It's been about a month since my last update...where to begin?!
I went to the Cheryl Jagger-Williams' Judging Clinic last weekend in Hop Bottom. Wow. If you haven't been, it's a great clinic. I learned a lot about how scores are determined, things you might do that will unknowingly put a judge on alert, and all kinds of other tips. Whether my brain will be able to engage and apply these things when I need them remains to be seen, but I did learn a lot and had fun doing it. They also video tape your run on both days of the clinic...then everyone gets to "judge you"...it's not always pretty, but everyone learns something and I would recommend this clinic to anyone, regardless of your level of trialing.
We didn't get to do the fun trial at Mary's last weekend - can you believe it SNOWED there in October? I was pretty bummed about it; I was looking forward to running Binx in N/N to see how he held up (ok, or how I held up) under the pressure of a trial situation. I know we aren't ready for a real trial...but a Fun Trial is nice in that it allows you the opportunity to go out and help your dog through any rough spots if needed.
Much to my delight, there is now another Fun Trial scheduled for October 31st and it's even closer! So it all worked out for the best, and I'll get to see how we hold up afterall.
Binx and I have been working on his outrun, his distance off the sheep, picking up sheep from a hold out person, and a little bit of driving. We are also practicing to pick the sheep up off the fence in a *calm manner*. We haven't had a lesson in a while because of my schedule and Nancy's, but she did do some driving with him in her field last week when I was there and she said he was looking good. I must say that I am very proud of him. He is getting more confident everyday. There were about 25 sheep in the flock he was driving and they would turn and stare at him a few times, but he just walked right on in - good boy!
He's also coming along with his outrun ...he is checking himself on his way out, which makes me very happy, but he's still a bit tight at the top. I've been working on this by lying him down and telling him to "get out", which worked when he used to come in at 2 o'clock....not sure how long these things take, but we're still working at it. The other thing I have recently been doing is moving my position so that he has to keep going around to get to balance. So for example, after I send him "away", I continue to move to my right on his arc so that he has to go further around to cover before he comes in. This is something that Carol Campion wrote about in an article I read. I'll update with the status of that after we do it for a few weeks.
Suzy has been coming over and holding out for me so that Binx learns to pick sheep up from a hold out person. You can tell he's still a bit confused as to why there is another dog and person out there with his sheep. Sometimes he tends to hold them to Suzy...which is very understandable since she was the persont that got Binx started going around his sheep before I learned how to work my own dog! But he's starting to get it I think. Our sheep are also pretty heavy, so he really had to push to lift them off of her...and then he wants to blow into them when they finally take off...so, we're workin on that too :-\.
Rhyme remains my best decision of 2009 :-) - what a great dog...both on and off the field! She has helped me so much already and we haven't even trialed yet. She still gets lost in her sheep when there is some distance between us (i.e., does not take my flanks in a timely manner) so we keep going back to the cirlce work and close up stuff, just to loosen her up and to remind her that she should be "listening" when we're out there. I do see improvement, I think it will just take a little while for us to really "get together" as they say. I'm certainly not the level of handler that Maria is, so I'm sure Rhyme is still trying to figure out what the heck I'm asking for sometimes! (then again, I often wonder that myself...)
Rhyme and I will run in our first official trial together at Sherry Smith's next month. I'm pretty darn nervous about it, but I'll never get past that feeling if I don't start somewhere, so at least I'll have lots of friends at this trial. That makes it a wee bit easier I think.
There will be no trialing in 2009 for me and Binx...just the Fun Trial at the end of October. Other than that, we'll keep working on our foundations and confidence and hope to see the trial field in the spring.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Training Update with Binx and Rhyme
Binx and I are still practicing the exercises we were given a couple weeks ago. We trained in the rain this past Saturday morning and his distance was so much deeper than usual that I was afraid to work him again after that...I just wanted to stop while it was so good!! We'll keep practicing this week and have another lesson scheduled for Saturday afternoon to see if we're moving in the right direction.
