I’m working two young dogs

and even though they are half-brothers — They couldn’t be more different if they tried. Both are talented and totally enjoyable to work but so very different – in personality and working style. I have to remind myself to change my method and attitude with each of them. If I tried to work them both the same – neither would progress as they should.

TECH:

One is a big, long legged, easy going male. He tends to be independent with a mind of his own. When we go to the sheep he’s always trying to get to them before I send him. When called off he runs a distance and turns trying to get back to the sheep. But, at the same time he can be soft with a touch of “quit” about him if corrections get tough. A bit of a dichotomy to “blend” those two “issues” together when it comes to training.

He is all forward with very little flank about him. He will take 50 sheep and just drive them straight without flanking. He has so much forward he can split his sheep if not slowed down. However, he has enough feel that he will “rock back” if the sheep do split as he does have a desire to keep sheep together. He doesn’t have a lot of eye or pace … so I will have to work on “holding him back” trying to “install” pace. I won’t have a worry about him not pushing through “the bubble”.

I do love his forward but need to start putting some “sideways” in him. So flanks will be the number one thing I will work on with him. Driving and pushing will come naturally to him.

However, I will intermingle the things he’s good at (forward) with the things he’s not (flanks) to keep his attitude right … while putting “clean flanks” making sure I keep him happy and motivated.

GEAR:

The second one is small, quick, sharp and reactive. He is extremely biddable and tries everything he can stay out of trouble. He simply does not like to be wrong.  When we walk to the sheep he stays close to me waiting for me to send him. When called off he doesn’t run off but stays close to me. He can be sensitive and submissive to correction but luckily he needs very little being such a good listener. An easier combination to work with than the other pup.

He has great flanks, outruns and uncanny feel for sheep. He has plenty of pace and decent push on the fetch. However, he is lacking that forward on the drive. Some of that is lacking confidence “in the task” but some is his “bubble distance”  – he doesn’t like to push through. When he actually pushes past this comfort zone … the tension comes out. So, instead of pushing on steadily he tends to do it in “spurts”. He’s a bit “wound” like a rubber band too tight that breaks and shoots forward.

So, I will put sheep up against the fence and teach him to keep walking closer and closer to his sheep … helping him to stay relaxed and calm while he pushing through his bubble.

I’m going to have to watch myself with him as he is one that excels at “guiding” sheep from a lot further back than I am comfortable with. So, I need to adjust my comfort zone to fit him not the other way around. If I try to MAKE him push on when he truly doesn’t NEED to – I will be taking away one of his most valuable assets. However, he will need to learn “push” as well as “feel” – so I need to “slip” in more forward without losing his distance feel.

The best thing about these pups is they are both very enjoyable to train. This makes you go out of your way to find time for them. It’s harder to train when you don’t enjoy the “clay” you have to work with.

No not like the nuns wear — although those are black and white :@)

Most of my students seem to understand the concept that every dog is different but most don’t seem to correlate (even after acknowledging the differences in their dogs) they need to learn to incorporate solutions that include the dog, the problem, the handler, the sheep and the response given to all the above.

So, just what does that mean for you and your dog? Simply … you need to acquire the ability to “stand back” and REALLY see/hear what you are doing and how your dog is responding. If you and your dogs problem keeps recurring … then maybe you have created a habit that needs to be broken.

I’ve read that out of an estimated 11,000 signals we receive from our senses, our brain only consciously processes 40. The rest are accomplished without actually thinking about it or in “other words” … a lot of actions have developed into a habit. A habit is any action that we have performed so often that it becomes almost an involuntary response. So, if you having “issues” you need to learn to be aware of your actions – so it ceases to be an involuntary act. This will allow you to make a choice instead of just responding every time you perform this action.

Example: at “one point” in my training I was having an issue with dogs not stopping with my down whistle so I started to pay attention to the interaction between myself, my dog and my whistling. The conclusion:  I was whistling … dog wasn’t responding … so I verbally said lie down. Thereby teaching my dog the whistle was a warning … but not a command. It was a habit I had adopted from training young dogs before they knew what a whistle was. However, after I had the habit it wasn’t long before all my dogs had acquired MY bad habit. They waited until they heard “the word” and weren’t responding to the whistle. So, I stopped using the verbal and started walking out to correct them with just the whistle. It had become such a habit I wasn’t even aware of it until I made myself … take a step back and observe myself objectively.

If you are having “issues” try to find out if it’s something that has become a habit.  I’ve seen students say “lie down” (same tone) 3 times and then (and only then) start walking toward the dog YELLING “lie down” and for some “unknown” reason only “then” the dog downs. The dog understands he really doesn’t have to  lie down until they yell … then they wonder why the training session always ends in yelling.

You need to stop, step back and pay attention to you and your dogs interactions. This is what lessons/clinics are good for – someone that’s not emotionally involved can help you figure out the WHY … this hopefully will allow you to get to a solution. Why the dog is reacting as he is … is first on the agenda and once that is solved  — then you can work on finding the “ammunition” you need to fix the problem.

BUT how they finish that counts.

I’ve always worried about pups that start out doing every thing with “precision” – my concern “stems” from if they are “this good” at a year – will there be enough “engine” by the time they are 4? I’ve seen a lot of really good young ones that started with a bang and ended with a whimper. Through the years I’ve had very few pups start out “perfect” that went on to finish into a great Open dog. Usually the pups that look like a “trained” dog when first started don’t have enough push to be competitive in open (before you panic if you have a really nice starter … I did say “usually” … nothing is carved in stone).

