Another lovely day in paradise! It was supposed to rain all week but has been sunny instead, although quite cold when the sun goes behind a cloud. However it is supposed to snow again on Sat. - what's with that!?! I am hoping to run Blair in Dirk's trial in Sedro Wooley tomorrow but am going to wait to see what the roads are like when I get up. I am a typical 'wetcoaster' so now that I don't have to commute to work, I don't have to drive in any snow if I don't want to.
So we had another good training session yesterday. I worked Jayne and Dusty. Dusty was awesome as usual...in his familiar place on sheep he knows. I did some of Jack's suggestions; busting the sheep up and encouraging him to hustle to cover. I did see a change of pace with him but I'm not sure I am getting the best results. Each time, Dusty widened out as well as put on a little speed, so he still wasn't really covering better. But I will keep at it & see if there is some improvement over time.
Jayne worked well too for the most part. The mistakes were all my fault as usual. We had a big group of sheep to work so I tried some shedding with her. OMG, that was not the best idea I've had in awhile! Lee would kill me if she saw what I did I am sure. I don't know what I was doing wrong except the results were very bad! LOL Jayne came in like a bolt of lightning, but there was no way she was taking a lie down or holding the shed off group! She flanked off after them and split one with a lot of yippeeyahoo enthusiasm to say the least. Actually it was panic that they were getting away. So we had to go back to some calming and 'steady-ing' work in a corner before ending the session. Margaret & Rose were killing themselves laughing at me! Rose suggested that we make a 'How not to Shed' video to go along with Alasdair's. Good thing Jayne isn't going to have to actually shed in a trial for some time!
Rose's Jana's four pups are 3 weeks old now and getting to that oh-so cute stage. They were all cuddled up asleep in their crate when I looked in on them. We got word that Lee's Chica had TEN pups this week; 6 girls and 4 boys sired by her Jeb who is J.Zoerb's Mik X Sommer's Gyp. Should be some real nice pups there.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Good Day
It was pouring rain when I ran the dogs this morning but cleared up by noon and turned out quite nice. Margaret & I worked our dogs at McLeods' and were invited in to a lovely lunch and visit with Rod who had stopped by. He is giving a home to one of the late Jim Baron's dogs. Sadly I had a big breakfast sandwich before I went over there so I was too full to have anything but coffee.
I worked Blair on taking some quick flanks and stops while keeping them square and open. He did very well. So if it isn't raining I think I will enter him in Dirk's trial in Sedro Wooley on Sat. I had worked Jayne first and she did just fine too. One little fly by but it was caused by me asking for too tight a walk up, putting just too much pressure on her from me. Otherwise she did fine. I sent in my entries to the Sterling Acres SDTrial in April and was bold enough to enter her in Nursery.
I worked Blair on taking some quick flanks and stops while keeping them square and open. He did very well. So if it isn't raining I think I will enter him in Dirk's trial in Sedro Wooley on Sat. I had worked Jayne first and she did just fine too. One little fly by but it was caused by me asking for too tight a walk up, putting just too much pressure on her from me. Otherwise she did fine. I sent in my entries to the Sterling Acres SDTrial in April and was bold enough to enter her in Nursery.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Weekend Clinic
I had a great time at the Jack Knox clinic in Arlington,WA over the weekend. As usual, Joe Haynes' sheep are awesome to work. We even had pretty good weather with the rain holding off until Sun. afternoon.