I also had a "trial lesson" with Rhyme last week. I am planning to run her in Pro Novice at Mary Brighoff's fun trial in October, and since I have never trialed before..I thought it would be a good idea to do an overview with Nancy before I go. Rhyme is already trained through Open...so obviously this was a lesson for me more so than Rhyme. Anyway, I am quickly learning that "handling" is much harder than it looks! I am just terrible at lines - really. I suppose practice is the only thing to help that, but it is very frustrating for me. The other problem I am having is that Rhyme doesn't always take the first command. Combine that with the fact that I am a novice handler, one whose brain doesn't always register what I need to do until a couple of seconds too late, and I don't have any more "seconds" to re-flank her or tell her to stop more than once. So....we are doing some close up work, similar to what I do with Binx, so that I am in closer and can reinforce the stop as an "immediate stop" and also make sure she doesn't think it's ok to continue to creep forward after I've asked her to stop :-)... I'm sure she knows that I need help and she is trying to bail me out! I wish she could teach Binx how to square his flanks...hers are beautiful!
That's where we are for now...still trudging along and getting more humble every day.
I also had a "trial lesson" with Rhyme last week. I am planning to run her in Pro Novice at Mary Brighoff's fun trial in October, and since I have never trialed before..I thought it would be a good idea to do an overview with Nancy before I go. Rhyme is already trained through Open...so obviously this was a lesson for me more so than Rhyme. Anyway, I am quickly learning that "handling" is much harder than it looks! I am just terrible at lines - really. I suppose practice is the only thing to help that, but it is very frustrating for me. The other problem I am having is that Rhyme doesn't always take the first command. Combine that with the fact that I am a novice handler, one whose brain doesn't always register what I need to do until a couple of seconds too late, and I don't have any more "seconds" to re-flank her or tell her to stop more than once. So....we are doing some close up work, similar to what I do with Binx, so that I am in closer and can reinforce the stop as an "immediate stop" and also make sure she doesn't think it's ok to continue to creep forward after I've asked her to stop :-)... I'm sure she knows that I need help and she is trying to bail me out! I wish she could teach Binx how to square his flanks...hers are beautiful!
That's where we are for now...still trudging along and getting more humble every day.
Puppy "Tuck"!
The Ben/Grace pups are now 7 1/2 months old and showing signs that they are ready to be sheepdogs!
I swapped out puppy Huck in exchange for Puppy "Tuck" with Nancy O on Monday evening. Huck is now ready to start some light training and Tuck is still sniffing and showing signs that he's not quite ready to work just yet. So Huck went to live with Nancy O, who will be training him up. As long as Sarah doesn't mind, Tuck will hang out with me for a bit and learn about the world until he is ready to start working.
Tuck is a sweet boy. He has only been with me for 2 days now, but he has been friendly and playful with the other household dogs, he is eager to learn new things and redirects his behavior with a mild verbal correction when needed.
I'll post his picture as soon as I make time to do a photo shoot!
I swapped out puppy Huck in exchange for Puppy "Tuck" with Nancy O on Monday evening. Huck is now ready to start some light training and Tuck is still sniffing and showing signs that he's not quite ready to work just yet. So Huck went to live with Nancy O, who will be training him up. As long as Sarah doesn't mind, Tuck will hang out with me for a bit and learn about the world until he is ready to start working.
Tuck is a sweet boy. He has only been with me for 2 days now, but he has been friendly and playful with the other household dogs, he is eager to learn new things and redirects his behavior with a mild verbal correction when needed.
I'll post his picture as soon as I make time to do a photo shoot!
We've been SKUNKED!!
Ugh...PEEE-UUUU!!
Me and the dogs were outside early Thursday morning when I saw them start running the back fence line. It was only 5:30, so it was still dark - but I saw a small black shadow moving with them. I thought it must be the groundhog that lives at the back of our property - on the outside of our fence. I ran down and yelled to call off the dogs. The adults came running, but of course Puppy Huck had to continue investigating....then all of a sudden he came running right at me! At first I thought, "wow, that recall training is really coming along!" But then I smelled it...BLECH! We ran to the front of the house to get away from the smell and I suddenly felt like I was caught up in a Chevy Chase movie...I turned around and the dang skunk was RIGHT THERE - no kidding - he was maybe 10 feet away from me. Then I started wondering if the thing was rabid or something and I think I spooked it AGAIN! ARGHH!! I hurried and latched a leash on Huck and swung open the gate and called the others to come too. They wasted no time getting away from the skunk this time.
