Nordika Stockdogs

07/22/2025

Rethinking Pressure: The Fire That Forges

One of the most powerful — and most uncomfortable — shifts I’ve made in my stockmanship (and my life) was changing how I think about pressure.

For a long time, I saw pressure as something “bad.”
Something to correct a dog.
Something to stop unwanted behavior.
Something to take off as soon as possible.
Something that reflected negative emotion or failure.

And you know what happened?
My dogs learned to fear it.
They avoided it.
And — if I’m honest — so did I.

But here’s what I’ve come to understand:
Pressure isn’t bad.
It’s not punishment.
It’s not something to fear.
It’s a force for building — when we use it with intention.

In fact, the only way to truly transmute pressure — to allow that felt tension to leave your body and settle into something useful — is through clarity of intention.
Without clear intention, pressure just scatters or lingers. But with it, pressure becomes directed, purposeful, and transformative.

When we apply pressure only to correct, it becomes sharp, heavy, and confusing to the dog.
But when we use it with the desire to grow understanding, it becomes the fire that forges: trust, clarity, and confidence.

Because pressure, at its essence, is neutral.
It’s simply information.
And how you hold it, how you deliver it, and how you think about it — that’s what gives it meaning.

One of my mentors ( Josh Nichol) calls this a universal law — a truth so deep and consistent that it applies across all aspects of life and existence.
And he’s right.
We see it everywhere:
🔥 Metal is forged in fire.
🌱 Seeds sprout through the pressure of the earth.
🐑 A good dog learns not by avoiding pressure, but by releasing into it and finding their balance there.
💛 And we, too, become who we’re meant to be when we learn to stand in it — not run from it.

When you begin to see pressure as a teacher — not just a hammer — something shifts.
Your dog stops bracing against it.
You stop bracing against it.
You both begin to find yourselves within it, instead of losing yourselves to it.

So the next time life presses on you, the dog hesitates, the trial feels tense — ask yourself:
Am I using this pressure as an excuse to stop?
Or am I letting it build something in me?

Because when we handle pressure with presence and purpose — it becomes the forge.
And that’s where the strongest dogs, stockmen, and people are made.

💭 What’s one way you’ve learned to see pressure differently — in your work, with your dog, or in your life?
Drop it below. Let’s learn from each other.

07/04/2025

Tuning Into the Right Frequency

Stockwork isn’t just about commands, whistles, and obedience.

It’s about frequency.

Every animal — dog, sheep, cattle, handler — is broadcasting a vibration, an energy, a tone. And when animals become dysregulated, their frequency changes:

🐑 A panicked sheep hums at a frantic, scattered pitch.
🐕 A dog in high prey drive vibrates sharp and fast.
🙋🏼‍♀️ A nervous handler crackles with tension.

The best handlers don’t force their animals back into line.

Instead, they tune in, find where the animal is, and adjust their own presence to meet them where they are — then invite them back to calm, thinking space.

Because it’s not up to us what frequency our stock or dogs are on.

It’s up to us to listen, to adjust, and to choose the tone, the breath, and the intention that can gather them back into balance.

The most beautiful work happens when the dog, the stock, and the handler all hum along on the same quiet, powerful channel.

✨ This is where stockwork transcends obedience.
✨ This is where stockwork becomes art.

06/30/2025

🚨 A Few Spots Left! 🚨
Intro to K9 Stockmanship – July Herding Class
📍 Nordika Stockdogs | Kelowna, BC

Ready to step into the world of stockmanship and herding?
Our Intro to K9 Stockmanship Herding Class is the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to understand the foundational skills behind this incredible partnership between dog, stock, and handler.

This isn’t just a “dog class”—it’s an entry into a skill of mastery.
You’ll learn:
✅ How to read your dog
✅ Understanding pressure and release
✅ Livestock response and safe handling
✅ Building confidence for both dog and handler

🐑 No experience needed
🐕 All breeds welcome
🧠 We meet you where you’re at

📅 Fridays at 7 PM & Saturdays at 9 AM (choose your session)
📍 Limited spots remaining for July!