NOW after saying that … dang it’s sure fun to work them when they start out so well. To see smooth natural flanks is so refreshing if you have been fighting to push dogs out. To see them “kick out” on an outrun instead of you having to correct them to get them right is wonderful to watch. To see a young dog show so much feel, pace and flow makes working them pure pleasure.

So what can you do to overcome the dreaded curse of the “perfect starter”?

First thoughts in the equation of  the “when is good too good” … is just how much training pressure is put on them. JUST because they are capable of doing an advanced agenda  – doesn’t mean they are really ready to be pushed for “trial training”. So, “one solution” don’t make them do it perfectly all the time. Stir it up. Teach them that pace is great but some sheep need push. Teach them that slow and methodical is wonderful but not always practical. If every work session is quiet, slow, smooth … how will he ever learn that some sheep will stand and graze if he’s that “polite” to them. He needs to learn there are different methods to work sheep. He can learn to have pace AND push at the same time … but if all you do is make him pace … he will find “his bubble” too far off for sheep that don’t just “move off” dogs.

Also, mix up the “type” of sheep along with the way he works them … making sure you don’t put them in over their heads (i.e. don’t put them on a ram just to see if they have enough power!)

This can go for older dogs also. If you crank them down every day making every move they take perfect … it takes the joy out of working. So balance “rough work” with “finesse work” to get the best out of your dogs. Work light sheep – heavy sheep – a few sheep – a flock of sheep, etc. to keep dogs fresh in their work. If you do “course work” on the same 5 sheep day after day … you will both get stale and be in for a big surprise when you get “trial sheep” that don’t just “go through the motions”.

Learn to ascertain if your young “protégé” is emotionally mature enough to take what you are “dishing out”. Savor and enjoy the “easy” training but make sure you always keep in the back of your mind you’re developing a complete working dog. So, STAY focused — the “end game” is a good open dog not a great nursery dog. If you are willing to work on it you can have both.

Tech working at a year old.

 
Tech as a pup.

January 18, 2011

Took Tech out for a “spin” on the sheep at 4 months. Just for fun … he won’t be started for a LONG time.

Tech on sheep for first time.

Tech is a 1/2 brother to Gear both are sired by my new Moss:

His dam is Jet (sired by Jim Cropper’s Dan … who is sired by his Sid). She is a very fluid worker and sheep seem to like her. Good flanks, great outrunner, biddable and good listener. Being a “smoothie” (smooth coated) was just “icing on the cake”.

The Calendar Section will help you locate “Trials” in your area, complements of the United States Border Collie Association (USBCHA).

I’ve always had a propensity to view dog training as “art” – along the lines of taking and developing photographs. Before you ever “click” the camera you need to have a concept in your mind of the visual rendering you are trying to create.

Each work session is equivalent to taking “snapshots” for your photo album of a finished dog … hopefully “all the while” you are building these images into a panoramic view. The snapshots you take can never be replicated by anyone else’s but the “end product” (a dog working correctly) will still be recognized by sheep and handlers alike.

After you have enough snapshots you move on to the developing room. At the onset all you will see is a blurred image of a dog and sheep – but with work, time and patience the pictures become clearer and sharper until you have a physical entity to match the original image in your eye. “By the way” … the key word is “develop” not Photoshop:~).

Do the snapshots you are now taking measure up to the refined image you are trying to expose. Or do your snapshots portray a dog flanking tightly, flying past balance, not stopping or listening. If “this is the case” … the picture you are endeavoring to develop will never come into view. You can’t take blurred images and end up with a crisp, sharp picture. If you are only taking black and white shots you will miss out on that beautiful color portrait you see when a good open dog runs.

The key to a proficient finished dog is learning to take the correct snapshot exactly when it’s happening. Your timing will “make or break” how your dog’s portrait unfolds.

Let’s say you are working on outruns and your dog tends to run tight at the top. So, in an effort to widen him out – you have been giving him a stop and then a redirect. One day it “clicks in his mind” that when he hears the stop … he’s TIGHT and needs flank out. So, instead of stopping he goes wider … which is exactly what you have been trying to communicate to him.

BUT: instead of saying “YES … you’ve got it! That’s what I want”! (“There by” encouraging him to problem solve). You choose to make the picture “black and white” and focus on him not stopping. However; the problem is – he wasn’t thinking about stopping he was thinking … “got it” … go wider! So although you may have thought you were properly correcting him – you weren’t – because that was NOT his thought process. So, now instead of “developing” a dog that is confident in his ability to “figure out what you want and adjust accordingly” … the snapshot you just took is of a dog hesitant to think for himself.

That “split second” is the difference between a trainer and a great trainer. It’s not only understanding that these dogs do process, think and learn but it’s that impeccable timing that rewards him at the exact moment he was thinking correctly. Work with his mind not just his body *his mind understood what you wanted … but you were more concerned with what his body was doing*. If you give corrections in relation to what YOU are thinking instead what HE is thinking then you will never achieve a full color portrait. When you get to the developing room all your photos will be black and white or “at best” dull muted colors.

Good trainer’s snapshots are crisp, sharp, in focus with great “depth of field”. The corrections and rewards come at the most optimum time … “there by” building confidence between dog and trainer. Creating one of the most significant training tools there is … the confidence the dog acquires in his own abilities to think and find solutions to difficult situations.

So, if your finished image is of a dog thinking and working with you then you need to understand how to let it develop. If you don’t spend the time to get each snapshot focused … then you will loose that picture as if it was exposed to sunlight … fading until you can’t recognize it any longer.

