A course

I went to the trial site on Thurs to attempt to do the A course advanced. The draw was so strong back to the repen I could physically feel it and certainly Dare could.  We made it around the cone to the Y chute although it wasn't pretty. He's pushing too hard and then holding too hard.  Then had a hard time letting them come out of the corner to the Z chute(Mr Must HOld them).  Finally made it to the Hold pen .  I fooled around with how far out I had to send him to get the sheep out.  Next county would have been good. He can hold from a long way away.  I got them out and to the number 4 but then I could not figure out how to get them off of 4. If I sent him on a go bye, he rushed in and ended up chasing.  If I sent him on an away he brought them back to me.
I think I need to get heavier sheep at home and try it. I tried it with my light sheep and I created a draw at home and we couldn't do it here either. So if I get heavy sheep that won't worry him so much maybe I can convince him to flank to the fence and STAY on the fence to get them off.
If anybody has any suggestions please feel free. The trial is next Friday.

My next issue is with Dually in Started and it's the Draw back to number 4.  I think I need to get him farther off of them. He is pushing and stopping pushing and stopping.  Lots of turn backs by the sheep. Not very smooth.

duck training

I had some ducks out for a BC that wouldn't turn on today and so after they left, I set up the AKC A course and worked DAre and Dually. I was just going to work on the fetch but the best laid plans and all that.  I did work the fetch but then I worked the whole course .  I paid  attention to the hold pen because I have had issues with that in the past. I took them out myself first and then later on when I was just sitting  on a rock and talking on the phone,  I sent him in to get them out himself.  At first he went in the middle and the next 2 times he took nice go byes and brought them out himself. Sometimes when we are calm , we are amazing.  Then I worked on my timing on the turn to the cross drive. I was quite late with my lie down and he kept bringing them back to me.I got better and so did he.

Dually did some nice things but we need to work on the lift and fetch some more. His outrun is usually very nice. I worked him at the intermediate level to see how hard it was. Not that hard with him.  I worked the hold pen with him for the first time but I brought the ducks out and then I worked on my timing for the cross drive with him too. It's a little different because I can be in the picture in intermediate.

upcoming trials

Ok it's fallish and I have got to train my dogs.  I have been giving so many lessons lately that I have neglected my own  dogs training.  So sorry some of my non regular students, you aren't going to get any time that you want this fall.

So I went out this am and worked on going from Panel 1 to panel 2.  I want to teach Dare to go to the fence when I flank him up there so he is not always trying to run after the tails of the sheep when  they bolt thru the panels.  If I flank him to the fence and stop him and then flank him again to the fence , the sheep should stop and stare at him wondering what he is doing and then we should have a great set-up for the center pen or chute.  It was hard for Dare even though I was using the broke sheep.  He didn't even want them thinking about breaking into a trot.  And they just moved away and put their heads down to graze. He is so worried they are going to run. I might play with this with the goats who will stand more still I think.

Dually needs pen work apparently.  I had a tough time penning the sheep because he either would not flank when I asked him or he was too close. It was mostly not moving that was killing us.  He is a bit sticky.  I think he is sticky when he is unsure what we are doing.  He just needs more work.

Then I hooked up the travel trailer and put it down by the road , but I don't have a for sale sign for it yet.
Spent about 4 hrs moving manure with the tractor and spreading it on the arena.  It's almost all cleaned up and ready for this years  hay which will be  coming soon.

yesterday

  I did  too much. My back is objecting this morning. I will have to get going and see if I can loosen it up a bit.

work day

    I was busy today .   I had to hook up the trailer and then load it with garbage from the trailer with the flat .  I also loaded the blue recliner that I have had on my porch for 2 yrs for the trip to the dump. Then I unhooked everything and went to my obed class which was fun.
 Dare did  really well . We even did a little  heeling routine which was pretty good for not training much.  He didn't want to hold the dumbell in the new location so I guess I will have to take that on the road a bit.  Dually was his usual goofy self.  We worked a sit stay and a down stay  and his face was just saying now Mom -you must want me to  move now Mom.  Dually's heeling routine was messy to say the least.
   Then back to hook up the trailer again and off to the dump.  It only cost me $5 to leave the recliner  and a lot of effort on my part.   Then I took the empty trailer to the Town Barn and conned them into loading a used up street sweeper brush onto the trailer and home again.  I have been waiting to get one of these for about 2 yrs but never had a place secure enough for it. I had my fence guy put a nice post in for  it last week and when I get enough help to lift it onto the post then the sheep will have a nice scratching brush.

Zip on out to pick up  a bale of hay and back home to roll it off-Those suckers are heavy and not that easy to roll off the trailer.  Did it though and then fired up the tractor to move it into it's new  home in the corner.  Put gates around it so the sheep can't get at it yet and on to the next project. It's 6pm by now. I had  a bite to eat cuz I was feeling like I needed something.
     The next project was continuing to air out the trailer so someone could see it at 7pm.  It had 2 dead mice in it this am and it was still stinky --oh well.     I had to fix the shelf the computer had collapsed  which took some time .  Unhook the computer and try to figure out what the heck they had done to the shelf.  I got it fixed but I'm not sure I would want my computer on that shelf. Oh ya it is my computer ...well hopefully not for long.   They came and looked at it but no offers.  
Now I am tired but do you think I can sleep ?  Probably because of the upcoming clinic this weekend. Many more things to do tomorrow and not sure I have the energy.

Goats

Goats are stupid and smart all at the same time.  I have 3 babies 4mos old. They went out of the fence to browse on the other side. Fine I have no problem with that because they left one of them behind and she was the draw so they didn't wander off. But when I went to get them back in, Dare (of  course it was Dare)pushed one of them back instead of flanking around and the stupid thing ran 1/2 way around the outside of the fence where of course  she couldn't get thru to the main pasture.  So I sent Dare (I must be a slow learner). He chased the thing all the way to the shed and then it jumped on a barrel and Dare didnt' know how to get it off. I'm outside the fence yelling away away away and when he finally took it, he pushed too hard and the goat just went around him and back on the barrel. I was highly annoyed with both of them so I took 2 plastic chairs and climbed over the fence, picked that damn goat up and bodily threw her over the fence. Don't worry no goats were harmed in this maneuver. Then Dare and I walked all the way around the fence and gathered them up and put them away.
Not sure how long these goats will stay.

Dually (the better dog?)

    I had to move sheep today and I almost always use Dare, but I  was tired and I didn't feel like fighting with him so I took Dually out.  He is quiet and obedient and wide and knows when he hasn't brought the goats with the sheep.  He is just a joy to work and I don't work him often enough.  He went around the tractor and brought the sheep to me and not at a full run either and we penned them and then he went back on his  own to pick up the goats while I was talking to the fence guy .  I was so darned proud of him.   He doesn't jigger everybody up and he makes things easy and fun to do.   Dare you better watch out, you may get replaced.

Dually

    Just finished working Dually on breaking lambs and off balance work.  He dove in a couple of times but not too bad.  Started to figure out where to stay on the off balance at which time I quit, probably should work him longer.

Rain

   It's coming down cats and dogs outside.  We need it desperately but it's seems to be running off.  It did rain lst night and I know something is sinking in , but now we are wasting a lot of it.
Just got thru 2 lessons in the pouring rain.  We persevered though  --It's so hard for anyone to hear me when it's coming down that hard.

I was so wet that I decided I should work the dog in for training and that went quite well. He's very talented but noisy so I got on him for that and I think he got it at least till the next time. Of course I came in and dried off and now I can't hear rain on the skylight.  It figures.