📩 Message us withh any questions. Registeration on our website: www.nordikastockdogs.com

Come experience the beginning of something ancient, purposeful, and deeply fulfilling.

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06/13/2025

⚠️ WARNING: Controversial Topic Ahead ⚠️
Read at your own risk. Side effects may include: self-reflection, defensive huffing, or—dare I say it—growth.

This post is born out of watching far too many people perched on molehills, shouting from their respective camps.
Border Collie die-hards versus the anti-Border Collie brigade.
Working dog purists versus sport crossover skeptics.
“Hard dog” people who assume you’re unworthy if your pup’s not biddable by 4 months.
People who pick apart other breeds, styles, or disciplines while conveniently ignoring the three fingers pointing back at them.

Here’s a thought:
What if we all spent a little less time pointing fingers outward, and a lot more time working inward—on ourselves, our mindset, and our commitment to our dogs?

Because the way I see it, this whole “instinct and genetics” debate?
It’s often a convenient excuse.
A cushy little scapegoat we throw blame at when the training gets hard.
Spoiler alert: hard dogs make good trainers. And hard seasons make deep humans.

Life, like training, is made up of peaks and valleys. And it’s in the valleys that we dig roots—where we grow soul and substance. The same goes for the dogs we train. The ones that don’t come easy are often the ones that build us into the kind of people who can handle anything.

And look—I’m not discounting the importance of instinct.
Of course working instinct matters. Ranchers don’t have time to coax out potential over years. They need a dog that turns on young and turns out quick. They need above-average instinct (quotation marks very much intended). They don’t have the luxury of training every slow burner or off-type pup. Totally fair.

But that’s a matter of priority, not possibility.
Just because someone else doesn’t have time to develop that dog, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

I’ve watched “non-working” breeds show up with their dedicated owners and completely shatter expectations. Dogs with zero herding pedigree, zero natural instinct, but a hell of a lot of try. And more importantly—a human who decided not to quit when the going got weird.

And let’s be honest about something else while we’re here:
You better be creative and mercurial if you want to be a good trainer.
It takes flexibility, adaptability, curiosity. You have to get weird with it sometimes. Cookie-cutter won’t cut it—especially with dogs that don’t read the damn manual.

So if you’re gonna commit to a dog—actually commit.
Be honest about why you chose that dog. Was it the color? The look? The vibe?
Cool. You’re allowed to be human. If it makes you happy, great. But don’t turn around and blame the dog when the training gets hard. That’s not on the dog—that’s on us.

And while we’re being honest—can we talk about joy for a second?

We are allowed to like what we like.
Some people want a fire-breathing dragon dog that can eat up a field. Others want a soulful partner that checks in every 30 seconds. Some folks love a rugged Aussie with a jaw like a clamp, others melt over a dainty sport-bred Border Collie with drive for days.

And guess what? None of those preferences are wrong.
It doesn’t make one dog better or worse—it just means that kind of dog brings that kind of person joy. And joy matters. The dog that lights you up is the dog that you’ll show up for.

It is such a human thing to want to define ourselves by what we love—and then throw shade at everything that doesn’t fit our label. But dogs don’t need your labels. And honestly? Neither do we.

Let’s stop judging each other’s choices. Let’s stop sneering at people who run different breeds, use different methods, or enjoy different styles.
Let’s celebrate diversity instead of defining ourselves by division.

Because here’s the deeper truth no one wants to admit:

Dogs are not broken—they’re just trying to survive in a human world that doesn’t always make sense.
It’s our job to help them navigate it.

And you know what?
This parallels beautifully with people.

It would be easy to categorize humans as “from bad stock.” To slap on labels like aggressive, anxious, reactive. But I’ve watched humans rise from hellish places—homes with addiction, cycles of trauma, legacies of violence—and become the kindest, most powerful, self-aware individuals I’ve ever met. Not because of their “genetics,” but because someone believed in them. Someone saw their worth and walked the road with them.

Your dog deserves the same shot.

So let’s stop fixating on the breeding chart as the holy grail.
Let’s stop assuming that only certain people can raise certain dogs.
Let’s stop judging someone’s training capacity based solely on our own bias or limitations.

