Thanks guys.
Danke was a blast to watch working. I really had to marvel at her natural aptitude for the work, and I truly enjoyed watching her movement and body language around the sheep.
I was nervous going into the pen, because some of the dogs were unsure of what to do, and the owners had to chase and grab the sheep to get the dog interested.
I wasn't too excited about having to chase sheep in the mud (and knowing me, fall on my butt and get covered in the goop.)
I lucked out- she was perfectly interested in the sheep with no help from me.
I got to stand there and be proud of her.
What I like seeing is the different herding styles of the different dog breeds.
Example: border collie vs. bouvier etc. It's amazing they seem to know what they were bred for.
I always wanted to take my Aussie shepherd mix and my Catahoula foster to a herding test, just to see how differently they would work.
Thanks for fixing the pictures, Alyssa. I loved them! I think my backyard is muddier than the sheep pen though... my dogs would be right at home. It's nice to see new pictures of the dog. She is very beautiful (and multitalented!)
The Bouvier that was there seemed to have a herding style very similar to most of the Shepherds. The smaller herding breeds tended to be much more physical with the sheep, it seemed. More hock nipping and "flossing".
If you want the best herding experience of your life, come on down to Washington. Joe Kapelos and Linda Leeman are awesome!
Natalya Zahn Webboard User Reg: 12-22-2006
Posts: 1824
Loc: Cambridge, MA
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Quote: alyssa myracle
I lucked out- she was perfectly interested in the sheep with no help from me.
I got to stand there and be proud of her.
Way cool.
Congrats to Danke, and lucky you!! Sounds like a really grand way to spend a day.
I'd love to have Oscar tested for herding, I know lots of RRs are very capable, though I'm a bit worried about what happens when the dogs are a little TOO interested in the sheep... you mentioned some dogs needing their handlers to "get them really interested" in the critters (Oscar is astonished at why any dog wouldn't be interested in big wooly squirrels :grin but were there any dogs that wanted to EAT the sheep?
I watched a demo on tv once where the sheep herder would just whack the newbie dog with her crook everytime the dog tried to actually bite the sheep (only happened like twice before the dog got the idea ), was just wondering if that was normal protocol, or if there were dogs that were just too much into "hunting" for herding to work out...
Congrats again - really bummed I can't see the pics, but I'm one of those crazy few who refuse to join facebook... and look where it gets me.
~Natalya
*Oooo! You posted more pics - NOT in facebook - YAY!!
I wouldn't go to any place that used an actual shepherds crook on a beginning dog.
On an experienced dog, yes.
The place we went to used super-thin PVC pipe. Very, thin walled, flimsy stuff. If they bop the dog, it basically shatters. The shattering is actually a very effective way to convince the dogs to HERD, rather than EAT.
Bopping the dog across the shoulders or the nose is the most effective way to deter them from gripping the sheep (pulling out chucks of hair "flossing", is perfectly allowable as long as they aren't having a meal of lambchops).
Danke did get bopped once across the chest, not for biting, but for trying to push the sheep from the front instead of from behind.
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