However, there is good news.. A picture once developed is forever frozen (“that is” unless it’s photo-shopped :~)… not so with training. You can alter your final portrait by deciding to take different snapshots to add to your photo collection. So, “picture” in your mind what you want your finished dog to look like and start timing your “snapshots” to achieve that goal.

I was at a trial when a friend I haven’t seen in awhile came up to talk. We touched on the subject of how she was not enjoying trialing and was looking for some “input”. I told her perhaps she was trying too hard and with that not handling her dogs the way she use to. She seemed to be listening and open to what I was saying. I wanted to make sure she knew that I wasn’t making a “judgment call” but only trying to help “sort through her problem”. We talked for quite a while and after the talk I felt she had understood what I said and hadn’t taken it personally.

This got me thinking of trials and the differences in people that trial. Why do some people seem to enjoy them selves and others are almost always miserable. I started reflecting on the different stages I went though in trialing. I can remember when I first started in novice I was overwhelmed at everything. What I remember most about “this time” was the people that were helpful to me. It was all so new to me I felt I was learning with each outing and even though I was apprehensive about the unknown – it was always exciting and fun. I have always enjoyed learning new things and this was how I approached my early trialing. The mistakes I made (and there were plenty) only meant that I needed to go home and work on that problem. Although winning was not my driving force it was always appreciated. I shortly moved up to Pro-Novice and did well enough that I felt confident to move up to open. This was my enlightening time! I crashed and burned … big time. Open is so much more difficult Than PN it’s hard to imagine until you get there. I tried to keep a good attitude most of the time. I worked long hard hours figuring out why I wasn’t doing well. Then spend many more hours working on the areas I was having trouble in. I remember when my goal was just to FINISH an open course. Eventually I not only finished but started placing and then winning. When I did win it meant a lot to me because – I felt I had paid my dues. I don’t think anyone really values winning if they haven’t worked for it.

However, winning is nothing more than recognition for those hours of work – NOT a statement of a person’s worth. Wining doesn’t always mean first place – sometimes it’s just walking off the course knowing you and your dog worked together as a team. I have come in second at trials and kept a vivid recollection of the run. The reason being that “second place run” best personified a working relationship between myself and my dog. I like to remind people they are the same person whether they win or lose. I believe a lot of bad sportsmanship comes “to play” when people gauge their own worth on winning or losing, thereby feel worthless if they don’t win.

My most difficult time came when I had won a few large trials and was placing fairly regularly. I felt people were expecting me to do well every time I went to the post. Since I still wasn’t that sure why I had been winning I began feeling tremendous pressure. I was taking losing personally which made me try harder and of course that only compounded the problem … a lose-lose situation. The harder I tried the worse I ran – becoming a vicious circle. Thank heavens due to the fact that I enjoyed trialing more than winning it didn’t last long but was painful! I soon went back into my “trials are like tests” mode – “in other words” did I do my homework correctly? When you are in the right “frame of mind” trials can give you a goal as to what you need to work on instead of where you have failed. It was this attitude that kept me trialing and prompted me to improve.

I “stumbled” through this detrimental state and was more than ready for the next. I wanted to stretch my dogs, myself and my abilities. At the time I was only attending local trials. However, I knew that if I wanted to improve my skills the only way to achieve this was to go to as many places as I could. So, I started traveling around the country in order to learn how to work different courses and sheep. Since, I went with the attitude that I was “broadening my horizons” I enjoyed most all of the trials. Don’t get me wrong: I had a “drive” to do well and worked long hard hours trying to accomplish that. There were times I got upset and wondered why I ever got into this and other times I wanted to give up. I think everyone who competes feels this on occasion.

The point I’m trying to make is my overall attitude was: I wasn’t there to “just win” but to do the best of my ability. It was looked at as a time to learn all I could about trialing and dogs. I would sit at the fence and watch the good handlers in order to learn. I didn’t do it to complain they received better treatment than I but to find out what made them good. How was it they seemed to finish a course when most were not? How they might not win every trial but they were in the top 10 most of the time. I wanted to improve and this was what I was aiming for – to be consistent. It wasn’t to win every trial I entered but to handle consistently. My dogs and I improved and did it with enjoyment. I didn’t resent anyone else’s wins because I didn’t feel they had taken something away from me. So, beyond the wins I was enjoying the traveling, trialing and visiting with all the people. I met people that I would have never known if not for the trials. If I only enjoyed the winning the rest (which I can assure you take most of your time) would have meant nothing. I would have lost a LOT. I met so many enjoyable people that even if I hadn’t been “following my passion” I would still look back on “that time” with fond memories. I went places that I would have never normally gone. I’m the type of person that always has to justify travel and this was a great one! Go dog trialing and see our country. In my travels I visited, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Canada and many other really captivating places. I relished every location for its own special charm. However, even more important were all the people that went “out of their way” making their trials memorable and comfortable for the contestants. I can’t begin to name all the people that have picked me up from airports giving me a room or bath. It was always appreciated and remembered.

Some people seem to go to trials with a totally different attitude. I’ve been to trials where for the entire two days there is nothing but tension. Some competitors seem to thrive on turmoil and spend all their spare time stirring things up. Unfortunately there are ramifications to this type of behavior. The most damaging being the host of the trials will get tired of all the hassle and just stop putting on trials. Not to mention the judges that are doing their best when all they get is grief. Our sport is subjective not a timed event needing no judging. If you don’t like the judging – don’t go back.

