How Sweet it Is

This morning was cold (27 degrees) and dry.  I suited up in my winter gear and took Rave out to work the sheep.  I decided to work the whole group of 8.  I concentrated on moving the stock around without a pattern so Rave would have to listen to my directions and not just follow a set pattern.  We drove in a square, and did some straight up the middles, along with zig-zag patterns.  Rave did very well.  She listened and took my commands without resistance.  For the most part she squared nicely.  Her stops where pretty good, only occasionally taking an extra step.  These are calm sheep and the snowy ground made them more cautious in their speed which made it very nice for working on pace and not over pushing.

I did a couple of outruns, only needing to remind Rave a little to stay back as far as possible in this small area on the back side.  She was cutting in a bit on the topside so once I went part way up, remembering to set myself up further out on the side she was not to go on to give her plenty of room to see the 'door' but also be in position to widen her out if needed.  She made the right choice and stayed as wide as possible for a smooth lift.  On the next one I stayed back at the 'start' line and she still held her width.  I was very happy.

Decided to work my old sheep Sue as a singleton.  It took Rave a couple of tries to convince Sue not to try to break back to where the other sheep were.  But after that she was able to calmly take her the length of the arena and then  control her on the return to the rest of the sheep.  She had to get out in front of her (and to the side) to prevent the break away and keep Sue at a walk.  Pretty cool to see Rave control the pace without interference from me.  I really need to trust Rave in a trial to make the right decision on that and stop trying to control it all.  Of course we have a long ways to go before we have this down and these sheep are very calm and methodical.  But it is a start!

Winter Training

Woke up and it was snowing this morning.  The first 'stick' of the winter.  But it didn't stick long and was gone well before noon but the forecast is for continued snow for the rest of the week.

As the melting snow made for a very muddy arena my friend and I decided to work the ducks.  Its been a long time since I worked them, I think since Nationals.  So we brought them out of their duck pen and put them in the stall adjacent to their grassy working arena.  I pulled out 5 and Rave and I went to work.  I had set up a V panel in the center of the arena.  Essentially two sides of the duck center pen shaped in a V.  I find it much harder to put the ducks in the V than in either a chute or a pen.  It is close ended and so a trap like the pen, but open sided and easier to slip past like the chute.  Anyway we worked on Rave walking the ducks around the perimeter in a calm manner, giving her chances to self correct.  Then pull off to the center obstacle.  Very pleased with her fenceline work.  Oh if she had only been that calm and deliberate at Finals .  It took a bit of positioning, the ducks slipping just past the opening before I could swing them back to get them into the V but we accomplished it.  I am just as thrilled today as I was the first few times when we actually make the center obstacle.  I should be getting used to it by now, as we now almost always get at least some in, but it was so long and so hard to learn this I am always still shocked when it actually happens!  We then reversed and went the perimeter the other way.  I was so pleased with the center I didn't try again and left on the good note and put that group away.

My friend then had her turn and she and her young dog did very well.  Ducks are such a finesse and control stock that it is hard for a young dog to keep their cool.  But they are doing excellent as they figure the duck game out and I see a bright spring trial season ahead of them.

So Rave and I then took a second turn.  I have 19 ducks so on this run I only used 4 so my friend could have a full group of 5 to work on her last turn.  This time I set up two posts in the center of the field to do figure 8's around.  I stood at the far end and proceeded to direct Rave around the posts.  This is something I have not done quite this way before and it turned out to be a better exercise than I had expected.  It ensured that I worked both directions, I had to do both inside and outside flanks, and it worked on my timing.  Interesting enough Rave's 'bad' side, the away, was also the side I had the most trouble on with the timing of the command to turn the ducks smoothly around the posts without cutting it short and going on the wrong side of the panel.  So have I created the weakness in Rave or do we just by coincidence have the same weakness?  I think it is a bit of both as when Rave runs free in the yard she has a path she runs.  And on that path that makes a circle she always free chooses to go come bye.  Interesting.  A case of the which came first?

On a sad note, our old friend of 16 years, Tasslehoff Burfoot is gently living his last few days.  He has been an amazingly good cat, especially for my oldest son as he went through his adolescents.  I am very happy that he will live his last days here at home.  He seems to be in no pain but is slowly winding down.  As my husband says, when it is my time I want to be warm, and dry, and surrounded by the ones I love.  And so we will endeavor to give this gift to Tass.  And unless he seems to develop pain we will let him go at his own pace surrounded by the ones he loves.

Slow and Easy

Today we worked on being slow and easy in the take pen.  I had my two old woolies in there.  I made sure she went the direction I told her and did not allow her to pick up speed as she went around the back.  We eased the ewes out nice and slow, drove them down the fence, did a call off and then sent her to re-pen them.  The repeated going both directions.  I ended with her bringing the sheep out nice and quiet.

On my second go I worked on her taking the sheep down the arena with minimal commands.  Giving her 'att' corrections for improper pace or direction but otherwise trying to stay quiet.  I think this was harder for me than for her.  And I found myself on several occasions giving a correction that was wrong in my struggle to loosen the reins and let her have more control.  Beginners mistakes haunting me of trying to control everything and not letting the dog figure it out on her own.