Needless to say, my house absolutely reeked! It was nausiating. I couldn't tell who was sprayed or not becuase the whole room smelled.
I had not yet showered and was supposed to leave for work in less than an hour. So I crated Huck and hopped in the shower. As I'm standing there letting the stress and chaos rinse away, I start to smell the skunk again. I peeked around the curtain to see Binx lying on my towel...I could almost see the cartoon-like stream of smoke emitting from him. "GET...GET...Go on now - Get Out!" He looked at me cluelessly and moseyed on out of the bathroom.
Well now I just had to get on with my day and deal with the stinky dogs later. Huck got it the worst...he got sprayed in the face and the body, whereas Binx just got it in the rear...as he was running away I suppose. Rhyme did not get sprayed! Maybe this wasn't her first skunk and she was wiser than the others?
I stopped at the drug store on my way home to pick up the "Skunk Remedy Recipe" supplies. Peroxide, Baking Soda, and liquid soap. It works like a charm! Granted, I too was soaked by the time I bathed Huck...but it took the smell away immediately!
I'm still not sure what made the skunk crawl under our fence and INTO our yard with me and 3 border collies...I find that rather odd. I am much more aware of our surroundings when we go out in the early morning now, that's for sure!
Me and the dogs were outside early Thursday morning when I saw them start running the back fence line. It was only 5:30, so it was still dark - but I saw a small black shadow moving with them. I thought it must be the groundhog that lives at the back of our property - on the outside of our fence. I ran down and yelled to call off the dogs. The adults came running, but of course Puppy Huck had to continue investigating....then all of a sudden he came running right at me! At first I thought, "wow, that recall training is really coming along!" But then I smelled it...BLECH! We ran to the front of the house to get away from the smell and I suddenly felt like I was caught up in a Chevy Chase movie...I turned around and the dang skunk was RIGHT THERE - no kidding - he was maybe 10 feet away from me. Then I started wondering if the thing was rabid or something and I think I spooked it AGAIN! ARGHH!! I hurried and latched a leash on Huck and swung open the gate and called the others to come too. They wasted no time getting away from the skunk this time.
Needless to say, my house absolutely reeked! It was nausiating. I couldn't tell who was sprayed or not becuase the whole room smelled.
I had not yet showered and was supposed to leave for work in less than an hour. So I crated Huck and hopped in the shower. As I'm standing there letting the stress and chaos rinse away, I start to smell the skunk again. I peeked around the curtain to see Binx lying on my towel...I could almost see the cartoon-like stream of smoke emitting from him. "GET...GET...Go on now - Get Out!" He looked at me cluelessly and moseyed on out of the bathroom.
Well now I just had to get on with my day and deal with the stinky dogs later. Huck got it the worst...he got sprayed in the face and the body, whereas Binx just got it in the rear...as he was running away I suppose. Rhyme did not get sprayed! Maybe this wasn't her first skunk and she was wiser than the others?
I stopped at the drug store on my way home to pick up the "Skunk Remedy Recipe" supplies. Peroxide, Baking Soda, and liquid soap. It works like a charm! Granted, I too was soaked by the time I bathed Huck...but it took the smell away immediately!
I'm still not sure what made the skunk crawl under our fence and INTO our yard with me and 3 border collies...I find that rather odd. I am much more aware of our surroundings when we go out in the early morning now, that's for sure!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Clinics and Trials Oh My!
I have registered myself and Rhyme for a working spot in Cheryl Jagger's Judging/Trialing clinic in Hop Bottom this October. I'm hoping it will help get me off to a better start, especially since I've never trialed before and have many questions and unknowns.
