Caroline Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Last week I had a herding evaluation on my young rescue dog Luke (11 months). Today was our first lesson. Briefly I had worked my older dog as a hobby herder for a few years before my children were born, but he lacked confidence in stock work. This young dog looks like he will be fun to train. I had forgotten how much I had to run to keep the sheep from piling up on me! I am hopeful we will have our place fenced for a few sheep in July/August and we can work at home also. So I have a couple months where I go weekly to work sheep with this trainer. I forgot how much the person needs to know about sheep! I am tired today, less tired than Luke I think. He has nice flanking that is wide and natural and he is calm when he works. Steady and confident. Much more so than I, anyway it was a good day. My older dog Charlie went along and he was happy I think to see he didn't have to run after those woolies again as he would rather enjoy the afternoon with his ball and a head rub. Caroline Chamblin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucknjill Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 It is addicting isnt it? Sure is nice though, that something so simple as how your dog flanks around sheep can make your whole day! I am glad you had fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Hey Sam! Any recomendations for hotels for next week? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucknjill Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 You could call the village inn, but they are not taking dogs in the rooms...434-263-5068 or call Lena for Gita's phone number..she is doing a bed and breakfast deal about 30 second from the trial field...Let me know if neither option works...I am leaving Friday early to go up and will be gone thru april 10th at the clinics and trials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillTerry Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Sam, I may not be able to leave until Friday but I'm hoping to leave late Thursday night and get a few hours in of the haul. Pipinstein will be in full season for the clinic. The boys will not have their minds in learning mode or trialing mode. Dogs have not worked sheep since December. I may never complain about people who don't have their dogs under control again.....at least not audibly. I will give you all a monetary reward if someone can find me a respectable or at least a non-violent person to drive me across the BBBIIIIIGGGG Bay Bridge Thursday night. My last year's chauffeur refuses to come back and drive me over. How quickly they forget about you when you aren't getting a dog from them. See ya soon. Mark, Watch out I will be on 81 and 29 Friday afternoon. If you aren't hauling a big heavy rig, be careful. Unavoidable little bumps from my rig can do more damage than you would think possible to light weight vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Terry :eek: :eek: :eek: Thanks for the warning! The Pipedream Farm rig is quite big and heavy, but I'd still prefer to avoid contact with other large objects. Hopefully the trial field will be dry; we got stuck the last time we pulled our rig into the field (damn crappy tires). See you this weekend. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Caroline, glad you had fun with you new dog. We really enjoy working the dogs; especially young dogs. We also enjoy having our own sheep; watching them graze is quite relaxing. I quite enjoy sitting our porch watching them graze while sipping (coffee in the morning or something harder in the evening). Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucknjill Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hmmm let me see who I can round up for the whole bridge thing..I will work for cash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgt Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hey Sam Furman: I just saw a picture of you from the Georgia State Championship SDT. You're just a little kid. How can you be so good at this stockdog stuff? I hate you. charlie torre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 "You're just a little kid." :eek: Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccnnc Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 "You're just a little kid" WOW, so many opportunities there my poor ole brain can't figure which to start with! Gotta say, Sam, you really have a "deer in the headlight" expression in Christine's photo! Looked over the running order, looks like this weekend will be a great opportunity to put faces to some names I've seen here and elsewhere. Gonna be fun! Ohh, if you hear a sound something like a thermonuclear reaction comin' from Nawth Karlina, that's Robin's reaction to the favor I'm getting ready to ask. See y'all tomorrow... Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgt Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 All right. I obviously don't know Ms. Furman personally, as y'all do. And I admit to feeling an urge to duck and take cover even as I was typing my last message. But, you've seen the picture, so you know what I mean. charlie torre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Wall Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hey! I think that's a nice picture of Sam, Maddie and TUCKER (isn't it Sam?). And notice how diplomatic Christine was in calling this second picture "scenic drive" rather than what it really was, Denise and Mick (AKA That Black Dog) missing the crossdrive panel on the double lift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgt Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Denise: I didn't say it was a BAD picture. I guess I'm just getting sick and tired of everyone starting to look younger than