Today Ashlyn and I trimmed 12 sheep feet all way round! We started at 10 AM and finished at 4:00 PM!
Yes it was hot tiring fun work!
We put the puppies in the dog lot and they stayed cool and watched! All the other dogs were tied or in a pen, except Drover.
He gathered the sheep up out of the field, and we separated them into 4 groups in the holding pens.
Drover would go into the holding pen bring out 1 sheep, I would shut the gate, catch the sheep with Drover’s help and then walk or carry the sheep to the seat where I did their feet. (I got better and faster as the day wore on!)
When I finished with the sheep Drover would take the sheep out to the pasture on my command! What a difference a good trained dog made! (Well we are working on training!) Man how far we have come! This kind of level of help was not possible before the Linda Rorem Clinic and the Larry Painter Cow Camp!
Latter this evening I decided I would switch the Ewes from behind the dam to where the Lambs were and vice versa! Now if you all remember I had a bit of a time the first time I did this!
Well, it went smooth as silk! The Ewes came out to me and Drover kept them together and we took them down to the duck arena and into that 90 degree angled gate ! One ewe was difficult but Drover was easy and brought her right in by herself!
About the time this was accomplished I noticed I had 5 puppies that were there to assist! They had come down on their own without the grown dogs (they were in the stall) So , puppies had to be contained while Drover and I moved the lambs to the back side of the dam. That proved to be easy as it could be too! Again Drover gathered and fetched the sheep to me! It is so amazing, I finally get it!
I am so pleased with Drover! and our work together, He truly is an all round good dog!
I have struggled for a long time to be able to do this sort of thing. The road has been rough and hard. It still is work and not easy! But we have some tools to work with because of our work with Linda and Larry!
If anyone is struggling, or having a difficult time. I say keep at it! Keep trying! It will work, you just got to hang in there!
***We are planning a Sheep Camp in the Spring of 2013 (Limited to 12 dogs) Camp will be 5 days long ! Food and shelter will be provided, here at our Farm with Larry Painter. Details to Follow!***
***We have a 2 Day Herding Clinic set for September 7 and 8 , 2013…cost is $135.00 per day per dog. Limited to 12 dogs. Sign up early! Don’t miss this !
Kay and Drover
