Worked the ducks a little this week. Had a great experience with one of the little quakers. This one separated out from the group and then refused to move. We have never had opportunity to work on this scenario before. I thought about teaching the leave it and have Rave leave it and go work the rest of the group. But that just felt all wrong. It may be right for points in a trial but not for working stock at home when you want all of the stock. So I had Rave try to move that singleton. Why the hen wouldn't move I don't know. The ducks haven't been spoiled. Hardly worked at all. They are starting to lay so she may have been about to 'give birth' in which case I can't blame her for not wanting to move! So Rave got behind her and a little timidly gave her a nudge. After all she has been told to not touch the ducks. So nudge, nudge. Rave tried to flip around to head when nudging but I stopped that. Then Rave deiced what this little duck really and truly needed was a face washing. So to work she goes and washes that duck's face right up. And you know it worked. The duck moved off and joined the rest of the group across the pen. And she didn't bog down again. ;-) We where able to pen them although it was the high pressure flanking style and not the step by step finesse style. Rave really seems to be catching on that the name of the game is putting them in the pen! I can almost see the thought bubble over her head telling me to get my act together and do my part right! After the penning we put them away.
Overnight and into the morning it snowed. I drove my mother to the airport for her return journey home after a very nice week long visit. When I returned most of the snow had melted and the sun was breaking through the clouds. Of course the reason the sun could break through the clouds was the wind was howling and pushed the clouds right away. It was very cold. I HATE the wind. But the dogs don't seem to mind and so we worked the sheep in my small arena. First go I worked on the stop a little. Should have done more as once again I have been letting the stop slip as I work on other aspects of training. Then I worked on her 'out'. I had her get out even though she was pretty good in her position. I want to be able to tell her out anywhere and have her move out. On my second go we worked a singleton to work on the cover and push. I was pretty pleased. Had to remind Rave that we weren’t just playing cow pony and keeping the sheep from returning to the take pens where the other sheep where, but that she was to prevent the break back and drive her down to the other end of the arena. Got a couple of real nice successes and then did a take pen just to make sure that Rave wouldn't decide it was much more fun to single one off. Called it a day.
Hopefully we will be able to go out to Kelly's to work sheep tomorrow. Put in the request real late so he may not be available. If not I will take down the temporary fence in my arena that I have up to protect a small area that grows grass. The sheep are eager to eat but the pasture has not recovered enough to allow it so I have fenced this area off. Makes for a very odd shaped working area and cuts down on an already minimal size arena. It’s very difficult to get an outrun in that isn't cramped in one way or another. And I don't want Rave to start thinking the game is to take them through a panel and then turn around and take them back through it. That’s okay if you can mix it up so that they are listening to where you want to go. But do it that way every time and they go Aha, I know what the chore is just let me do it.
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