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)