The main point of this article is to get people just starting and others that are at a “crossroad” WINNING is NOT the most important reason to trial. You always do the best you can and the rest you have no control over. You can complain and be miserable or you can work hard and enjoy the dogs. I get upset when I see things that aren’t fair and I can complain with the best of them. I know there are times when we should speak out to “right a wrong”. I also know watching every run with the thought of finding something wrong with it won’t do anything except make you miserable! If you go to the trial with the attitude you must win and IF you don’t you aren’t a good handler you will not enjoy trialing. If your attitude is to run your dog as well as the circumstances allows – your “overall” approach to trialing will be better.

I would like to end with the fact that I received a very nice note from the person I talked to at the trial thanking me. Made me feel good that maybe I had helped a friend regain her enjoyment of trialing. So, novice people – enjoy your trialing: it’s a SPORT … not a “life or death” situation.

This morning I was out training a couple of young dogs of ours. One is a 19 month old smooth coated female and the other a 15 month old red rough coated male. One was a delight to work and the other I walked away from the work session just exhausted. When I came back in the house I was dissecting the difference between them. They both have aptitude, both are well worth putting training time into but they are as different as night and day and I am biased as to which type I like. Through out this article I will attempt to explain the differences between these two and then to spell out the reasons I tend to prefer one type over the other. I will be comparing the two to give an idea how totally different two dogs can be even though they both have potential and a strong desire to work. An underlining reason for this article is to give some insight to people that might have only trained one or two dogs and don’t really have a feel for the different types of dogs there are.

Here is some background on the two pups. The male wanted to work at around 8 – 9 months old and was fast enough even at that age to start serious training. Some pups are too clunky and slow at 8 months so they aren’t capable of heading the sheep. This wasn’t the case as he was physically very capable of working but, and this is a very big but, he wasn’t emotionally mature enough to take the training. So I chose to put him up and waited until he was over a year old. The female was around 10 months when she first began to work and once started was in full training mode and we haven’t looked back since. What I mean by that is with some dogs it’s best to start them and then put them up and let them mature more before you really put pressure on them. You can start a dog and allow them to learn about sheep without putting a lot of pressure on. However, once you start serious training, for instance off balance work, it takes more pressure than a young pup can readily take. That being the case you would be better off waiting until they are capable of taking intense pressure before you continue with that concentrated of training.

The male is chase oriented and although the female is quite capable of chasing it’s done in a totally different fashion. He wants to work but doesn’t have the eye or natural about him that she does. He never bends off sheep and won’t unless I put that in him. She will go straight towards the sheep but will blow herself out…she can’t help it, it’s just in her make up. I didn’t train her to do this but I did cultivate it. When she chased I would fuss at her and when she backed off I would praise her. I will try to do the same with the male but will have to do more than just fuss at him. The “more” I am referring to is to MAKE HIM give (translated – mechanical training) when he gets close to sheep. The way I do this is by making sure each and every time he approaches his sheep I am always in a position to put pressure on him in order to back him off. I didn’t have to do that with the female because she felt the pressure of the sheep on her own. I didn’t need to be the one to tell her to get back, the pressure of the sheep told her. The male doesn’t have that “program” in him so I will have to insert it by repeating “get back” only when I am in a position to make him. This will be repeated time after time until I eventually construct a pattern that will be ingrained in him. (This is the reason I waited longer to start the male. I could not just let him work on his own because his “own” was nothing more than sheep chasing and he was not emotionally mature enough to take the pressure of me perpetually saying “get back”.)

One of the problems with this sort of dog is the time involved…since I am “putting” most of his skill in him instead of “developing” it’s much more time consuming. If this is your only dog then it’s possibly not a considerable problem but when you are working a number of dogs a day the difficulties multiply. When totally finished he might make a better trial dog than her but be assured I would rather have pups out of her than him. The obvious reasoning behind this – what she has is “natural” increasing the odds of her abilities being inherited. The male’s offspring would need a good trainer to get the best out of them. When you are breeding dogs the training doesn’t go with the dog only the natural!      

Now on to the main point of this article…the amount of time and effort it takes to train a dog. We often get calls from people wanting started and/or trained dogs. The thing that brought this article into focus was a call from a lady looking to buy a started dog. She described how much training she wanted the dog to have. She wanted a least at 200 to 300 yard outrun, set on its flanks and possibly the beginnings of a drive. Then she proceeded to quote the amount of money she wanted to spend and it almost wouldn’t buy one of our pups. This started me wondering if people ever think how much time it takes to train a dog. If we ever calculated it in hourly wages we would never sell any of them. I work dogs 6 days a week and could not begin to tell you the hours it takes to get one really running right. I am trying to communicate to a novice person all the effort put forth trying to mold a potential trial dog. I hope to achieve this objective by going into more detail about the two young dogs that I began the article with. The term “started” dog sounds so simple but if you will read on you will see that’s usually not the case. The examples offered are dogs with talent so you could easily double your training time on a so – so dog.

I will also endeavor to give you a notion of what I like and don’t like in each. I will start out with the male. He is a bold, confident and workmanlike dog with a lot of qualities about him that are exceptionally nice. He has a great nature and is people and dog friendly. He wants to please me and he has a great passion for his work. He’s not afraid of anything on four legs (or two) and has power to burn. On his first trip to sheep he ran through the middle and scattered them (on his 30th trip too I might ad!) These dog broke sheep knew for safety’s sake they needed to regroup and return to me. However, between myself and the flock was one lone sheep and a little red dog. The sheep figured “what the heck, he’s not very big – I’ll go over him”. Mistake! He met her in the air taking hold of a nose and he never flinched. For me he is not an easy dog to train because he takes most things personally and gets his feelings hurt quite easily. Since he’s soft you have to make sure he understands what you expect of him, but once that’s accomplished he will give 100%. If he thinks you are upset with him he will cop a bit of an attitude (substitute pout). You can work him for a long period of time without him becoming sour and I’m sure he would take to drilling without a doubt but I hate drilling and very seldom do it. He will walk on straight to his sheep and push almost to the point that he ends up in the middle of them. Unfortunately he will take a tremendous amount of time to train. I think (one never knows until you’re done) he will finish into a good dog.      

