geonni banner Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 So, we had a beautiful day and Santa Rosa was nice and warm - but not too warm. Maid was eager to work, and chomping at the bit. Joyce said a lot of nice things about her, and I really think she meant them, as she was smiling a lot when she was working Maid. Still only have photos - no video, and as per agreement Joyce is "fuzzed out." We had a wonderful time - especially Maid. She's wiped out - sleeping under the desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 She looks much calmer than she did the first time - way to go, Maid and Geonni! Ruth and Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 She looks great! I sure wish you had better/easier access to sheep! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Wonderful! She looks terrific! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Very nice. Good girl, Maid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I wanted to say that I especially like the first photo. I sure wish I lived close to you and could help with her. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 She looks great! I sure wish you had better/easier access to sheep! J. ME too. She looks much calmer than she did the first time - way to go, Maid and Geonni! Ruth and Gibbs Thanks! She was a little helter-skelter when she first went into the paddock, so we went back to the round pen for a little bit, rested her and then went to the paddock again. She was galloping quite a bit at first, but she settled down and was good. Here she is skittering around. She really does work more like a cow dog, she wants to come in low and grip, but she takes direction well, and we even got one "lie down" from her. But she was getting tired at that point so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I like the way she looks, especially in the first photos you showed. She looks relaxed, her tail is down, and both she and the sheep are moving at a modest (i.e., not "hell-bent-for-leather") pace. You can tell in the second set of photos that both she (and sometimes the sheep) are moving faster. Videos would tell more, but I can appreciate why Joyce might not want them taken, and of course you have to respect her wishes. I wouldn't worry about gripping at this stage. Eventually you might want to start to add a gentle "Maid..." if you can tell she's thinking about gripping and it isn't necessary, but at this point everything should be about encouraging her. My young dog was a bit grippy at first; we even called him "Hock" because of his tendency to nip on the hocks. You don't want to make a dog feel it can't grip if it needs to do so to protect itself, and I went so far as to effusively praise this dog when he marched up and bit a ewe on the nose when she was ignoring him the first time he worked her. At this point I wish my young dog *would* grip this same ewe now, because she keeps asking for it... She (the ewe) may have to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 I wouldn't worry about gripping at this stage. Eventually you might want to start to add a gentle "Maid..." if you can tell she's thinking about gripping and it isn't necessary, but at this point everything should be about encouraging her. My young dog was a bit grippy at first; we even called him "Hock" because of his tendency to nip on the hocks. You don't want to make a dog feel it can't grip if it needs to do so to protect itself, and I went so far as to effusively praise this dog when he marched up and bit a ewe on the nose when she was ignoring him the first time he worked her. At this point I wish my young dog *would* grip this same ewe now, because she keeps asking for it... She (the ewe) may have to go. She never actually made contact, but she clearly wanted too. A "Ah!" was enough to turn her, without turning her off. But I suspect she was encouraged to grip in her former home, where she was started on cattle. I hear you about not coming down on her and putting her off stock. It was my greatest fear - that she would be put off stock from the treatment her previous owner gave her. She was discarded for being "no good." I was afraid that she might have been ruined. But my fears were unfounded. I never see such a light in her eyes as when she is on sheep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockdogranch Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 She looks good. Good for both you and her! A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 "Ok Maid, see 'em.....see 'em...now Away!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted December 5, 2015 Report Share Posted December 5, 2015 Dear Aspiring Sheepdoggers, Ms. Banner writes (in part) . . ."we even got one "lie down" from her. But she was getting tired at that point so... :P" That's how you put commands on them by asking when they're most ready to answer. For instance: Ask for the down when she's well off the sheep on the balance point NEVER when she's flying around full tilt. Ask for the "That'll do" when you and the dog are on the same side of the sheep, NEVER when she thinks she's holding them to you. Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Bordercollies Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Just a quick question, what if she just wants to keep holding the sheep and don't readily come to the same side as you are. I want to start Meg on goats, don't have sheep anymore, but if there's a cat under a tree she will continuously balance to me, never coming to the same side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald McCaig Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Dear Aspiring Sheepdoggers, Down her and go to her, keeping between her and the sheep, insisting on the down until you can leash her. Donald McCaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Well, it seems my short time as a sheepdogger (sort-of) is drawing to a close. I have been in contact with a woman near Stockton, CA who needs a second dog to bring along for a goat grazing outfit. She sounds like just the kind of person I wanted for Maid, and she is coming to see her on Thursday. 'sniff" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 I know you will miss her, but it sounds like it may be Maid's dream job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Yes. And my life will be a lot simpler, but still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach BCs Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Go with your gut when you meet this woman. (I'm sure you will.) I've fostered a small number of dogs over the past few years. 99% of the time I was ok with letting them go. It felt right. But there was one I would give my eye teeth to have back. Maybe it will be a perfect fit for Maid. I hope it's perfect for you both. But remember, a simpler life isn't always a better life. (I'm feeling sentimental today, so humor me.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Go with your gut when you meet this woman. (I'm sure you will.) I've fostered a small number of dogs over the past few years. 99% of the time I was ok with letting them go. It felt right. But there was one I would give my eye teeth to have back. Maybe it will be a perfect fit for Maid. I hope it's perfect for you both. She seemed like a good fit to me. The dogs are in the house at night and in bad weather, and she describing the training round-pen set-up she's constructing, and she gets and is OK with the fact that Maid will probably not adore her on sight. I don't know anything about working goats, but she said she has gotten a few sheep to start Maid's training. (I have this hazy idea that goats aren't big on flocking.) (OK, everybody quit guffawing... ) She knows the woman that I took Maid to for training and they had a good talk about how Joyce sees Maid's working style/potential. The countryside where she is is very pretty. And it isn't so far that I can't go see her. And of course, if she doesn't work out she can come back to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Goats behave more like cattle, but are less likely to hurt a dog (generally speaking--I have seen my dogs nailed by horned goats and it wasn't nice, but sheep can hurt them too). J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockdogranch Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Sounds like a great home! A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Oh, Geonni - what a sweet and wonderful thing to happen! I know it's a little bittersweet, too. I hope that it works out the best for Maid and the Goat Lady. Please let us know if you get any reports back. Lucky, lucky Maid. Ruth and Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alfreda Posted December 9, 2015 Report Share Posted December 9, 2015 Congrats to Maid, on the second session and Great News about the goat lady! Hope it works out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Well. She's gone. Cindy came and stayed for quite a while. She seemed kind, sensible, and taken with Maid. Maid approved her, by sitting next to her on the floor, and allowing herself to be petted. They seemed well-suited to one another. And I feel she has gone to a good place and a good life. Now if you will excuse me, I have half a box of tissues to attend to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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