a grand morning w Jos and the sheep!

Jos and I had a grand time with the sheep today, Dan is my backup dog, putting sheep where we need them, and helping if needed. He's going to be one bored back up dog soon, as Jos is doing so well!

Jos will be 6 months old tomorrow, so is still something of a "wee one", altho his seriousness would could fool one into thinking he's a grown dog. He's beginning to push himself out to where he needs to be, even today, doing 2 things that really impressed me! (well more than 2, but we'll just talk about 2 of them)

When going around the sheep, he actually, pushed out at a corner, while going around them, nice one Jos! So instead of racing in, he actually, pushed out a bit, to catch the eye of the sheep to keep them together! His other aha! impressive thing was, when they were in front of me, a few started to pass me, and he went to go around, but... but... the ones that remained in front, jumped off quick in the other direction, not following their friends! What did Jos do?

Jos, little guy that he is, changed directions, flanked out to put them in the bunch!

No assistance from me, all on his own! I was impressed, and pleased. What a natural working little guy he is! When I back up, if the sheep start to drift off in another direction, he arcs to the side, to turn their heads and keep them with me. He's also flanking nicely, keeping off them enough to keep them together, and seems to be reading he does not need to be right on top of them to do so. No chasing, no gripping, no grabbing, no wild tail in the air stuff. He's all business!

Very hard to explain with words, one of these days I'll get someone to video this amazing little guy! It's just too hard to watch sheep, and Jos, at the same time! This little guy is gonna be the best! I just adore working with him, he's a joy.

So for now, Jos, "that'll do", get some beauty rest, as tomorrow you are 6 months old! Happy Birthday Jos!

Jos in the hay barn, Oct 30, 2012

Sheep... at long last SHEEP!

Jos will be 6 months on November 1st, Samhiem. Now that's interesting, new year, new beginnings, just have to be sure we don't let the ghosts catch us :-)

But seriously, and seriously herding, that is our next journey together. Sheep, and more Sheep for Jos. He's quite natural, liking to "control" his sheep, seems to flank around each direction with a minor preference for his come by side. Seems to stand, on his own, at the appropriate time. Each time I've had him out, he's going around better, seeming to "read" the distance needed to go around his sheep, and he reads very well where he needs to be to keep them from "getting away". He "feels" his sheep nicely, I like that, and if they start to drift off, he wants to go to the "head" to bring them back. I wish we had some nice green grass for a video, it's ugly and brown this time of year. But will try to get something up anyways.

"Dan" always nice to cool off after a bit of hard work :-)

Dan, is the *ultimate* back up dog! Without Dan, we'd not have quite so much fun, he does well, listening to his whistles and helping position sheep. We had one lamb break and run, my first reaction was uh oh.... as Jos took off, What amazed me, was, Jos actually kicked out *around* to catch it, didn't chase and grab on. Dan headed out, and made it around about when Jos did, (well done Dan!) so Jos got the success of bringing it back, a good experience for him :-) Dan sure puts my mind at ease, when he's playing "back up"!

Dan is my retired Open dog, he had some very bad experiences prior to me getting him which kept his Open carreer short. Why, are people asking friends to hold sheep, asking them to go in and whomp on their own dog, ? Why? Why? sure made for a nervous "lift", and if there was too much going on at the setout, poor Dan, was just too nervous to attempt it, wearing back and forth, getting "bug eyed", he was so worried to come in. My early days with Dan were building confidence, but it just wasn't enough to overcome what had been done to him.

So it's perfect for Dan, the Man, to be my "assistant" :-) he's got a very important job, helping me with Jos! luv ya Dan!

Jos~always learning

So Jos has been waiting, still waiting and wanting to work, but at 5 months, even tho he is "oh so serious" and is showing some things I like to see in a pup, I will still wait to start his training. Just makes it hard when he wants to work so badly! He WORKS! doesn't chase, doesn't run after them tail in the air, but drops his head, tail down, and controls his sheep. Exactly what I want, but- it makes the waiting even harder! If he had run about, grabbing, chasing, his tail madly swinging and up, barking and "playing", it would be easy to wait, but would I be happy?