Also....we are going to run in our first trial this October...at Mary Brighoff's Fun Trial in Montrose, PA. I had originally thought I would just enter with Rhyme in Pro Novice, but my instructor thinks I should also enter N/N with Binx since it's just a Fun Trial. I'm not so sure about that, but we'll see how much progress we make in our training between now and October 17th.
Also....we are going to run in our first trial this October...at Mary Brighoff's Fun Trial in Montrose, PA. I had originally thought I would just enter with Rhyme in Pro Novice, but my instructor thinks I should also enter N/N with Binx since it's just a Fun Trial. I'm not so sure about that, but we'll see how much progress we make in our training between now and October 17th.
Training Update
It's been a while since my last post...I've been kinda busy since I have sheep to train with regularly ;-)
My young dog Binx is coming along nicely. We had a lesson about a week ago and Nancy says "he looks good". He is coming in a bit tight at about 2:00 on his outruns. I'm working on that by stopping him at about 3 o'clock, walking in toward the sheep and then giving him a "GET" to push him out. I'm also doing some circle work to get more distance (though he is not too bad for his stage of training) and some flanking exercises to help square them up a bit better. He seems to be taking well to the little driving that we have worked on. Overall, I'm very pleased with him. I really lucked out with this dog...I adopted him from rescue before I knew I would like stockwork. He is turning out to be a wonderful first dog for me...he's so very biddable, yet he never quits on me!
Rhyme and I are still getting together (I just got Rhyme 3 months ago. She is trained through and has placed in Open and even ran at the World Trial in 2008....on the other hand, I am still learning how to "handle" an Open dog, and she's learning about my novice voice and lack of handling or whistling ability!) She is teaching me a lot about sheep and now about trialing. I have been working her very loosely when we train...just doing flank work and circle work and driving...she has to be reminded that Stop means STOP...not just slow down. She can get "lost in her sheep" when she gets far away from me, so I do the foundation exercises close up to reinforce that she needs to listen for me. This seems to be working really well for us so far.
My young dog Binx is coming along nicely. We had a lesson about a week ago and Nancy says "he looks good". He is coming in a bit tight at about 2:00 on his outruns. I'm working on that by stopping him at about 3 o'clock, walking in toward the sheep and then giving him a "GET" to push him out. I'm also doing some circle work to get more distance (though he is not too bad for his stage of training) and some flanking exercises to help square them up a bit better. He seems to be taking well to the little driving that we have worked on. Overall, I'm very pleased with him. I really lucked out with this dog...I adopted him from rescue before I knew I would like stockwork. He is turning out to be a wonderful first dog for me...he's so very biddable, yet he never quits on me!
Rhyme and I are still getting together (I just got Rhyme 3 months ago. She is trained through and has placed in Open and even ran at the World Trial in 2008....on the other hand, I am still learning how to "handle" an Open dog, and she's learning about my novice voice and lack of handling or whistling ability!) She is teaching me a lot about sheep and now about trialing. I have been working her very loosely when we train...just doing flank work and circle work and driving...she has to be reminded that Stop means STOP...not just slow down. She can get "lost in her sheep" when she gets far away from me, so I do the foundation exercises close up to reinforce that she needs to listen for me. This seems to be working really well for us so far.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A place for Sheep-Sheep-Sheep
I am very excited that I now have a regular place to train....whenever I want! This is huge for me...imagine how much more I can get accomplished (or possibly how much more I can screw up!) in our training now that I have a place to practice what I learn at lessons!
My friend Fran Sharon was kind enough to invite me to partner with her on some land that she found to lease. She wanted to expand her flock and heard that I was also looking for a place to rent/lease. So we have went in on the lease as partners. The sheep belong to Fran and we share the cost and chores.
There is a barn and great fencing already in place. Actually, it is fenced in a way that we could train at the same time if we wanted - there are 2 pastures, plus a smaller one that would be great for a young dog.
I'm very excited about having a place to train on a regular basis - I think my dogs are liking it too ;-)
So....where do you think the sheep are? ;-)
My friend Fran Sharon was kind enough to invite me to partner with her on some land that she found to lease. She wanted to expand her flock and heard that I was also looking for a place to rent/lease. So we have went in on the lease as partners. The sheep belong to Fran and we share the cost and chores.