Instead, let’s get better. Let’s train smarter, live fuller, and stay humble enough to admit that sometimes we’re the ones holding the dog back—not the other way around.

Instinct matters.
Genetics matter.
But they are not the whole damn story.

The rest? That’s on you.

As for the the dog in the picture… here’s the dog that “made” me. The one that had me scratching my head and showing up even when it got tough. Blew the lid off of what I believe was possible and became one of my greatest teachers and best friend.

In Loving memory of: Kallie aka. Killer

06/10/2025

The louder you get, the less your pressure means.

In stockwork — and life — there’s this funny thing that happens when we get loud. We start barking commands. Raising voices. Flailing arms. Trying to force clarity. But here’s the truth: the more noise you make, the more your energetic presence disappears.

Pressure isn’t about volume.
It’s about intention.
Energy. Focus. Grounded clarity.

Dogs — and livestock — are tuned into feel.
They read your posture, timing, and breath way before your words.
So when you start shouting, you’re actually revealing one thing: you’ve lost the conversation.

The best handlers?
They can whisper and get a whole field moving.
Not because they’re dominant — but because they’re clear.

So next time you catch yourself raising your voice or over-gesturing, ask:
“Am I leading… or am I reacting?”

Refine your pressure. Soften your body.
And let your presence speak louder than your mouth ever could.

05/21/2025

Due to popular demand, we will also have a second two day clinic June 3th and 4th here in Kelowna BC! We currently have two spots left in this one as well as one spot left in the beginner intro clinic on May 31 June 1.

We would also like to invite anybody who would like to attend for auditing to sign up. Auditors and participants both clinic are welcome to attend our Saturday evening potluck event at Nordika Farm in Kelowna BC. Looking forward to all the learning.

05/05/2025

A couple more photos to share of our March training… April’s training is stepping up the practise, as we are expecting our 2025 lambs mid May… just around the corner..

They do say practise makes perfect… I’m just hoping practise builds a great team that can herd out little flock safely to pastures and barn 😊

So grateful to Marilyn at Noridka Stockdogs to the support and the access to sheep these past few months, so very grateful that our paths have crossed and we’ve had such support while we learn our new skill.

03/26/2025

Energetic Leadership: The Calm Center in a Chaotic World

In stockdog training—and honestly, in life—we often think our job is to teach the “what.”
What to do. What to avoid. What to change.

But the deeper responsibility, the one that actually shapes long-term behavior and connection, is teaching how to feel.

Our dogs aren’t just learning commands—they’re learning how to experience the world through us. And if we are constantly tense, distracted, rushed, or emotionally volatile, they internalize that, too.

We ask them to remain grounded in a world that isn’t.
We ask them to listen while surrounded by overstimulation.
We ask them to be calm when nothing about the space feels calm.

And then we’re surprised when they dysregulate, react, or lose connection.

This is why energetic leadership matters.

To be the calm center of our dog’s world means we have to become aware of our own presence. When we ask for stillness—we must become still. When we want connection—we must be present. And when we expect our dogs to feel safe, we must carry safety in our body language, tone, and timing.

It’s no different in our human relationships.
People crave leaders, friends, and partners who can regulate themselves. Who can remain anchored in the chaos. Who offer safety not by controlling the environment, but by holding their own energy steady within it.

Dogs thrive under that same kind of leadership. Not dominance. Not constant instruction. But calm, clear presence.

So yes, your dog needs to know what to do.
But more than that, they need to learn how to feel about doing it.

And that starts with you.

03/17/2025

Expanding Your Dog’s World Through Canine Relational Theory & Stock Work

Every dog deserves a life that isn’t confined by uncertainty or reactivity—one where they can move confidently through the world, rather than being managed within it. Through Canine Relational Theory and stock work, we can unlock a dog’s full potential, whether as a training tool or as part of a greater journey in canine stockmanship.