I owned both his parents and his father was natural – almost to a fault. His mother was a really good trial dog but was not a natural and in order to have her running correctly you had to do a lot of drilling, which is why I never really enjoyed her. The female on the other hand is naturally gifted and all I have to do is guide her talent in the right direction. This doesn’t mean she is without fault. She is extremely high strung and wired most of the time making her almost impossible to live with. She’s a bit unusual in as much as her tension does not carry over to her work – once she’s on her sheep she relaxes. It’s an uphill battle to stop her because she can’t stand to be motionless for a second. She wants to leave your side the minute she thinks sheep are anywhere in the vicinity. She has a stronger desire to “work” than to “please” so it takes a strong hand to keep her right.

However you have to be careful because she’s touchy and once she concludes you are upset with her she starts worrying more about you than the stock. In other words, she loses confidence easily so I have to make sure to encourage her immediately after I “get on her”. This particular fault is irritating to me at times. I prefer a dog that will do something even if it’s wrong as compared to one that slows up trying to evaluate whether you are upset with them. She’s quick as a cat and you better have your timing “dead on” or she will over run your commands. She doesn’t get along with people or other dogs (and would make a terrible pet) and I have worked hard to get her familiarized with people, dogs and horses putting out her sheep. She flanks just the right distance and when you “get hold of the reins” she has pace that won’t quit. When she started I was concerned about her power, believing her not to be an especially strong dog but since have changed my mind somewhat. Much of what I was reading as weak seems to be more trepidation about me … in other words we are back to lacking confidence again. The event that made me reconsider was watching her bring “wall to wall” sheep out of a barn. She had to go over … through … under …etc. the sheep in order to get to the opposite side and push them out – all accomplished without once biting.      

Though she will run in and bite, she doesn’t yet have the confidence to walk up and take hold of a nose. On the drive she will hold a line better than some of my finished dogs. She is a gifted dog and ranks up there with one of the best I’ve ever started. You can never be sure how they will finish but I couldn’t ask for a better beginning. She is a joy to work. To summarize … The basics of what I look for and the repercussions when these basics are lacking.

1. I think first and foremost I want eye and balance …
The male has very little of either but does have enough to keep his sheep together. He has NO PROBLEM with push but I will have to constantly work on keeping him at the correct flank distance as this will never be natural with him. The female will need to have her confidence worked on more than her balance. The male will take a much longer since he doesn’t have the built in flank distance and I will have to put this is in him and we are talking a very time consuming program! If he had any less eye I would be truly concerned as I really prefer a dog with a little more eye.

2. Power …
This is a hard one! I’ve had dogs I watched sheep run off when they were young and yet when matured would take on anything. So, I try not to worry unnecessarily about this issue. I feel it can be developed to some extent. The male, as I have already mentioned, is not lacking and will not need a lot of work in this area. The female will need more work and encouragement before I will feel completely comfortable with her. One way I will accomplish this is by backing sheep in a corner and have her walk up and touch noses with the sheep and then teach her to “take – hold” on command. This will take some time but I don’t feel I need to rush it. I’ll make sure not to overmatch her with a sheep that will grind her into the ground and knock all the confidence out of her. I started her on dog broke (i.e. easy to move sheep) and will “work up” to sheep that have more resistance to them. I will let her go in and take hold if at any time she acts unsure and I will always be there to make sure I can help her if needed. I will do the same with the male even thought he doesn’t need it as much as she does.

3. Biddable …
I want a dog to listen!! This is of course of prime importance when you are dealing in trial dogs. It adds up to more than that because it is what makes working a dog enjoyable. If you have to fight a dog every step he takes then eventually it will take the pleasure out of working. You need a dog that wants to cooperate and help you, not one whose goal in life is to make yours more tedious. It’s difficult to explain because it’s not a tangible thing but you know it when you have it. Some dogs glance at you to say “OK now what”? Some just cock an ear to hear you better. It doesn’t matter how they do it as long as the message is “I want to interact with you”. It is more than “I want to work sheep,” it’s “I want to work sheep with you.” I sometimes think this attitude is one of the most important things a working dog can exhibit. If, when you put pressure on him (training is pressure!), he cops an attitude refusing to give 100% then obviously it is impossible to get the best out of him. If he carries this attitude to the extreme he will quit you. I am not talking about being unfair while working. This will cause even a reasonable dog to get “an attitude”! I am talking about the formidable amount of pressure it takes to train a dog to Open standards. If you think of the hours and hours it takes to get a dog to trial standards you will understand why most trainers are very choosy about the dogs they keep for themselves.

I hope this will give you a portrait of what occurs while trying to train a dog … all of the trainer’s thoughts on how to correct faults, the worries and concerns about how to best communicate to the dog and then the effort to bring out the best the dog has to give. None of this is included in the price of a dog but believe me it is there!