There is a barn and great fencing already in place. Actually, it is fenced in a way that we could train at the same time if we wanted - there are 2 pastures, plus a smaller one that would be great for a young dog.
I'm very excited about having a place to train on a regular basis - I think my dogs are liking it too ;-)
Huck Puppy
Huck was 6 months old on August 6th. He is one of the Ben/Grace pups from Sarah Ruckelshaus' Grace and Nancy Obernier's Ben breeding this past February.
Huck, Cait, and Tuck were chosen as keepers by Nancy and Sarah. Nancy is keeping 2 and Sarah is keeping one. They will all be working dogs and have all been in the round pen once already!
I picked up puppy Huck on July 11th - I told Sarah I would keep him with me for a few weeks to socialize him a bit. He was getting into Sarah's sheep on a regular basis and had to be on leash at all times at her farm. I am out and about with my dogs just about every evening, whether it's at someone's field for training or an agility class, or just long walks that I take my dogs on regularly. We thought this will be good for Huck to experience and it will give Sarah a rest of keeping him out of her sheep ;-)
Huck has come along fast with his social skills....he has a lovely sit upon greeting someone new - "here I am for you to pet - go ahead, I know you want me" - his sister Cait has the same attitude, "I am here for your petting pleasure...yes, it is my job, so go ahead, lavish me with love and pets." - what a little diva that Cait is!
He came along with me to the Kathy Knox clinic in July - we even stayed in a hotel - he was quiet and well behaved all 3 days. He also came with me to audit the Jack clinic this past Saturday - again, very well behaved - no barking or carrying on. He should have good trial manners when his time comes ;-)
He is good with other dogs, kids, men, and cats. I do believe we have conquered his fear of rocks, road signs, and baby strollers. Yes, he thought road signs and large rocks were very unnatural and were to be dealt with carefully- it was quite funny to watch him get his puppy hackles up and bark ferociously until we reached it and he saw it was just a rock.
It's been a pleasure to share in his puppy-raising; I'll miss the little booger when he goes home.
Huck, Cait, and Tuck were chosen as keepers by Nancy and Sarah. Nancy is keeping 2 and Sarah is keeping one. They will all be working dogs and have all been in the round pen once already!
I picked up puppy Huck on July 11th - I told Sarah I would keep him with me for a few weeks to socialize him a bit. He was getting into Sarah's sheep on a regular basis and had to be on leash at all times at her farm. I am out and about with my dogs just about every evening, whether it's at someone's field for training or an agility class, or just long walks that I take my dogs on regularly. We thought this will be good for Huck to experience and it will give Sarah a rest of keeping him out of her sheep ;-)
Huck has come along fast with his social skills....he has a lovely sit upon greeting someone new - "here I am for you to pet - go ahead, I know you want me" - his sister Cait has the same attitude, "I am here for your petting pleasure...yes, it is my job, so go ahead, lavish me with love and pets." - what a little diva that Cait is!
He came along with me to the Kathy Knox clinic in July - we even stayed in a hotel - he was quiet and well behaved all 3 days. He also came with me to audit the Jack clinic this past Saturday - again, very well behaved - no barking or carrying on. He should have good trial manners when his time comes ;-)
He is good with other dogs, kids, men, and cats. I do believe we have conquered his fear of rocks, road signs, and baby strollers. Yes, he thought road signs and large rocks were very unnatural and were to be dealt with carefully- it was quite funny to watch him get his puppy hackles up and bark ferociously until we reached it and he saw it was just a rock.
Binx thinks he's a Big Dog
Yep, we moved out of the round pen and into the bigger field this past July. Nancy has us using sheep that are appropriate for our level so that he won't keep losing his sheep and break his confidence. They aren't knee knockers...they will definitely run if the dog doesn't hold them, but they aren't super flighty either.
He's doing well - is even starting to keep his head when pulling them off the fence (if I don't open my mouth and stress him out).