At its core, Canine Relational Theory helps us understand how our dogs perceive space, pressure, and relationships—how they process the world around them. Without this understanding, many dogs struggle with spatial clarity, leading to reactivity, avoidance, or even shutdown behaviors. When we fail to meet their fundamental needs, their world shrinks. But when we give them the tools to understand their environment, we expand their confidence and capabilities. (Not unlike how us humans; our world also shrinks or expands, depending on the tools and perspective we are given)

Stock work is one of the most powerful ways to do this. It provides a structured way to refine communication, build trust, and develop clarity in both the dog and the handler, while slowly expanding your dogs, ability to exist in high pressure and stimulating environment. The work itself is more than just instinct—it’s a conversation between dog, handler, and stock. It teaches dogs to navigate pressure with purpose, find balance in movement, and work in harmony with their handler. The same principles that make a dog effective on stock—spatial awareness, responsiveness, confidence—also make them more adaptable and secure in everyday life.

This is why canine stockmanship is more than just a sport or a training method—it’s a community. A place where people come together to build stronger relationships with their dogs, learn valuable skills, and develop a deeper understanding of how their dogs think, feel, and respond to the world.

Whether you’re looking for a training tool to help expand your dog’s world or want to be part of a growing movement that celebrates stockdog instinct, teamwork, and connection, there’s a place for you here.

Let’s give our dogs more than just obedience—let’s give them clarity, purpose, and a life full of possibilities.

03/01/2025

03/01/2025

In a world full of unpredictability, our dogs don’t just need training—they need a consistent compass point to navigate the chaos. It’s not just about structured environments; it’s about being the steady presence they can rely on. Before exposing them to high-pressure situations, we must first establish ourselves as their source of stability. Want to learn how to help your dog process the human world with confidence? Read my latest blog post.

📖 Read here: https://www.nordikastockdogs.com/post/the-weight-of-responsibility-helping-our-dogs-navigate-the-world-around-them

02/22/2025

✨ Exciting Announcement! ✨

We are thrilled to collaborate with Blue Dot Ranch, Brooke Rempel, and Quadriga Fundamentals for a truly unique workshop experience in August 2025!

This workshop is all about building a deeper relationship with your dog through purpose-driven work, while honoring the land and the livestock we work with. Open to all breeds, this experience welcomes both those with and without horses.

Set against a breathtaking backdrop, this will be an unforgettable opportunity to connect, learn, and grow alongside like-minded handlers and stockmen.

Stay tuned for more details—you won’t want to miss this!



Let me know if you’d like any tweaks!

Come out and try something fun and new!

This workshop is an introductory experience where you’ll have opportunity to learn
about stockmanship, how to safely and respectfully introduce your dog to working with livestock, and how to prepare your horse for this experience. There are no
prerequisites required for this workshop and you don’t have to have a herding dog or a horse to come. We will welcome ALL dogs along with auditors for those that just want to watch and learn. Blue Dot Ranch will supply sheep, and ducks, therefore can easily accommodate all sizes and breeds of dogs including toy breeds.

Blue Dot Ranch is a regenerative permaculture based farm that produces the highest
quality farm to table meat. This means that we are vigilant about minimizing handling
stress for the livestock, This ensures that the animals maintain their weight and produce minimal excess, stress derived cortisol. Blue Dot Ranch strives to ensure the best possible life for their livestock which is an integral part of producing premium, nutrient dense products for their valued customers, along with being the best possible stewards of the land and the animals that reside on it.

As we will be working with dogs, preparing them for the experience, the majority of the initial foundation work will be done on a leash. This means that even if you have
struggles with your dog, you will be guided through them by a seasoned professional. We will be teaching you the basic commands needed to work stock. It’s remarkable how things change when we work our dogs with a purpose, and it will be a fun, bonding event for you and your companion.

The horse component will be limited to a small group and is tailored to the individual
horses’ needs. The majority of the work will be in getting each horse comfortable with the livestock. We will also be learning about pressure and how to safely work with our horses to move stock, open gates and perform other basic tasks associated with stock handling. This can be done both from the ground, if you have a young horse, or ridden depending on your comfort level.
We hope to see you there!

Contact [email protected] for more info and to sign up!