Yesterday

 I had no lessons scheduled yesterday so I loaded up 3  lambs in a dog crate and took them to Shelley in Ct and then I went to the  BC trial at the Tolland Ag center.  It was not that interesting. I didn't stay that long. I did decide my dogs would have had a tough time with the sheep . The sheep were either not moving or running to the exhaust. They were looking for ways to beat the dogs and my dogs don't like that very much.

I got home in time to help Ed spread 4 yrds of mulch. The gardens look great.  And then I worked both dogs and stayed calm and quiet and they worked nicely. Much better than yesterday in the bad wind. Dually and Dare are entered in a trial this coming weekend so we are working on A course. Probably should do some ducks this week too. But I am having issues with the turn around the post to the Y chute. Dually is good at it and Dare pushes too hard and so it always becomes a controlled runaway. I would really like it to look like a drive so I am going to continue to work on that piece, maybe not this week. My problem where I am  going is going to be getting from the hold  pen to 4 and then the sheep are going to RUN thru the cross drive panels and I dont' think Dare is going to like that one little bit.

Fetch the cows

   I sent Dare into the Calf pasture and told him to bring them. He zeroed in on the closest and youngest(Larry)and Larry wanted to sniff him. I told Dare to bite him but he didnt' bite him on the nose which was right in front of him.  He bit him on the shoulder and so Larry kicked him. Dare didnt' even flinch.  Then he ran down the pasture and Dare ran after him and they turned around and ran back to the other 2 calfs,at which time Dare decided he should bring them all. He was then poetry in motion moving each one individually  and keeping them grouped and he brought them all to me. And then when I said That'll do he was willing to come . He was not willing before that.

Today I will try Dually on the same exercise.  Go get them.

Dumb Larry

    I went out to feed the cows this am and Larry is still bawling like he's starving to death.  I gave them all grain and he started to eat it and then walked away and started mooing at me.  NO Larry I am not buying you more milk.  get over it.   He was eating just as much as the other 2 cows when I stopped feeding them milk and they were just fine about it. He has been very vocal from day 1. He is very different from the other 2.  More skittish ,  more kicky and louder. He was eating 2lbs of grain day  with his milk  so I was within my rights to stop the milk.  He is making me feel guilty though.

Damn ducks

  That's what Dare says about them I'm sure.  I had him in the duck arena and I made him drive the call ducks 100ft from me up to the far corner.  Most of the time he did it well,but once he brought them back to me.  So I made him take them all the way back again.  The reason I am doing this is because in the past he has failed to drive the ducks past me to the 1st panel in an ASCA trial.  He gets into flanking back and forth and forgets how to push so I am not flanking him much just asking him to walk up. It worked pretty well, but I want to do it again.  He still fades off to the left or the right so I need to work on that straight walk up.

Dually worked on taking the ducks up the middle with me walking forward and he needed to work on a straight walk also without overflanking. He did well,moving the ducks very little off the center line.  I had a student do it too with her BC. The dog overflanked big time but by the end , he walked a couple of steps behind the ducks.  If I remember correctly , it took about a 4 day clinic before Dually would walk behind and not overflank like crazy.

Larry the cow

Larry  is now officially off of milk replacer.  I dont' think he is going to be happy, but I moved him this morning in the rain out back with Cupid and George.  I fed them all grain but Larry chose to go explore rather than eat. Well guess what Larry, George and Cupid are not going to save some for you.  If he is unhappy, I wont' be able to hear him mooing out there.  I could  hear him very well every morning outside my bedroom.  Especially today, because I slept in till 8.   What can I say, it was raining.

It's 8 hrs later and Larry is still mooning. I just went out and gave them all some grain, but he is still crying for his milk. Too bad so sad go eat some hay.

Bedtime?

   I took my shower and I am ready for bed, but the wind just picked up  and now I have to run outside with a flashlight and check to see if the tarp is still on the little bit of hay I have left.  This does not make me a happy camper.

Hard Day

   Very sad this morning, but then I got busy and took  the dogs to their obedience class and on the way home I stopped at the granite place and they allowed me to pick whatever I want from their  scrap  heap for memorials.  I got 7-8 stones.  all different. dark to light.  I will get them engraved for Ebony(it's been 27 yrs so it's time)Molly 17 yrs ago, Piper 8 yrs ago , Mom 16yrs ago, Dad 11 yrs ago and Mikey I have a little  garden planned for where they are all resting now. very therapeutic.

Then I gave an instinct test to a nice little sheltie with a lot of drive.  She came with her neurosurgeon dad who I gave a hard time to for being late before I knew he was a Dr.  I was annoyed he was late. I was a bad person. Oh well, he said he wanted to come back.. we'll see

Then 2 more lessons and in the house for soup and shower.

BTW,  another bark this morning, but not a good bark. It sounded like Mikey but it sounded like a human crying along with the bark.  very odd. No more barking please Mikey.