walking up slowly

[bill virginia]

i have been working everyday with my two BC on walking up slowly. i am somewhat successful.

 

Does anyone have any exercise or procedure i can use in addressing the problem of getting the BC's to walk up slowly all the time???????

 

thanks in advance.

 

 

bill

[red russel]

Hi Bill

 

I've been working with both my dogs on that very issue but, for me anyway, it isn't about walking up slowly... it is more about addressing their stock correctly and not busting through their bubble. Feeling their stock as opposed to running over or thru them. Using their eye instead of their body. Working with Dianne Deal and Patrick Shannahan, they have both suggested giving the dog what for when they come on too strong and begin to bully the stock. softening when the dog backs off or begins to use their feel... I spent 2.5 hours with Patrick and Dianne working on my timing and tone so I'm not suggesting that what I said is going to resolve your challenge but, basically, they said make your dog responsible for their stock. Really came down to pressure on when not good, pressure off when good. Really simple from a theoretical perspective.

 

dave

www.leadmeontraining.com

[bill virginia]

to tec

 

thanks for your information.

 

both dogs have enough power to move sheep and pen without my help.

 

i just want to slow them down on their walk up(fetch and drive). i thought that with all the folks out on the board i would get some suggestions. well maybe they are very busy.

 

thanks for your suggestions

 

bill virginia

[TEC]

i have been working everyday with my two BC on walking up slowly. i am somewhat successful.

 

Does anyone have any exercise or procedure i can use in addressing the problem of getting the BC's to walk up slowly all the time???????

 

thanks in advance.

bill

 

IMO it is a good idea for almost every dog to have two or more gears on walk-up --a rapid assertive approach for difficult/heavy sheep, and a more paced one for lighter ones. I wouldn't take all pushiness out of a dog, so that it becomes difficult for him/her to handle certain situations in which the dog needs to maintain momentum. You indicated that your dogs have plenty of power, therefore it may be a good idea to be able to slow-down their walk-up.

 

How do you get a more gentle/paced walk-up? Like Red Russell (above) mentioned, pressure/release, and maintaining up-close contact with the dog is one good training method. Here is my interpretation of a form of pressure/release technique for walk-ups, one that I use. Down/stay dog, say 20-30 yds from sheep. Put yourself just a few feet from the packet, facing dog. Have your dog outrun, being sure it does a nice wide flank, and deep at the top. In order to get even more separation from sheep to dog, move away from sheep as dog comes even with your position and passes, likely bringing the sheep with you away from dog's pressure. Down dog at balance, and quietly/promptly ask for walk-up. In event your dog begins to run/trot toward sheep, down it again, and promptly give walk-up, or even just a whispered "waaalk". If still too fast-paced, try quiet/calm "taaaake-tiiiime" or "tiiiiiime", perhaps pointing stick/crook at dog, and if dog continues too quickly paced, down dog again -- and repeat. Pressure is: pointing stick if need be, the cautionary "time", and if not heeded, a "lie down". Release is: a very prompt "walk" from the down, and allowing the dog to control sheep in nicely paced manner.

 

Try to avoid keeping dog in down for much time, as many dogs feel a down in certain situations is loss of control, so lengthy downs can become a big punishment. You want to keep the down simply as a little reminder to pace itself. Improvement often takes several short sessions. When you want a dog to push harder/faster, you can use upbeat quick abrupt commands, perhaps with encouragement like, "get'um up".

 

As with anything, if you don't see improvement after a few sessions, you may want to modify the approach or try something different. While this exercise is in the form of a fetch, in the dog's mind it should easily transfer over to drives. Others on the Board may have exercises that have worked well for them. -- Kind Regards, TEC

[Pam Wolf]

Make sure when you use your command for slow the dog actually changes speed. Too often I see people telling their dogs to slow and the dog keeps moving at the same too fast speed. Do whatever you need to slow the dog down once the command is given.

 

Threatening the dog with a stick/whip might work for some, others will start to anticipate a down if used immediately after the slow command, eventually eliminating the down command once the dog starts to slow down

[bill virginia]

Make sure when you use your command for slow the dog actually changes speed. Too often I see people telling their dogs to slow and the dog keeps moving at the same too fast speed. Do whatever you need to slow the dog down once the command is given.

 

Threatening the dog with a stick/whip might work for some, others will start to anticipate a down if used immediately after the slow command, eventually eliminating the down command once the dog starts to slow down

 

i took your suggestion regarding making sure the dog changed speed. i use my stick, got in front of them to slow them down. it worked beautifully, I noticed the change in speed right a way. i just let them drive the sheep where every they wanted as long as they walked up slowly. thanks for the help. i hope others at the board may find this suggestion helpful.

 

bill

[Pam Wolf]

YW and good luck

[Pam Wolf]

one note: make sure you drop the extra body language ASAP so that the dog doesn't take it as the command for the slow down

 

Pam

[ejano]

I do some training outside the paddock in order to teach the dogs "barn manners". I walk the perimeter of the paddock with the dogs as one of the defenses against predatory creatures (Oh, the posts to pee on! What delight!). As we make the turn at the far end of the paddock and start our approach the sheep who are clustered up at the barn, I give the dogs different commands, including "slow", "lie down" "halt" "walk up." I vary it a bit. Sometimes I'll put them on a lie down, then walk ahead; another time, I might let them get ahead at a fast clip then halt them ...that kind of thing. When they were first learning "slow", I held my stick in front of them so they couldn't break the slow pace.

 

It seems to be translating into work inside the paddock with the sheep. They were slowing down when asked. When we start again in a few weeks, I'm going to incorporate TEC's suggestions to get them back in the mode.

 

Liz