One thing I noticed when we moved to the field was that all of the crap he did in the round pen that we had to correct....it all came back again! Nancy was not surprised and said it's normal. That's why we go back to better behaved sheep, so we can maintain control and correct those old behaviors (buzzing, wool grabbing, etc.) Sigh... - so I'm back to circle work and stomping at him (applying pressure) and telling him to GET OUT again. The buzzing and wool grabbing stopped right away (thank goodness).
The last lesson we had him driving a bit and he did beautifully with that. He is now slicing in on his flanks when he's about 1/3 way out, and my verbal "Get" is not getting a response! I am now lying him down when he cuts in, putting myself between him and the sheep to help him and then send him again (and am now closer to correct if needed). As soon as he bends out, I move off of the sheep to release the pressure. That is the idea anyway...I still catch my green self being "in the sheep" too long, thus causing him to come in too close again. :-\
He's doing well - is even starting to keep his head when pulling them off the fence (if I don't open my mouth and stress him out).
One thing I noticed when we moved to the field was that all of the crap he did in the round pen that we had to correct....it all came back again! Nancy was not surprised and said it's normal. That's why we go back to better behaved sheep, so we can maintain control and correct those old behaviors (buzzing, wool grabbing, etc.) Sigh... - so I'm back to circle work and stomping at him (applying pressure) and telling him to GET OUT again. The buzzing and wool grabbing stopped right away (thank goodness).
The last lesson we had him driving a bit and he did beautifully with that. He is now slicing in on his flanks when he's about 1/3 way out, and my verbal "Get" is not getting a response! I am now lying him down when he cuts in, putting myself between him and the sheep to help him and then send him again (and am now closer to correct if needed). As soon as he bends out, I move off of the sheep to release the pressure. That is the idea anyway...I still catch my green self being "in the sheep" too long, thus causing him to come in too close again. :-\
Independence Rhyme!
I continued to put out feelers for a trained dog...actually was looking for a retired dog at first, when Maria Amodei's Rhyme popped up on the radar.
http://www.northfacefarm.com/WorkingBCs/Rhyme/Rhyme.html
After many corresponding emails between Maria, Sarah, Nancy, and myself, it was decided that Maria would drive Rhyme down from Massachusetts on June 20th and we would meet at Nancy's field to meet Rhyme, tape her whistles, etc.
It was a match!
Rhyme has brought so much joy to my life already - she gives me the independence I was looking for so that I can train on my own. I am learning things that I wouldn't have learned for a couple of years with Binx.
I am learning more about balance and pressure.
I have learned that I cannot drive . LOL! - Honestly, keeping a line is much harder than I ever imagined...practice, practice, practice I guess.
I have learned that "handling" is much, much different than "training".
http://www.northfacefarm.com/WorkingBCs/Rhyme/Rhyme.html
After many corresponding emails between Maria, Sarah, Nancy, and myself, it was decided that Maria would drive Rhyme down from Massachusetts on June 20th and we would meet at Nancy's field to meet Rhyme, tape her whistles, etc.
It was a match!
Rhyme has brought so much joy to my life already - she gives me the independence I was looking for so that I can train on my own. I am learning things that I wouldn't have learned for a couple of years with Binx.
I am learning more about balance and pressure.
I have learned that I cannot drive . LOL! - Honestly, keeping a line is much harder than I ever imagined...practice, practice, practice I guess.
I have learned that "handling" is much, much different than "training".
Me, Binx, and the Sheep (lessons to date)
Like I said, Binx started it all for me. He is my first border collie. (Granted, I fostered more than 15 in the year before I committed to him - but he was the first that was MINE).
I was incredibly fortunate in that I had a lot of experienced sheep people to guide me from the very beginning. Nancy Obernier came highly recommended to me as a trainer - it turned out she was only 20 minutes from my house, so I contacted her right away to start lessons.
I started bringing Binx to Nancy when he was about 7 months - we tried to go once a week on most weeks (unless she was trialing or the weather did not permit). I did not go into the round pen with him for months!...I had (and still have a wee bit) a fear of getting hurt by the sheep. In hind sight, Binx was not wild (not like some I have since seen!) - it was really just me and that I had met so many experienced handlers that have been injured - I was just deathly afraid that my young dog would do something out of stress to spook the sheep, who would in turn trample me - or er something like that.
