SS Cressa Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 So I wasn't sure where to look. But we(me and Cressa) were going to start herding again in the next week or two. I was gonna bring my puppy to keep him exposed to livestock. He is only 4 months right now. Just curious since I a noob. If he is showing interest in the sheep is it OK to let him try? If it is OK to try him it would be for a short time? My plan with him was just to bring him along to keep him exposed and to start him in the spring when he is older and I can train with a person who gets the breed better and for hopefully better pointers. Thanks for any input ans I can clarified anything if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Sure, try him. Just make sure it's in a situation where you (or your trainer) are in control so that pup doesn't have any bad experiences. At that young age, you want everything to be a good experience. They also aren't really ready mentally for any training pressure, so all you would be doing is seeing what the pup will do when exposed to stock. And of course they aren't able physically to keep up with running stock, so you want to work with well broke sheep (those that won't go after a pup) in a small enough area where the pup has a chance to actually get around the sheep and control them. This is best done by someone with experience rather than by a noob. P.S. If you are going to your friend's place and there's no trainer there to help, then absolutely do not try your pup on sheep. A bad experience at a tender age can adversely affect him for a long time to come. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 So I wasn't sure where to look. But we(me and Cressa) were going to start herding again in the next week or two. I was gonna bring my puppy to keep him exposed to livestock. He is only 4 months right now. Just curious since I a noob. If he is showing interest in the sheep is it OK to let him try? If it is OK to try him it would be for a short time? My plan with him was just to bring him along to keep him exposed and to start him in the spring when he is older and I can train with a person who gets the breed better and for hopefully better pointers. Thanks for any input ans I can clarified anything if needed. I am sure someone with more experience may have better insite, but being that Timber is 8 months old and we have been going through what you describe I thought I would chime in. I probably wouldn't put him on stock if it was his first time ever seeing sheep at that age. It just seems like too fragile of a time period that if he did get scared or challenged that it could have a lasting effect on his confidence. That being said, we did introduce Timber to sheep at about 4.5 months of age, for a few minutes in a round pen (unless you count when he broke into our ewe pasture when he was a bit younger, whoops). However, he and I had been going to the instructors since he was 10 weeks of age and continued going every 2-4 weeks to hang out, socialize, watch lessons etc. And we have sheep at my parents which he sees at least a few times a week, so he was accustom to sheep and being around a critter so much bigger than him. I don't really know if 'being around' them matters, someone else may feel differently, but I think it did at least for Timber's confidence and for my confidence that he would be able to handle himself. Timber was keen at 10 weeks of age and continued to become more intense every time we were there. However, I could have seen if it was his first or second time seeing sheep that had he been run over or butted, or scared in any manor it could have really hurt his confidence. The other comment of your's that would have me slightly concerned about introducing your pup was when you said that maybe you should wait until you find a trainer who knows the breed better and will have better pointers. I would think that you would want the pups first experience to be under the supervision of or in the hands of someone who is experienced with both border collies, sheep and starting pups; maybe I misinterpretted what you wrote and the person you work with now is experienced. There are so many factors and so much that could go wrong, although maybe I am being cautious b/c I am new to this as well and tend to like to go into new things a little slowly and set things up for success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 I like to expose a pup to sheep once in a while, but ... that's with dead-gentle sheep in a very controlled environment, and I have a reasonable confidence in what I'm doing. So, if you're not wholly confident in your skills in reading sheep and keeping a pup safe, I'd say No. It's so very easy for them to be hurt or scared, and that could set the pup back badly. If you have a trainer to help you, though, I see no problem in it. Happy herding with Cressa! :)/> ~ Gloria So I wasn't sure where to look. But we(me and Cressa) were going to start herding again in the next week or two. I was gonna bring my puppy to keep him exposed to livestock. He is only 4 months right now. Just curious since I a noob. If he is showing interest in the sheep is it OK to let him try? If it is OK to try him it would be for a short time? My plan with him was just to bring him along to keep him exposed and to start him in the spring when he is older and I can train with a person who gets the breed better and for hopefully better pointers. Thanks for any input ans I can clarified anything if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted February 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 OK so I guess I will stick to my original plan. He gets to wait and watch his sister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia P Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 Dead broke sheep that will follow you are great to start a baby on. But there is no harm in waiting! Don't let him watch if he is being unruly (jumping and barking), crate time. And limit his watching if he is a starer (is that a word) Cynthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
workindogs Posted February 9, 2013 Report Share Posted February 9, 2013 When putting a young pup on stock just keep in mind that you have more to lose (confidence, interest, potential injury) than you have to gain (curiosity?).....you have consider whether it is worth it or not. That said, I might put a pup on docile stock at 4-5 months for a quick look see.....but then not do it again until maybe 7-8 months and, depending on what I see, let the pup have a go once a month or so until 10-12 months when I might consider regular training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted February 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 Brought Valek with us today. And he decided his own fate. Lol he wouldn't stop barking. At first he was nervous than it was frustration. Since j am not ready to start him and I don't want him to learn some very bad habit he will be sticking to staying in the car during our lessons. Thanks for your tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted February 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2013 I put him up within 20minutes. When we first got there he acted a little overwhelm and his tail was tucked. At that time I was holding him. Than he saw them being worked and his whole demeanor change to "let me at them!". At that time he was leashed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Super excited. Finally got a hold of a trainer and we should be training with them in a couple months when they come back from Fl. They bred Valek's mom. One of the reasons I was really hoping for them. Just thought to share. I am hoping to still train with a couple border collie people closer. But I am totally thrilled right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Always awesome to have a little one that wants. Be patient, your and his time will come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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