Here he comes to save the day

I used to rely on Pam, my first border collie, to do chores. Not because she is so good, but she does know the job and in general I trust her to do things correctly (this is NOT true in a trial situation).

Two years ago I bought Libby from Sam Furman. Not that Sam really wanted to sell Libby but she just wasn't quite the dog for some sheep. Libby loves hair sheep that move....she excels on them. Actually what she really loves is chickens...but that's another story. My flock is about 60 hair sheep and 200 big dorset or dorsetXrideau ewes. They don't move fast, and sometimes they don't move at all. After working with Craig Rogers last summer he asked me why I don't do chores with Libby; after all it can only improve her confidence and her skills. She is my open dog, I should be able to do a few sheep chores with her, not just trial this dog. So she goes out faithfully with me at chore time, runs to the chicken coop and proceeds to bring them all outside....not today libby, we have to do the sheep.

My husband is away at a conference for 3 nights, 4 chore days. Our tractor is sitting in the field with some parts that need some fixing. We use 2 large round bales a day to feed the sheep; On Tuesday before he left he moved the round bales into place for me so it would be easy for me to unroll the bales. We unroll them so the sheep clean them up well and there should be less waste. I don't know if that is true. Well behind the barn we have the ewes that have lambed. They had finished their day's allotment of hay so I got a small round bale from the barn, pushed it out, rolled it down the hill and turned it to go behind the barn. I'm feeling quite strong now. Enough of that, get the ATV and the tow strap. So the bale is in place behind the barn, with 150 ewes clammering for me to unroll it! It must be sooooo much better than the other bale that is in the already partially eaten. I've been trying to get Libby to walk in front and clear the sheep from infront of the bale. When John and I do this together with Preacher and Libby it is quite successful; but with Libby alone today, the sheep were just not listening to her...

So...i get Preacher, my husbands dog...i hope i don't mess him up! Here he comes to save the day! He gets right in there, moves the sheep and lambs, stays far enough in front that I don't roll over him...and gets really dirty. Preacher is a really nice dog. He's just turned three and he is Johns' go to dog now. He's Johns main dog. Preacher is also starting his trialling career. John has run in him in PN a couple of times last fall with fairly good results for someone that has never really trialed. I think he will make a good trial dog...but he is a great chore dog and that's what is important.

Preacher is funny. He always seems to know when I need some help...hence the here he comes to save the day. Last summer Janet and I were trying to move the rams (maybe about 5 of them) somewhere, not far, with Data and Pam...Those rams had no interest in moving for our dogs. John was somewhere else on the farm and suddenly...who should show up..but Preacher; Dont' worry maams, i am here to save the day! He moved those rams exactly where we needed them...and went back to find John. He needs no thanks, just to work. It is nice having a dog that will work for just about anyone! Thanks for the help Preach.

A taste of spring...and winter comes back

Lambing continues; last week we had temperatures above freezing with rain. Nine ewes took the opportunity to lamb that day. I was traveling in Wisconsin and my husband ran around, warming lambs and moving day olds from jugs into mixing pens. Since we have no room to lamb in the barn our ewes are outside, lamb outside and we than move them to the jugs inside. Our sleep deprived lifes are a bit ummmm grouchy. I need my sleep as does John, so we agree to be grouchy. Since Thursday we've had 12 more ewes lamb with about 80 to go before the end of the first week of March. I'll try to take a photo of lamb races at feeding time

The dogs are missing working but we have at least managed to work Spec and Tate at least 3 times this week. One of the yearlings in the herding volunteers was very difficult to work, a little too much pressure and she would turn on the dogs. For Spec and Tate this was very difficult and for session number 2 we removed her from the group. They aren't ready to face that much pressure from a sheep. This of course gave us an excellent opportunity to work Libby and Preacher on a split group, on a persnickity ewe, and for Libby...sticking in there and not flanking off. I guess what i am rambling about is that you need to take advantage of training opportunities. With lambing and being tired we 've been a bit neglectful training but just a few minutes out of the day can make for some excellent work.

I've also taken to splitting the dogs into two groups for walks. The mini schnauzers (yes they are still fosters) are totally obnoxious with Preacher and will cause a fight.,...with them usually on the bottom. Poor Max ( I use this lightly) has the scars to show it. The minis need loads of exercise and with their poor social skills it makes for a stressful walk for me if I have to take either Preacher or Dixie. Note to self...no more mini schnauzer foster dogs!

