NancyO Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Have a question. I have a dog that will be turning 3. He likes to shed but not much finesse (well neither does his handler ) He'll hold a single and enjoys doing so. There have been occasions when he is holding a single and the sheep has tried to jump over him in a high arc, to get back to the group, this has occured once the sheep realizes it is not going to be able to get around the dog to get back to the group and it doesn't occur all the time. My question is this, when the sheep tries to jump over him, he has been attempting to catch it in mid air when it is over him. I was wondering if I should allow him to grip it when it is over him (he hasn't actually gripped one yet), or if I should be making him lie down so he doesn't grip. He will grip on the nose if a sheep lowers it head and charges him (and no he's never bloodied or mutilated one and only does it when the sheep comes at him) Nancy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 You'd probably be better off not putting him that situation too often. Success breeds success. Even if he grips it, he may lose it if it has already launched itself over his head. For a useful exercise in holding and managing a single, try taking a stodgy sheep out in to the field, put some others in an adjacent holding pen and get the dog to pull the single off the holding pen fence and drive/wear it away from the others a time or two. Graduate to a flighter sheep or one more likely to fight. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I'd agree with A. What you describe is really sort of a no win situation for the dog and might defeat his confidence a bit if he grips and gets run over a few times. You might be able to help him hold and turn that single if you can't avoid the situation. Are you having him hold the single for too long possibly so that the sheep starts to feel really desperate? Maybe just have him turn the single and then call him off so he's successful without letting it escalate. Just some thoughts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyO Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Thanks for the responses. I think what may be happening is what Robin mentioned, that I am having him hold it for too long, hadn't thought of that, even though I wrote that it happens after the sheep finds there is no way to get around the dog to get back to the group (duh). He can move the single away without any problem and I have had him move it a fair distance from the others. I will watch that I don't have him hold it for long. A- He can pull a single off of the chute system and move it away without any problem. And he can then take that single and move it to the other field to a different group of sheep. Once he has moved it about 25 yards from the chute system, it can see the other group and it won't fight him, so I figured this would give him confidence. Although he is already full of himself, and I'd like that to continue. FYI, this first occured when I had him shed off a single cheviot/tunis yearling ewe, when I did it I thought, boy was this the wrong sheep to shed off. I have tried to be careful since then. Nancy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackacre Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 OK, sounds like you're on track. It's hard not to go too far when things are going well, isn't it? I try to remember not to test to failure, even though that's my nature. Yes, I've been called on it, by the best. A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyO Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 A- Yeah, you're right, I love to watch him move and hold that single. We're working on the finesse part. His and mine. Nancy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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