Mullarway Working Dogs

26/08/2023

Happiest of International Doggo Day

23/02/2023

I really love this description! It's vital to acknowledge good work but verbalising it often releases the steady stop stay commands. Makes sense

At training today I was reminded of this post from last year as the desire to acknowledge a dogs good work was undoing some of the good work.

When is ‘good dog’ not ‘good dog’ ?

Many sheepdog trainers tell their students not to say ‘good dog’. Yet we still want to acknowledge good behaviour.

Using the training method of ‘naming the behaviour’, a poorly timed ‘Good Dog’ can quickly become a command and the most common command I see dogs mix up with the ‘good dog’ command is a release from a stop.

Handlers ask their dogs the stop, sit or lie down then follow that by saying good dog, breaking the stop. He is no longer a good dog 😳.

Thinking ‘good dog’ when a dog responds to a command can be ‘good dog’ enough. The thought changes your body language, your expression and your energy, all of which tells the dog he is right without using words.

Dogs respond to tone and pitch rather than words. When you are praising your pup you are using a nice friendly tone. When you are chastising your pup your are using a growling tone.

Acknowledging your dog with praise is important but it can be done by repeating the command in a praising tone. Repeating the command reduces confusion, thinking ‘good dog’ particularly for a stop and praising the dog with a repeat of the stop command can help reduce the chance of it becoming a release.

Good dog is an attitude. Look for and focus on the good rather than preparing and expecting the bad. After all, most training session are 80 to 90% good, with the odd poor move or mistake.

Written by Simon Leaning
Marionvale Working Dogs

09/05/2022

Especially when it’s windy & raining, and don’t even get me started on a full moon 🌕 🤦🏼‍♀️

🤨

07/05/2022

Change of pace.
Hey guys most of you by now would know that we have been lured back into the Farm Management world. A great opportunity to work with a great company with an amazing track record. Halt Farms is a group of properties within the South West and upwards of 30000 composite sheep.
Grateful of the opportunity we have some opportunities to come work with us too as a farmhand.
If you want a change of pace and a great boss get in contact or follow the link.
https://www.seek.com.au/job/56735184?type=standard =95614b1b0fa2ae85c94f4406bddb6067a34a762c

Note only legends of high quality should apply.

Cheers Scotty

Our people work across commodity areas such as sheep for meat and wool, dairy, cropping and permanent plantings. To run the best farms, we need the best people.

02/05/2022

17/04/2022

This is where you’d really learn how to work a good collie dog and what the Huntaway was bred for!!

16/03/2022

Another Huntaway Bo (coz we are bonkers!!) has joined the Mullarway ranks.
Hilty has been desperately waiting for this bitch to come so he can train his own work dog for when he helps on the school holidays .
She is a cutie pie.

15/03/2022

A kooky ad but a bottler, I’ll be having a Guinness tomorrow on St Paddy’s day to celebrate the mad Irishman in me!

24/02/2022

Big Moz is happy it’s Friyay!!

20/02/2022

Daddy daughter day in the training pen today with Punch and Foxy 🦊.