NO! I'd be worried! So I'll take it, the waiting, and once in a while putting him on stock. He's still got "puppy legs" long nobby legs, and some baby teeth still.

So what to do in the meantime?

My lifestyle (ours, Jos, yours and mine) will include "ranch chores", and also traveling to sheepdog trials. To trial where I live requires... *travel*! and lots of it. The closest trial is over 200 miles away, the rest are closer or more than 300, with it not being uncommon to go 400 +, and even a few 800+. (I must be crazy!)  Now those are all "one way" not round trip miles.

Jos on his "shopping trip"

Now that's going to be a bit, just a bit, of traveling for this little guy once he grows up. He's great with everything, but I want to be sure that the travel to and from a trial are not filled with "stress". Both for the trial, and in my opinion, it's just not good to be stressed ever. So I try to minimize later stress for my pups, by exposing them to what they will be exposed to later in life. The body doesn't handle stress well, and besides, who wants to be stressed out?

So, yesterday, since we can't work sheep, (yet)  and I had a trip to town, Perfect! Jos went with me. I don't take him to "doggie" places, no need to have him visit other dogs. (in fact I hate, really HATE, dog parks etc) I just took him where I needed to go. A ride in the truck, walking in the hardware store and waiting while I figured out what I had come there for in the first place, then on to the next store.

So what Jos learned yesterday? Just to "be", to hang out w me, to have manners around people, and to see what the world is about. Parking lots, people pushing shopping carts, riding in the truck. That I don't share my lunch with him. (tacos? not a good thing Jos) He doesn't get that here on the ranch. So, now when we go to a trial, have to stay in a motel, have been on the road for 800 miles, stopping along the way to exercise, he'll be ready for anything!

Besides, he's good company! (yes Jos, you are)

planning ahead~Jos and livestock

While Jos grows up, and after seeing him on stock, I'm always thinking how to start out, how many sheep? which sheep? will I use a back up dog? and how will he respond to the situations I create? It's an interesting pastime, trying to imagine what he will do, how he will respond to the stock, based on what I have seen of him in the 2 short times he's been on stock. A few things I know, he will be serious, not playing with stock, and he'll be ready to work... and hard to call off! But what will I be doing when I start him? I certainly won't be "training" in the strict sense, I'll be "developing" my pup.

Training a dog is easy, much easier than you'd think. Teaching flanks? Piece of cake, after he knows how to go around his stock. It's just associating a word, naming the action. It's the development of his instinct, bringing out the natural that is the difficult, time consuming part. So we have a few things to consider when we are starting a dog.

We want to be able to give commands when needed, and have him follow them. But, we don't want to be demanding or controlling with those demands, to the point we take something out of him~his natural ability. We need to be able to take control, but not be controlling.

I don't want my pup dependent on me, waiting for me to tell him what and how to do it. I want a dog to be natural, be able to think on his own. He's bred for that. So, I don't use commands, not at this stage! There's plenty of time down the line to teach "away" "come by" etc. There is something else to consider as well, why name something when it's not being done, or being done incorrectly?

Do I want to say "come by" to Jos, when he just might be going to head in the "away" direction? or going in the right direction, but slicing his flank? (wouldn't that be teaching a sliced flank?) Do I want to pull his attention off his stock, and have him worrying about what I'm saying? So I do lots of walk abouts, without saying a word. I use my position change the situation, change balance, and change the direction he goes around the sheep. I will do lots of things with him, *quietly*.

I'm a firm believer in a few things, and flexible on most others. What I am firm about is, we must let our dogs work, develop a puppy, exposing him so he "feels" his sheep, and as he grows, he can use his own instinct to control them and fix a mess. And, doing so *without* my telling him how to do it! So, I spend my time thinking of how I will create situations that will help me develop Jos to his fullest potential. Challenges that he will learn from, without being over his head. Challenges that will help his lil puppy brain develop. And I'll be quiet! shhhhh I'll be so quiet, that when I do speak, he will hear it, even tho it is softly said. Soft words, are generally calm words, which helps keep the emotion out of training... but that's for another day :-)

There's time, Jos, there's time... for all kinds of things, for you to grow up, for you to learn to take direction from me. For now, concentrate on loosing the rest of those needle sharp puppy teeth!