My first time working my own dog in the pen was at a Kathy Knox clinic that December...Binx was now a year old and was going around but didn't always cover and still sometimes cut in too close, thus stressing himself and would grip wool, etc. Really just young dog stuff, but seemed like a lot at the time for this green handler!
Even though or maybe especially because of my anxiety, Binx was just the perfect "first dog for me" - Kathy had even commented as such. He is even tempered and biddable enough to let me think when we are training, yet he can take a correction and he never quits on me.
December of 2008 was a big turning point for me, as I could now start learning how to train my own dog. The lessons were now more focused on me - Nancy worked on helping me understand where I needed to be and how I needed to move in order to help my dog. This was when the "addiction" really set in.
I really don't know how to explain the feeling to someone who has never experienced stockwork with their dog. Being well aware that this sounds really corny, but for me, it's like being a part of something natural, yet it is so much bigger than anything that obedience trials or the agility sport could ever offer. Just being out there with the sheep and my dog...being a factor in that prey/predator relationship...it's very-very cool. The relationship that develops between dog and handler is like no other I have known or witnessed...no, not even daily walks with steak dinners could replace the loyality that a border collie has for his owner when they have a working partnership! I guess too, I like that my dog has so much faith in me, that he allows me to help him, that he yields to my direction (uhm, usually), even though everything in his being may be telling him to go the other way or not to "walk in", etc. (especially since he really does know sheep better than I do!)
Well, like I said, it's pretty corny - but that makes it no less addictive.
I also started to learn some new things about myself...I never realized how difficult it is to maintain control of your voice when you're freaking out inside! :-O Dog is running full speed into the flock, mouth is open - I STILL fight the urge to scream high like a little girl when I really just need a calm and growly correction and then move off to release the pressure, and keep working calmly as to not add to the dog's excitement and stress. Sigh....Will I EVER get there?
Binx and I went to our 2nd Kathy clinic in April 2009. I was still working in the round pen about once or twice a week - still didn't have regular access to sheep but made valiant efforts whenever the opportunity was available. We were happy when Kathy said we were progressing nicely and she liked what we were doing . Kathy is just really cool like that though...she is great at boosting your confidence.
This was about the time I began toying with the idea of getting an Open level dog to help bring me along. Actually, it was first suggested by Sarah while I was at the clinic....the more I thought about it, and spoke with others who had began with trained dogs, the more I agreed that it was time. At this point I couldn't even rent sheep from someone unless they sorted and set the round pen up for me - I didn't have a dog that I could sort with, etc. And so the search began.
I was incredibly fortunate in that I had a lot of experienced sheep people to guide me from the very beginning. Nancy Obernier came highly recommended to me as a trainer - it turned out she was only 20 minutes from my house, so I contacted her right away to start lessons.
I started bringing Binx to Nancy when he was about 7 months - we tried to go once a week on most weeks (unless she was trialing or the weather did not permit). I did not go into the round pen with him for months!...I had (and still have a wee bit) a fear of getting hurt by the sheep. In hind sight, Binx was not wild (not like some I have since seen!) - it was really just me and that I had met so many experienced handlers that have been injured - I was just deathly afraid that my young dog would do something out of stress to spook the sheep, who would in turn trample me - or er something like that.
My first time working my own dog in the pen was at a Kathy Knox clinic that December...Binx was now a year old and was going around but didn't always cover and still sometimes cut in too close, thus stressing himself and would grip wool, etc. Really just young dog stuff, but seemed like a lot at the time for this green handler!
Even though or maybe especially because of my anxiety, Binx was just the perfect "first dog for me" - Kathy had even commented as such. He is even tempered and biddable enough to let me think when we are training, yet he can take a correction and he never quits on me.
December of 2008 was a big turning point for me, as I could now start learning how to train my own dog. The lessons were now more focused on me - Nancy worked on helping me understand where I needed to be and how I needed to move in order to help my dog. This was when the "addiction" really set in.