Well Seasoned:

When you get a number of dogs in for training invariably you’ll end up with all sorts. Many are just mediocre, but a prerequisite for training dogs for a living is, you must accord them as much time and energy as you would a superior one. The problem with that is it tends to burn you out as the amount of emotional energy to get those type trained is immense. Every once in awhile you get a “star” and it makes you remember why this sport is so enjoyable. When you have a “top notch” protégé it makes all stages of training pleasurable.

There are some dogs that are immensely talented workers but at the same time are not enjoyable to train or work. Some have ability but are so tough you have to almost “break” them every single training session to get them to listen to you. Others are so soft and sensitive that you end up begging them to take a quick flank. It’s a rare thing to get that “special pup” that’s both biddable and talented. It’s these special dogs that remind me why, no matter how “down” I get when training dogs, that basically I love to watch young dogs develop — this more than lessons, trialing or anything else related to the dogs. When you put so much energy into trying to bring out the best in dogs, only to discover many have very little to give, it can at times become discouraging. You need the good ones to come along just to refresh your memory as to what fun training can be. Instead of making yourself go out and work a dog you find excuses not to do other things in order to work the special pup.

This pup was young when she first “turned on” and even then I could tell she had talent but again it takes more than just “raw talent” to advance into a great dog. As in athletics, having ability without discipline will get you nowhere. Discipline allows you to “focus” this ability and thereby work toward a goal but without discipline you have zero. So these dogs have to be able to take the stress and vigor of “basic training” to find out if they’re capable of moving into the more refined “aspects” of training. It’s these other “aspects” that I would like to touch on in this article. In the more “advanced” stages this type of training is called “seasoning” – meaning putting on the “special touches” that will hopefully conclude into a top trial dog. Reflecting on what all was needed to get the most potential out of this dog started me down the “thought path” of what I think Novice people forget to do with their dogs before they begin their trialing careers. So I guess you could call this article “mini seasoning” as it will deal with a few things Novices should to do before they trial their dogs. I believe if Novices would do more of this there would be fewer wrecks at trials. These wrecks can knock the confidence out of young dogs and handlers not to mention the people putting on the trials.

Let’s start with an obvious one, different locations. Customarily you won’t be trialing on the same grounds you train on, so you need to take some actions to prepare your dog for this “change of venue”. I’ve had dogs that worked competently as long as they were in familiar surroundings but taken off their “home turf” became completely different workers. Characteristically these dogs do not evolve into good trial dogs. However some dogs even if they are competent, will go through a stage (usually at trials) where you wonder if they’re even trained. They seem not to remember any of the commands they took so automatically at home. So go armed with this knowledge and if your dog is not listening don’t stand at the post and let circumstances get chaotic. Think about what lesson he’s learning while you stand there — “at a trial I can run amuck and all you will do is stand at the post and yell”. What trials should be used for with a young dog is to find out the areas a pup needs help with — So go out and HELP him. However something even more advantageous would be, before you ever attend a trial, get him accustomed to strange places and stock. In other words get him conditioned to the unfamiliar in a less tense situation (i.e. training instead of trialing).

The reason for this article is to try and explain what are some of the steps you can take to set up situations that a dog might encounter during his trialing career BEFORE he ever gets to the trial. This seems to be a common mistakes beginners make – they go to a trial only to discover they never worked on problems that might, and I might add, often do occur. Consequently they have no experience with repairing wrecks or even perhaps halting them before they transpire.

I had a person that occasionally took lessons from me but to be candid never truly learned anything considering his inability to truly listen. I’m sure he heard “the words” but never endeavored to put them into action. He worked his dog 3 or 4 times a week, which is more than many students do. I’ve had some that don’t work for months on end and then work the dog until he’s exhausted the day before the trial hoping, I guess, to make up for lost time. This person would go to a trial and time after time crash and burn. At which point he would get upset and blame his dogs. After doing this a number of times he finally decided to listen and attempt to sort through his problem. “The problem” being he would set out panels, hay and his “dog broke” sheep, send his dog and run a perfect course. He went through the same motions work session after work session. Never once setting up a different scenario, one that he and the dog could work on fixing together. He wanted all his work sessions to go “well” so he set things up to go as smoothly as possible. Of course, this “perfect scenario” never happens at any trial he attended and whereas he had not practiced anything except that “scenario” he had no idea of what to do when things went wrong! Practicing all the things at home that might go wrong at a trial is part of seasoning a dog, and I might add, a handler.

I will endeavor to give you a few ideas that although simple will add a vast amount of experience to your Novice dog’s training.

Let’s start with a problem I’ve seen Novices have numerous times at trials. Our Novice handler is walking to the post and suddenly the dog sees the exhaust sheep and from that moment on will not look up the field any further. So let’s begin with a trick that will help teach your dog to listen on his outrun. You need two groups of sheep that won’t kill themselves trying to run back together. A group of goats and a group of sheep work great for this or if you don’t have access to goats then Barbs and Woollies often will stay apart. You will set one group where the dog can see them and the other where the dog can’t. (You do this while the dog is in the car or at least out of sight.) When you start to walk to the sheep walk toward the ones he can’t see and say “sheep … sheep”. When he looks at the ones in full view you say “no” and again walk toward the ones in hiding. Try to get him to look away from the ones he sees and to look at least in the direction of the ones you want him to go collect. If he won’t then go ahead and send him (obviously you will have to send him to the opposite side of the ones he can see … i.e. if your hidden sheep are on your right, send him “away to me”) and when he starts to cut in toward the ones he sees, lie him down and walk out so you are in-between the ones he sees but in the direction of the hidden group. Try again to say sheep and pull his attention away from the ones he wants and towards the invisible ones and send him again. Keep downing him and positioning yourself until he sees the ones that were hidden. Don’t get lazy and give him a chance to just bring the ones he sees you have to make sure he gets to the hidden ones. While you are doing all this give a special flank command, say “go bye” with “back” added or anything that you will consistently use to mean “go wider than what you think”! This exercise will do two things. The first is it helps the dog to learn to widen out even if he doesn’t understand why he has to. The second reason is to convince the dog that you have knowledge of things he doesn’t and if he will only listen then you will guide him in the right direction. In other words if done correctly it builds trust. Don’t get angry and start yelling at him … you know the other sheep are there … he doesn’t, so don’t punish him for something he doesn’t know. Just keep walking out with him until the “light bulb” comes on and he understands what you are telling him.