The Wait~for sheep!

The wait to start Jos on his herding training... the wait for him to grow up! It makes it harder as he's shown such talent, and wants to work so very badly! I do believe in waiting until the pup is mentally and physically ready to start his "carreer" as a sheepdog. Altho in saying that, I think I'm trying to convince myself not to work Jos on sheep today! It's so tempting once you've seen talent! (sigh)

Jos loves chores! and can't wait to get his hay "fix" :)

Good things come to those who wait? isn't that what they say?

Mentally ready, as I'd like his mind to be in the right place and able to take any pressure that he may encounter, both from the sheep, and from me. Think of a 5 year old child, sure he may have talent but does he have the attention span and maturity?

Physically, as bones and joints are growing, growth plates haven't closed yet, and it's all too easy for a young pup to get injured if he's working and running hard.and besides, his legs are little! and it's hard for him to get around the sheep in the manner I might like. So, I feel starting a pup too young, who doesn't have the ability to "get around" his sheep to control them can encourage the habit of grabbing ahold of one, or running around and thru them in a tight manner, in an effort to get to where he needs to be. And isn't it easier to not establish a habit than it is to undo it?

Howeva... I do put them on stock from time to time, depending on what they show me. I use another "back up dog" to keep sheep from breaking, to keep sheep off the fences, or to just 'lend a hand' when needed. I frequently use young goats, as they don't tend to break and RUN like some sheep do. It's so important to have the right livestock for a puppy.

I guess I'm trying to convince myself not to take Jos to sheep today! Soon, Jos, soon! you've only just turned 5 months old, and your legs are almost, not quite, but almost! long enough :-)

Patience, patience! and while I say, hurry up so we can start our work together on sheep, I treasure the time while Jos is a pup, taking him with me while I do chores, and seeing him grow almost right before my eyes!

"take your time" growing up, Jos :-)

Take your time growing up Jos :-) Taken the end of July, on a trip to a sheepdog Trial in New Mexico, he was approx 3 months old in this pic

Who is Jos?

Jos, who is Jos? Jos is a 5 month old Border Collie puppy, in fact, he's 5 months old today! Happy Birthday Jos! I hope to note some of his journey, both in growing up and in his herding training.

Jos is special, I didn't pick him scientifically, I didn't research pedigrees, I quite simply, saw a picture of him, and saw something special, something in his eyes, that drew me to him. I wasn't even looking for a puppy at the time, but from that first moment, that was "it".

He has proven to be everything I saw in him, very special, and even at this young age, we have a special bond, something that is important to me, as important as a great working dog. For me, that special bond is what it is all about. I've had puppies before, have actually placed pups in other homes as they just weren't "right" for me. Yes, I guess I am picky, but, why spend all that time if you are not happy, and the pup will be happier with someone else? Not the politically correct thing to do, I'm sure, but it is, the right thing to do.

Jos has been on stock twice, and as I don't like to over pressure a young growing body and mind, his "formal" training on sheep will have to wait a few months... but when he's been on stock, I am thrilled with what I see! He actually "told" me he was ready to work, with his serious attitude around the sheep, so.... I went for it, and one day before feeding the sheep, I let him have a go at it! That's always so exciting, seeing what a pup or young dog will do. Well, Jos was all business, tail down, he went right to work! not a bit of "play" in him, all business.

So, at this time, while we wait, I enjoy spending time with him, and taking him to sheepdog trials. He's gonna be a winner! Actually, he already is, in my eyes, he's perfection :-)

Stay tuned for stories about Jos's progress, his adventures, and finally... (in his eyes) his opportunity to prove himself on sheep.