Ernie Borders and his Aussie Artie came up and worked the sheep today…This was their third time this week.
Ernie and Artie are making great progress. Artie is developing a stop! His walk up is improving and today some of the work that Ernie and Artie have been doing in parts, started to come together! It is so cool to “see” it happen…
It is necessary to have a stop of some type on your dog that is reliable to herd. You achieve this by practicing a stop with all kinds of distractions. In all kinds of places… The most difficlt distraction I think is when the stock run…It makes the dog (any dog) want to chase…and chaseing the stock is not herding the stock.
Ernie has spent lots of time walking in straight lines with his dog at his side and moving the sheep about the arena, and learning what pressure on sheep does to them and how and where and when to put the pressure on the sheep.
Also practicing that stop in the face of sheep running all over!
Artie is a good dog and he is young and has lots of puppy ways in him…But after this week of work he has made great strides and will make a fine Herding Dog!
Drover worked as well…and had to be reminded to “Get out!” Worked too!
BOO got to move the sheep out of the yard and they never stuck a hoof back into the mowed areas of grass! Good Girl!