Another problem I see at trials is dogs becoming bewildered when trailers are used to put the sheep out. Try and acquire friends with trailers that are willing to haul sheep and help you train your dog. You need to look at things from a dog’s point of view. At home he’s always gone out lifted his sheep with no one around. You take him to his first trial and suddenly he has the commotion associated not only with trailers but also people sitting at the top end with lawn chairs, dogs, etc. So he’s left alone to deal with strange places, people and sheep all at once. Some dogs aren’t sure these sheep belong to him when another dog is in the picture. Also remember when a “put out” dog is holding the sheep (needed at some trials) the balance point is different. You need to get him accustomed to as many things as possible before you ever start trialing. Let him learn that even when another dog is holding “his” sheep they are still to be brought to you.

A major hurdle to overcome with Novice people is the tendency to work only dog broke sheep. Frequently these type of sheep come straight to the handler even when the dog is in the wrong position. Routinely at a trial even dog-broke sheep (especially since they don’t know your dog) will go any direction except straight down the field towards you. The poor dog, use to nothing except his own dog-broke sheep, is in for a shock coming in contact with these wild/fighting/heavy/whatever sheep and is liable to do anything. So take the time before you are under “trial pressure” to work different types of sheep. I realize it’s often difficult for people to find various types of sheep. However, the point I am making is, if you can’t then don’t get mad at your dog when the first time he gets behind non dog-broke sheep and they take off running and he goes berserk. Again, leave the post and go up to help your dog regain his composure. Don’t just stand there and yell. I realize Novice handlers are confused since they don’t see Open handlers leave the post but remember you are a Novice handler with a young impressionable dog.

Not only locations but also terrain is also a major consideration. If the dog has never run up a hill on an outrun you can take bets, even if he’s a good outrunner, he will be tight. So look around and find a location that has a variety of terrains and work him on it. Even something as simple as a shadow on the ground can make a dog run tight if he perceives it as a barrier. Set a variety of different situations up such as having to cross a ditch to run out correctly and then make sure he does. This means you need to walk out and correct him if he tries to cut in front of you or just runs tight.

These are just a few suggestions that might broaden your “dog’s horizons” before you ever go to a trial. We need always to keep in mind there would be no trials if not for the dedicated people volunteering their stock, time and energy. If we don’t treat both with respect we may not have any trials to go to. So if you are at a trial where your dog is just “chasing” the sheep, do everyone a favor, including you and your dog, go out and try to regain control over the situation thereby helping your dog, the stock and I’m sure the owner of the sheep.

I was giving lessons one day when a student commented to me “why don’t you write an article on basic terms“. My first reaction was “why” doesn’t everyone already knows what they mean? Nevertheless his comment kept “haunting me” until I grasped his reason for asking was prompted by a genuine need for information. Understanding he was a Novice and therefore looking at this matter from a different perspective than I, perhaps in fact, it might be something that did need to be addressed. This sport of ours is steadily growing at a tremendous rate and with that growth comes “newcomers” — those that have never been exposed to common “BC” terms. Generally it’s difficult for Open handlers to remember back to the time we didn’t understand certain rudimentary terms. I presume the main reason for this difficulty “to walk in Novice shoes” is things have become “second nature” for Open handlers.

This difficulty to regress to a Novice status made me think of a writer I admire immensely observing how a child “does not and can not perceive a table as an adult does”. The reason … an adult has already experienced sitting at a table eating, talking, etc. so he perceives the table as more than just an inanimate object. However the child having no such experiences to recall sees the table as a round/square object with legs. It’s not until the child has “table” (life) experiences “under it’s belt” will he/she be able to experience the table as more than a metal or wooden inanimate object. You can correlate this portraiture with most things in life including trialing. In the beginning everything is “so new” you have to purposely think about each and every step. Eventually with effort, time and energy the day comes where you can act, (instead of react) without consciously thinking about it, and then and only then can you move up to the next level. But until that time not only do you have to think about every move the dog is making but also what words correlate with that movement … not to mention the sheep’s movements!

I think this is why beginners always ask what does “so and so” mean. I’ve always answered the question by saying “it doesn’t matter what word you use as long as you use it consistency”. When finally it dawned on me Novices aren’t asking “a question” per-say as much as they are seeking a “concrete phrase” that can be used as a guide.

I will try to give a non-dog related example – driving a car. If you will recall when you first learned to drive you needed to have numbers on the gear shift knob. For not only did you not know how to shift gears but you weren’t even sure as to where the gears were located. After much practice shifting became second nature and you could do away with the numbers on the knob but until “that day” it was important to have this “aid” as a guide. With this in mind I thought I would spend a little time trying to explain to the new and unaccustomed handlers basic terminology and a little information how they can attain these goals.