Oh, we are totally enjoying Becca, the delta bluez puppy. She is just a charmer, is really well housetrained and is a fun puppy. She's interested in the sheep, so now the chore is to keep her away from them! She's fitting in well, sucking up to Sergeant ( the male Giant Schnauzer) and using all of her puppy charm to get what she wants. We've switched her to a raw diet and she is doing great on it. Becca has decided the white dogs (Charlie & Whiskey....not Scarlett yet) aren't out to terminate her but she is still careful around them. This past week she met 2 rough collie and another border collie. I'm thinking of actually going to a puppy class with her for socialization....Maybe i'll take Spec and John can take Becca....

Training the puppies...

What an exciting morning. My friend Helene is visiting Peterborough and brought 2 or her dogs and her foster dog. I also was training a local bred dog named Mabs. Mabs is really coming along from a dog that would only away to me circle, she's almost comfortable going both ways now.

After running Mabs for the first session I took Helene's foster pup Kess (about 7 months old) into the arena with my really dog broke sheep. She was a little unruley and the picture wasn't right for her but we made progress and she made it to the other side of the sheep!

John brought the new, yet to be named puppy...how does everyone like Rye...or Brooke...or Brin, into the arena. She wasn't interested in the sheep...but the poop, yahoo! I got Dixie out (the red & white dog pictured to the right) to move the sheep and puppy Rye, or Brook or Brin, turned right onto them, tail nicely tucked under her, looking very stylish. Definately wanted to head them; She was even lying down (not on cue of course) John stopped after about 1 minute for fear of having sheep turn on her at this impressionable age. We'll probably try her about once per month over the next few months until she is ready to work a little more.

We let the sheep rest a bit and I brought out Tate. She is out of my bitch Pam and Amanda Milliken's Bart. She was a very late bloomer but is coming along very well now. At first she would run to the gate and not want to work. We started her on the large flock with another dog until she gained more confidence. We didn't work at all in the arena which made her uncomfortable until recently. After all the snow we haven't been able to be in the field. She is showing nice balance, stops well and covers the sheep and is doing a short 20-30 yard outrun (that's all the room we have!). We are thrilled with her progress.

This afternoon we have to do chores, move hay bales and we'll probably train some of the dogs again. It is above freezing, we get to work dogs and live on a sheep farm..does it get better than that?

It's light after 5...yeah!

So the new puppy arrived a day late. It was too cold for her to fly into Minneapolis. The delay had Kathey headed back to the Spokane airport and me the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Buffalo on Saturday. US customs apparently thought I was strange going to pick up a puppy from the airport so they searched the car. No illegal anything so I was cleared to go pick her up.

She was there waiting in the Northwest office keeping the attendent company. The attendent thought she was the cutest and most well behaved puppy ever.

On Sunday I worked Spec at around 4. I was thrilled with her work. She is stopping, lying down and balancing beautifully. The only time she will grip is if i'm somehow in the middle of the pack of sheep...The picture is all wrong. She will lie down on balance and her pace getting up is very nice. She reminds me of her sire Preacher (one of John's dogs) in her work. Her lie down is about 100% better than her mother Pam (my dog). John worked Preacher on driving afterwards while I did chicken coop chores. Than he did some grain for the sheep and I worked Libby (my bitch from Sam Furman on the right ) on staying on the flank I ask...despite pressure to the gate. She has a bad habit (probably that i developed) of trying to always stop the pressure to the exhaust...even if i want it that way. Finished training and it was still light...Spectacular!

The new puppy...who doesn't have an official name yet, was watching with John and she was very keen. She even rounded the outside of the pen to see if she could get a better vantage point. I may take her into the pen soon to see how she does. She won't begin training until she is 8 months to a year old, depending on how she is progressing.

Pictures to come of the new pup...names..hmmm, we don't love the name Zoey but are looking at Soot, Smut, Queen and are open to suggestions. The camera batteries need replacing and that'll be a project!

Only 6 more weeks until spring...

Preacher, out of Joyce Geiers Brass and Louise Tackaberry's Clare