just guessing - was that when he split them, and I pointed out the stragglers he immediately fetched them back to the rest. He also seems very sensitive to pressure from the handler, but unlike my other dog - he is not bothered by going between the fence and the sheep. Unfortunately....he is very very interested in their tails.....just too tempting? He is much kinder to his sheep though, than my other dog was at this stage.

 

I would love to know what more experienced people think because I'd like to continue with Rue, he's a lot of fun to work with

 

This is the link to the video: http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd176/C...MarchLesson.flv

[juliepoudrier]

I tried to watch the video but it stopped downloading about halfway through and I never could see the whole thing. From the little I did see, I'd say I'd like to see his tail come down (though if he's an aussie that might not happen) and I'd like to see him more engaged with the stock (not trotting off to sniff).

 

That said, it's hard to make any sort of judgement from a very short video of his second time on sheep. I didn't see anything that would make me say "don't do it." Certainly try him a few more times and see how it goes.

 

J.

[Aussiedawgs]

I tried to watch the video but it stopped downloading about halfway through and I never could see the whole thing. From the little I did see, I'd say I'd like to see his tail come down (though if he's an aussie that might not happen) and I'd like to see him more engaged with the stock (not trotting off to sniff).

 

That said, it's hard to make any sort of judgement from a very short video of his second time on sheep. I didn't see anything that would make me say "don't do it." Certainly try him a few more times and see how it goes.

 

J.

 

 

Thanks I'm not sure why it stopped - I'm not to familiar with working with videos. His tail is awfully high - on part of the video I can see it over the sheep like a flag. I don't know if aussies normally carry it high when working because most here have docked tails. We've had a third lesson - but no one to videotape it. In that one, he seemed more focused on the sheep and didn't break off to sniff and maintained contact the entire time. I can't recall what his tail did though....