I worked Jayne Sat. morning and Jack pretty much summed up that what I was doing was right and she just needs miles. The sheep wandered off into the gully while we were talking but Jack said to send her anyway - quite a bit further distance than what I usually work. He said to trust her more...so away she went out of sight into the gully and brought the sheep back very nicely. I also did some longer drives with small flanks that Jayne handled just fine. So I guess the lay off over the winter didn't hurt her nor the fact that we work predominantly in a small field. Jack made me promise that if I ever sell her I am to call him first. LOL
I worked Dusty in the afternoon. I know what his issues are but I wanted Jack to see him again as he was the one that told me not to give up on Dusty at a previous clinic a couple years ago. Sure enough Dusty showed his lack of confidence; the sheep were across the gully and up against the fence. When Dusty tried to come around them, they headed off along the fenceline towards the exhaust. Exactly the kind of thing that throws Dusty for a loop. Sure enough he didn't turn on any afterburners to cover them and fell into 'follow' mode. Jack said the same thing he said before; scatter the sheep, make things fun for Dusty so that he has to cover. I said that he was FIVE years old, how long is it supposed to just FUN! LOL Jack said that he does see a big difference in Dusty and that he has come a long way.
I worked Jayne again Sun. morning with the same results. I was very pleased that she handled being in the new place on different sheep without any inclination to blow up or bust through. Then in the afternoon I worked Blair. I wanted to find out what Jack could suggest on keeping flow happening in his drive as opposed to our usual stop/start method. Jack immediately picked up that my walk up whistle was part of the problem. It is too sharp, too quick which is why Blair gets up too fast. He said to use my voice or change the whistle. So that is something to work on.
Fun weekend. Great to see & visit with everybody after the winter.
I worked Jayne Sat. morning and Jack pretty much summed up that what I was doing was right and she just needs miles. The sheep wandered off into the gully while we were talking but Jack said to send her anyway - quite a bit further distance than what I usually work. He said to trust her more...so away she went out of sight into the gully and brought the sheep back very nicely. I also did some longer drives with small flanks that Jayne handled just fine. So I guess the lay off over the winter didn't hurt her nor the fact that we work predominantly in a small field. Jack made me promise that if I ever sell her I am to call him first. LOL
I worked Dusty in the afternoon. I know what his issues are but I wanted Jack to see him again as he was the one that told me not to give up on Dusty at a previous clinic a couple years ago. Sure enough Dusty showed his lack of confidence; the sheep were across the gully and up against the fence. When Dusty tried to come around them, they headed off along the fenceline towards the exhaust. Exactly the kind of thing that throws Dusty for a loop. Sure enough he didn't turn on any afterburners to cover them and fell into 'follow' mode. Jack said the same thing he said before; scatter the sheep, make things fun for Dusty so that he has to cover. I said that he was FIVE years old, how long is it supposed to just FUN! LOL Jack said that he does see a big difference in Dusty and that he has come a long way.
I worked Jayne again Sun. morning with the same results. I was very pleased that she handled being in the new place on different sheep without any inclination to blow up or bust through. Then in the afternoon I worked Blair. I wanted to find out what Jack could suggest on keeping flow happening in his drive as opposed to our usual stop/start method. Jack immediately picked up that my walk up whistle was part of the problem. It is too sharp, too quick which is why Blair gets up too fast. He said to use my voice or change the whistle. So that is something to work on.
Fun weekend. Great to see & visit with everybody after the winter.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Sunny Day
Gorgeous sunny blue day but very cold so not much is melting. -3c Dogs had another blast playing in all the snow but I let them spend the rest of the day in the house instead of their kennel runs. Did laundry and packed for the weekend away in Arlington at the Jack Knox clinic.
Heard rave reviews from the Peter Gonnet clinic last weekend. Wish I could have gone as I really would like him to see how Jayne is turning out but....too costly to go to the Island for clinics. Oh well, Jack will see her so he can pass on to Peter. Jayne's littermate, Taff is looking to become Peter's replacement for Moss.
Pic of Stevie Steerhead was from yesterday at noon and the next one today, 24 hrs later. Snowdrops under tree taken today, 24 hrs after last one in yesterday's post.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Later same day
Just over 3 weeks til spring or so they say. If this record breaking winter continues, we'll probably get snow at Easter! The snowdrops at the base of the tree are now buried in snow at 4:30p. The heavy snowflakes are reflecting off the flash. Now it is time to go wipe the snow off the satilite dish again.
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