I really don't know how to explain the feeling to someone who has never experienced stockwork with their dog. Being well aware that this sounds really corny, but for me, it's like being a part of something natural, yet it is so much bigger than anything that obedience trials or the agility sport could ever offer. Just being out there with the sheep and my dog...being a factor in that prey/predator relationship...it's very-very cool. The relationship that develops between dog and handler is like no other I have known or witnessed...no, not even daily walks with steak dinners could replace the loyality that a border collie has for his owner when they have a working partnership! I guess too, I like that my dog has so much faith in me, that he allows me to help him, that he yields to my direction (uhm, usually), even though everything in his being may be telling him to go the other way or not to "walk in", etc. (especially since he really does know sheep better than I do!)
Well, like I said, it's pretty corny - but that makes it no less addictive.
I also started to learn some new things about myself...I never realized how difficult it is to maintain control of your voice when you're freaking out inside! :-O Dog is running full speed into the flock, mouth is open - I STILL fight the urge to scream high like a little girl when I really just need a calm and growly correction and then move off to release the pressure, and keep working calmly as to not add to the dog's excitement and stress. Sigh....Will I EVER get there?
Binx and I went to our 2nd Kathy clinic in April 2009. I was still working in the round pen about once or twice a week - still didn't have regular access to sheep but made valiant efforts whenever the opportunity was available. We were happy when Kathy said we were progressing nicely and she liked what we were doing . Kathy is just really cool like that though...she is great at boosting your confidence.
This was about the time I began toying with the idea of getting an Open level dog to help bring me along. Actually, it was first suggested by Sarah while I was at the clinic....the more I thought about it, and spoke with others who had began with trained dogs, the more I agreed that it was time. At this point I couldn't even rent sheep from someone unless they sorted and set the round pen up for me - I didn't have a dog that I could sort with, etc. And so the search began.
Introduction
Like many, I came to this venue while exploring my newly adopted border collie's heritage...I was hooked right away.
After I came to grips with my new addiction, I decided that having a trained dog would prove helpful to bring "me" along as a better trainer and handler.
Less than one year later, I purchased Maria Amodei's Rhyme, a 5 year old fully trained USBCHA Open level border collie.
Binx is my now 19 month border collie that started it all. I adopted Binx from Mid Atlantic Border Collie Rescue (for whom I also volunteer and foster dogs) in June of 2008 - he was 6 months old (awww).
Sarah (founder/director of MABCR) told me that he had potential for sheep work and that he had gotten into her big field by accident and gathered the entire flock and was bringing them to her before she realized what had happened. I thought "that's pretty cool". Though I knew NOTHING about sheep - had never even touched one. But having been around Sarah's farm for nearly a year as a volunteer, and meeting many of her friends and acquaintances, I must admit that I was more than a bit curious about these sheepdog trials and clinics, etc. that everyone spoke about. I had seen enough working border collies in action to have a large amount of respect for their work. What I did not yet know, was what it takes to train them or how to properly handle them. :-\
After I came to grips with my new addiction, I decided that having a trained dog would prove helpful to bring "me" along as a better trainer and handler.
Less than one year later, I purchased Maria Amodei's Rhyme, a 5 year old fully trained USBCHA Open level border collie.
Binx is my now 19 month border collie that started it all. I adopted Binx from Mid Atlantic Border Collie Rescue (for whom I also volunteer and foster dogs) in June of 2008 - he was 6 months old (awww).
Sarah (founder/director of MABCR) told me that he had potential for sheep work and that he had gotten into her big field by accident and gathered the entire flock and was bringing them to her before she realized what had happened. I thought "that's pretty cool". Though I knew NOTHING about sheep - had never even touched one. But having been around Sarah's farm for nearly a year as a volunteer, and meeting many of her friends and acquaintances, I must admit that I was more than a bit curious about these sheepdog trials and clinics, etc. that everyone spoke about. I had seen enough working border collies in action to have a large amount of respect for their work. What I did not yet know, was what it takes to train them or how to properly handle them. :-\
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