Debbie Meier Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 When Ricky was away, Marc started him on whistles for me. It took me a couple of years, yes years, to get sound out of my whistle and over the past 6 months I've been able to get some consistent noise. About a month ago Marc gave me some pointers as to how to get my whistles down pat, basically converting them to be reflexive so that I don't have to think about what tones I'm going to blow. Today, Ricky acknowledged my come-bye, walk up and stop whistles!!! He also gave me a dirty look when I blew a funny off key walk up, he was going to flank away but then changed his mind when I hit the next key and stopped, then he looked at me with a "What the heck was that" look. Wayne was closer to him then I was, he said that the expression was priceless. I'm still struggling with my away to me whistle, I'm using a high low and am having problems with getting it started at the right pitch, lows are easy for me, highs are tough.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Good on you! Keep practicing (in the car is good, if no dogs are along) and you'll get it. I've been whistling for about 2 years, and I still am struggling to keep it consistent! Some days I'm good, other days ... not so much. :-p ~ Gloria P.S. I found that trying to whistle simple songs, like Yankee Doodle or Dixie, were a good way to expand my range of notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Good on you! Keep practicing (in the car is good, if no dogs are along) and you'll get it. I've been whistling for about 2 years, and I still am struggling to keep it consistent! Some days I'm good, other days ... not so much. :-p ~ Gloria P.S. I found that trying to whistle simple songs, like Yankee Doodle or Dixie, were a good way to expand my range of notes. So, that was you I heard Yankeeing the other day Will you keep it down - I am a couple of staates over you know All kidding aside, I wish I could use a whistle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I can do Mary Had a Little Lamb, but I think it is only in two notes and a big flat, beginning to wonder if I am tone deaf... (LOL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arf2184 Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 He also gave me a dirty look when I blew a funny off key walk up Lol. I bought a whistle for the sole purpose of giving me something to do on my hour drive to work (and knowing how to use it will come in handy if I do ever start herding). I get a whole range of sounds, but never the ones that I'm trying for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
workindogs Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Deb I guess you understand that without a whistle you can only work you dog at maybe 200 yds max....and shouting at that distance is a bit crude. From your descriptions of your work and dog, it appeared that you and your dog were working to a higher standard. Furthermore, without a whistle you can't have precision in your communication with your dog. In order to aspire to this year's cattle and sheepdog finals, you not only need to be "sorta" good at whistling, you need to be very good and have a strong communication (2nd nature with subtle nuances) with your dog to work at a distance. It sounds like you have some more time and miles to put in....tho' it's fun to have a dog to provide inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Just going to have to wait and see, will either be the windshield or the bug, it's only a trial to the dog. Cattledog Finals is less then 90 days away, unless something happens financially or injury wise between now and the end of the month Jake's entry will be in the mail with Wayne at the helm, his whistles are as good as mine right now, but he's working on them... I will be taking Ricky down to Missouri at the end of the month, open field judged cattledog trial, how he performs there will tell me if I get to go to the post at the end of May. As far as sheepdog finals, the only goal is to qualify Ricky in nursery via judged field trials, I don't think I would take him but who knows where things will be come that time for both of us. There is little to no chance in us going in 2012, so if we were to do it, it would have to be this year or wait for another dog. Just going to march on down the path that we are making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Just going to have to wait and see, will either be the windshield or the bug, it's only a trial to the dog. Cattledog Finals is less then 90 days away, unless something happens financially or injury wise between now and the end of the month Jake's entry will be in the mail with Wayne at the helm, his whistles are as good as mine right now, but he's working on them... I will be taking Ricky down to Missouri at the end of the month, open field judged cattledog trial, how he performs there will tell me if I get to go to the post at the end of May. As far as sheepdog finals, the only goal is to qualify Ricky in nursery via judged field trials, I don't think I would take him but who knows where things will be come that time for both of us. There is little to no chance in us going in 2012, so if we were to do it, it would have to be this year or wait for another dog. Just going to march on down the path that we are making. You go Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 My biggest fear is that if we miss this opportunity with the dogs that we have right now that we will not have another chance....it's more then aspiration for me, it's a sense of urgency. There is a voice telling me that I don't have time to waste, get ready on the fly and just do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Deb- One thing that I have done is mimic the songs of birds when I am outside. They are typically two or three notes in their songs so it made it easier for me to copy and work with. Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 My biggest fear is that if we miss this opportunity with the dogs that we have right now that we will not have another chance....it's more then aspiration for me, it's a sense of urgency. There is a voice telling me that I don't have time to waste, get ready on the fly and just do it. Just curious, why the urgency? Each year you will improve as a handler. Your dogs will not somehow lose quality if you wait. In fact, if you handle them right they should get better as they become more mature and experienced. Sure, Ricky won't be able to compete in nursery after a certain age, but he can still run in Open. If your dogs are good people will recognize them for what they are. Enjoy the journey. Otherwise you might find that reaching your destination is rather anticlimactic. Elizabeth (workindogs), if she wants to go for the big leagues why be rude about it? Everyone has to start somewhere. If her whistling skills, or lack thereof, are holding her back I am sure she will figure that out on her own. In fact, it sounds like she knows she needs to work on it and is doing just that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Debbie - Little LC (AKA Lovable Cuteness) and I will be your cheering section Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 So, that was you I heard Yankeeing the other day Will you keep it down - I am a couple of staates over you know All kidding aside, I wish I could use a whistle Heh, sorry, I get carried away. I have a new Corian whistle I now have to learn, so expect more off-key tootling and bird-scaring. ~ Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Heh, sorry, I get carried away. I have a new Corian whistle I now have to learn, so expect more off-key tootling and bird-scaring. ~ Gloria From what I understand the wind direction is from east to west the next couple of day so you practise a lot until it swings back the other way Hey are you coming out trialing in NM this summer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Liz, I've been asking myself the same question, and can not give a solid answer as to why. Reflecting back to the past I've found myself in simular situations (not with dogs) each time I passed up an opportunity such as what we have been presented such as Finals close to home and dogs that show the ability, the door shut and I didn't have another chance, mostly from an economic standpoint. As it is we are probably extending ourselves beyond where we should, but I don't see where any other time would be better. From a competition standpoint we've always been behind the curve, a year or two late to the party in the past so I'm trying to change my old approach which was to wait for a better time by finding excuses as to why I'm not ready. There is no better time then now, it's kinda of exhilerating and exciting. How is it said... Seize the Day, or die regretting the time you lost. As far as the journey, I don't think there is an end destination just the day the journey ends which is the day I die. There will be just brief pauses along the way so there is no danger of it leading to a anticlimatic end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Debbie and Liz I think its hard for younger people to grasp that there is a timeline. I have found myself wondering just the last couple of years about oppertunities slipping away and not taken. I think it different if you look out another 50 years then it is to look shorter. And then of course there is always the "What Ifs". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted March 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thanks Kathy!! Claudia, yes!! The timeline does have an end, and I've found for myself that there are small timelines that make up our lives representing different focuses, might be family, might be a different form of competition or work. They will overlap, but it does not seem like you go back to pick up a closed timeline once you've moved on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Debbie you are sooo right about overlapping timelines. I also think once you "leave" a timeline you can really never get back to it or you really don't want to get back to it! I think they turn into memories either cherished or nightmares! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Makes sense. I would like to trial this year just so that I don't miss out on a year of competition with my dogs, even if they are not ready for Open yet. With the way things are going for me right now I don't know how many I will be entering, but I'll try to make it to as many as possible. When I made the comment about reaching a destination I was talking about winning the Nationals. I suspect many people trial with that goal in mind, and if they were to reach it they might be at a loss as to where to go from that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 From what I understand the wind direction is from east to west the next couple of day so you practise a lot until it swings back the other way Hey are you coming out trialing in NM this summer? Lol, good, I can practice in my way to work. Honestly, I don't know if I can make it that far this year. I'd love to, but ... gas prices are getting scary. I may not get much further than California, and hopefully up to Lacamas Valley (WA) in August. I'll just have to see how travel finances hold up! I'd sure love to see NM again - magical country. ~ Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.