Gate Sorting

[Jumpin Boots]

Any tips on gate sorting?

 

Is it better to start in a corner gate or one that is along a flat fence?

 

Besides making sure your dog is opening up pressure and not coming in on the stock unless needed, how else do you help your dog?

 

Up until now we put the sheep in a pen and then manually pull out whoever is needed, but I think we are ready to move onto sorting.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Shepherds,

 

Corner is easier for the dog harder for the gatekeeper (more pressure). If the dog is on his feet pushing, you won't be able to close the gate against the wooly tide. Much easier to sort and close the gate from the inside rather than pushing against the sheep tide. If you are sorting for a sick or lambing one, let all the others out. If you are sorting for a handful of training sheep be sure candidates are marked. Flap your hat to pause theme enough to get the gate closed. You'll get it pretty quick but GET THAT DOG OFF HIS FEET.

 

Donald McCaig

[stockdogranch]

Yes to what Donald says, about both the corner and the dog not being on its feet. I like a gate that is not in a corner, as it gives the sheep more room to either get through the gate or get held back. Always make sure you open the gate TOWARD you, as you stand on the same side as the sheep. If the gate has any sort of latch you can throw once you have it opened toward you, that is even better, as it keeps them all from getting through if they start pushing too hard on it (which is usually caused by the dog having gotten up and pushing on them too hard). As they start to flow toward and through the gate, you can use your body to block them; you can also take a hand and turn a head to keep the ones you want inside with you from escaping. As they are flowing through, you can open the gate more or close it down a bit more to make sure they are not all trying to jam through there at once. With a young dog just learning to do this, the dog will most likely keep wanting to get up, as the sheep are leaving so it thinks it needs to do something. So with a youngster, I might keep repeating in a soft voice, "lie down, lie down..." as I am letting sheep out the gate to remind the dog that it just needs to stay put. If the dog gets up, I will close the gate and go to the dog making sure it is lying down again before continuing. The main thing to remember, is that while you are doing a job, the bigger job is that you are training your dog to do proper work. So never sacrifice the dog doing sloppy work just to get things done. So if the dog gets up and is bopping around, but the sheep you wanted to go out the gate go, you let that go. That will bite you in the butt later every time.

My 2 cents,

A

[Pam Wolf]

The dog must have a good stop, not push in on it's flanks. Years ago I pretty much gave up gate sorting and learned to shed. I realized that I was relying on gate sorting instead of moving up my training.

[Tea]

An interesting thing at a cdt I was at is this.

 

The beginning you sorted your own three out of thirty and then did your course.

 

The gate only opened away from you.

 

All levels were asked to do this.

 

It was to me more of a shed then a sort as everyone did it as a shed.

 

But it was described to me as a gate sort.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Sheepdoggers,

 

Sometimes a gatecut is easier, sometimes a shed, sometimes an international shed. Proper technique for the job.

 

Donald McCaig

[juliepoudrier]

I agree with Anna completely regarding the process of sorting. I don't like a gate in a corner because it's too easy for sheep to cram into said corner and put that much more pressure on the gate. I like being able to flow the keepers past the opening or turn them back, depending on the situation of the moment, which is why I like a gate in a fenceline--no place for sheep to pile up.

 

J.

[stockdogranch]

Yes, T--cattle sorting totally different from sheep sorting.

A