me. Dammit. ct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucknjill Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Charlie, you are my new personal HERO...I dont care if you hate me, you called me YOUNG! I guess the sad thing is, in years I am sort of young (33)...but ask my poor mother, I started "living" too soon to suit her... She is still in therapy! And hell I aint so good, Denise was the one in the double lift not me!!! GOOOOOOOOOO DENISE! I am headed out for two weeks of dog now...Yahoooooooo no chores for two weeks!! Although typical me, I am taking like 8 dogs and 8 puppies with me and it is a working vacation..but who cares...dog dog and more dog...ah bliss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 I just want ya'll to know, being dyslexic, I keep reading the subject line of this thread as "training a young god". Then of course the topic seems to be Sam's immortal youth . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgt Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Fine. Denise, too. There's plenty of hate to go around. charlie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Wall Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Sam's definitely the one to hate most. She's better at the trialin and SURELY you don't feel old looking at my picture like you do hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucknjill Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 God you guys are gonna make me gack! I got more lines running across my face lately and we wont even touch the whole gravity issue. You know too, Charlie, if you really want to hate someone, why dont you aim it at Derek or Haley...they are REALLY good and REALLY young...I am small potatoes compared to those two! I dont know Haley, but darned Derek, he is even a sweetheart to boot, no one could hate him... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted March 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Thanks Mark, I am enjoying the thread but it is nice to be responded to personally *grin* I am hopeful to someday be in the "trial" mode and out with a dog or two or eight and meeting folks and all that. I am trying to post a picture somewhere to link and then at least everyone can see how OLD I am...haha Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Wall Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hi Caroline, Sorry we hijacked your thread. Have fun with your nice steady Luke pup and report back your progress. Maybe we'll even stay on topic long enough to answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Caroline, you can't blame Sam for being totally distracted she was called so young and so good; her fiends never let her head get so big. Have fun with Luke, and do keep us posted. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted March 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 I am laughing as I would be riding people here too in a funny way but since I haven't met many personally I'm not quite ready to do that...I am trying to figure out how to post a picture soon. I just watched an old video I have from Rural Route Videos on working and training a border collie. Lots to remember about sheep. My trainer told me to follow Luke's hind end around as he tries to bring me the sheep and then look for the flanking opportunities. I also don't have a solid down yet so am working on that at home this week with distractions. Anyone feel its worthwhile to go to stock without a good down or stand there on a dog? Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise Wall Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 I also don't have a solid down yet so am working on that at home this week with distractions. Anyone feel its worthwhile to go to stock without a good down or stand there on a dog? Oh shoot yeah. I don't generally have a down on my dogs at all until they've been in Open a year or two and sometimes not even then. Kinda kidding, but kinda not, as people will tell you. Seriously, and this is just my way of doing things, I'm more interested in having them learn to go around stock right in the beginning than controlling them by stopping them. If your Luke dog is steady and natural as you describe, then he may be fine with no down for a while. It depends on what your trainer is comfortable with. I don't teach or practice downs off sheep either. Lots of people, some of them much better trainers than me, do. Others, like me, don't teach any commands except in the context of the stock. I've had dogs that had no idea what down meant unless they were on sheep. To me, that means down has a different meaning to that dog than just the act of lying down. Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 My first couple of dogs I taught them to lie down off stock, thinking that if things started to go to hell in a handbasket I would be able to stop the dog. What a joke. If the dog is worth a darn, it won't know lie down from the man in the moon when it's starting to work sheep. I've been working with a young dog recently whom I have not taught the down command (or much of anything else for that matter) and what a dream it is. The last dog I had that we taught the down off sheep we had to teach to stop where he was told to stop rather than come back to the handler, and then we had to teach him not to turn and look at the handler when he was told to lie down. I've come to think Denise's approach to this is the right one for me. Teach them to lie down along with everything else -- in context and where expectations can be made clear. My next puppy will go to sheep knowing my voice, its name, and a recall command. I'll expect it to remember none of the above for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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