OUTRUN

This is where it all starts with the dog at your side and the sheep somewhere in front of you. The purpose of an outrun is to get the dog to the other side of the sheep without crossing sides or disturbing them. I can remember when I was a Novice an Open handler said to me “you can’t have a good run without a good outrun”. I didn’t grasp how important an outrun was at the time. But through the years I have become a true believer as his comment proved accurate about 99% of the time. One simple tip for the Novice is always try to walk to the post with the dog on the side you want to send with sheep straight in front of you. If you have to come in at an angle then walk behind the post and then turn and walk straight towards the post. This helps to convey to the dog where the sheep will be located.

LIFT

Lift is basically a dogs first contact with the sheep. They have usually seen the dog on the outrun but haven’t quite felt him. A lot of information is conveyed with this first impression. If the dog treats the sheep with firm respect your run will go much smoother.

FETCH

The simple definition would be “the dog is bringing the sheep to the handler”. In a trial it’s more precise. You have to imagine a line from the sheep to the handler and any variance the sheep take from this line would mean points lost.

DRIVING

Driving of course this means taking the sheep away but again we need to look at it from a Novice point of view. Anytime the sheep’s heads are not pointing toward you then “technically” you are driving. When you see sheep’s rumps, you’re “driving away”, when sheep’s sides are in view this would indicate a “cross drive”. Think of this from a judges point of view – at any time on the cross-drive you see heads or rumps you can safely take points off.

PEN

Watch the heads the bodies will follow! This is the proving grounds for a dogs flanks. If your dog goes left or right but is coming in tighter every step he takes … after you have given 3 or 4 flanks he will be on top of the sheep.

SHED

I know it looks like a dog running through the middle of sheep which you have been spending hours trying to keep your Novice dog from doing but trust me it’s more. It’s coming through with a clean flank and then holding the sheep you have chosen hopefully without teeth but by being in the correct position. Don’t be in a hurry to teach the shed to a young dog or they might shed at the most inopportune time – like at the pen! This should be last on your training list.

GO/COME BYE & AWAY TO ME

So much more than just right and left flanks. Don’t ever let someone tell you it’s just a direction. It’s a pressure point around the sheep but in the simplest form Go/Come bye is clockwise (think of it as time goes bye) Away to me is counterclockwise (again think taking time away).

LIE DOWN – STAND

This is very confusing to beginners as they see Open handlers say lie down and the dog doesn’t obey. So they end up thinking a dog doesn’t have to lie down when told. However when a Open handler says lie down he may have 3 different commands just by changing the tone of his voice. Believe me he does have a “lie down – don’t move” on his dog it’s just that he accomplishes this goal not by changing “the words” but by changing “the tone”. For a Novice handler you need the words and actions to match, don’t rely on a change of tone at this stage. You can say “stand” but again most Novices make the mistake of saying stand and the dog uses it as a take time instead of a stop.

STEADY ON – WALK ON

Steady On/ Walk On usually means to continue on the course you’re on steady sometimes depending on how it’s given means go more slowly.

GET UP

Get Up can mean “get to your feet” if dogs lying down or may be used as a more forceful walk on. If the dog is stalled and not moving many handlers say “Come on Get-up, Get -up”!

THERE

I use this a lot and if you teach a dog the correct meaning it will be an invaluable tool. To me it means “hold the line you are on”. When I teach a dog to drive I don’t use directions I only use “there” over and over again until he is comfortable taking sheep away. You begin the “there” command on the fetch by making him walk straight on to his sheep without flanking. If he tries to veer off you say there, there followed with a lie down (then another there … there get -up) if he won’t stay on line. Get him up as soon as he has downed as you are working on a there (or holding the line) not a lie down.

TAKE TIME

Get Up in reverse. You are conveying to the dog he’s moving too fast and needs to slow down. Some handlers use the word “easy” but this is not a word that carries gruffly. When a dog is pushing to hard you need a word that you can “growl” out. When you give this command make sure the dog gears down … don’t just repeat it over and over again hoping something will happen. If the command is given and he doesn’t slow down then make him lie down (we’re not working on his lie down so don’t leave him down…make him get up quickly but immediately again try to get him to slow down). The method I use to slow a dog down is (1st) I call the dogs name (2nd) I call “Time”, if this doesn’t slow him down I (3rd) say “Stand” and if all this doesn’t slow him down I finally (4th) say “lie down” and MAKE HIM. Then I get him back to his feet and start all over again. The reasoning behind this is eventually when he hears his name (or take time) he starts to slow down anticipating the next exercise will be stand and finally the “dreaded” lie down.

LISTEN (or sometimes calling the dogs name)

The dog is usually getting “wound up” and is starting to tune handler out. You are reminding him this is a TEAM sport and listening is in his best interest.

PACE

I thought the best expression of this was given to me by a top handler in Wales. I was complementing his run and how fluid it was — his reply was he likes to think of a run as “a wheel within a wheel”. What he meant was if the dog and the sheep are in contact going the correct speed with the correct amount of pressure you don’t need to stop the dog until you get into the shedding ring or the pen. Pace allows a run to flow and also makes the run more enjoyable to watch.

GET BACK

Get Back is utilized in training flanks and outruns. This is pretty self-evident – you are too close to your sheep “get back”. On the outrun it’s often used in conjunction with lying the dog down and walking up the field, saying “get back” and pushing the dog off his sheep.

GET OUT OF THAT

Get Out Of That means you are too close to the sheep often given (in a hysterical voice that doesn’t work) when the dog is thinking about getting in the middle of his sheep.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING

What Are You Doing or more direct words “stop acting like an idiot – pull your head out and start think about what you are doing