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Operating as usual
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Haglund (source unknown)
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Haglund (source unknown)
A nice example of starting out on a three point drive. It's true the handler is influencing the cows in this position but needs to be there to make sure the dog doesn't sneak between and get to the head. Every strong heading dog will try 😁. But it really helps teaching this to help the dog to learn to stay behind on the drive.
Sharing training board for yesterday's lesson. Working on three point drive and navigating cattle with dogs.
#Sheepshoutout! Did you know that Sheep have rectangular pupils? This lets them see almost everything around them on the horizon line and keep scanning for predators while they eat, as you see them here keeping our grass down lol. There are over 1000 breeds of sheep, and they are one of the "big 5" of domesticated animals. Here's to the sheep! ... Especially because our dogs would have much less to do without them. 🐑
#Sheepshoutout! Did you know that Sheep have rectangular pupils? This lets them see almost everything around them on the horizon line and keep scanning for predators while they eat, as you see them here keeping our grass down lol. There are over 1000 breeds of sheep, and they are one of the "big 5" of domesticated animals. Here's to the sheep! ... Especially because our dogs would have much less to do without them. 🐑
LOL! Should we get a robot for our Dry Land herding games? We have used remote control vehicles for both puppy training (and goose chasing)! This was priceless. Content warning just for some swear words. ;)
How you got your dog counts as a #ThrowbackThursdayright, right? Did you know that most people involved in herding activities are not farmers or ranchers, but hobbyists and dog enthusiasts? Agility trainers often meet herding dogs at events, and fall in love with their intelligence! They begin training their dog... then more dogs... then they want a sheep for the dogs... and then the sheep need friends... It's like 'if you give a mouse a cookie' but with more livestock!😂 How did you begin your #herdingdogtraining journey? Let us know in the comments!
How you got your dog counts as a #ThrowbackThursdayright, right? Did you know that most people involved in herding activities are not farmers or ranchers, but hobbyists and dog enthusiasts? Agility trainers often meet herding dogs at events, and fall in love with their intelligence! They begin training their dog... then more dogs... then they want a sheep for the dogs... and then the sheep need friends... It's like 'if you give a mouse a cookie' but with more livestock!😂 How did you begin your #herdingdogtraining journey? Let us know in the comments!
You know it's been a hot summer when 26 feels almost cool!🥵 Are you making sure your animals are keeping cool, too? Working dogs can get so caught up in what they're doing that "Go to Water" is a command as common as "Sit" or "Stay" in herding, because sometimes they need to be reminded to stop, cool off and have a drink! (Let's make sure we do the same!🍻)
Here's Bogey chilling out after hearing "Go to Water" during some hot-day herding a few weeks ago!
You know it's been a hot summer when 26 feels almost cool!🥵 Are you making sure your animals are keeping cool, too? Working dogs can get so caught up in what they're doing that "Go to Water" is a command as common as "Sit" or "Stay" in herding, because sometimes they need to be reminded to stop, cool off and have a drink! (Let's make sure we do the same!🍻)
Here's Bogey chilling out after hearing "Go to Water" during some hot-day herding a few weeks ago!
PSA before the long weekend! This pic is funny, but an actual stoned dog is really not. 😑 Please always mind your butts or stash, and don't leave anything where your pup can get it, just like you wouldn't for a child. Our vet let us know this has become more common with legalization, and dogs have been brought in showing signs of illness like vomiting, loss of bladder and bowels, fear, anxiety, and lack of coordination. Your dog didn't decide to chill out with some w**d, and they may be frightened or made sick by what they experience, so always be careful just like you would with alcohol or junk food.
So I thought it might be fun to share our working board for the week. Working pens and discussing pressure as a method of correction and the release of pressure as a "reward".... There is little need for harsh correction in herding if the dog understands consequences... In a positive way, consequences can simply be access to stock or not access to stock. 🤩😊 Love my student conversations ♥️😁
So I thought it might be fun to share our working board for the week. Working pens and discussing pressure as a method of correction and the release of pressure as a "reward".... There is little need for harsh correction in herding if the dog understands consequences... In a positive way, consequences can simply be access to stock or not access to stock. 🤩😊 Love my student conversations ♥️😁
Some small pen work with loads of pressure. How important it is for the dog to take his head off the stock to release pressure in a tight space. Nice work Harry and Alison 🤩🤩👏👏👏
Drive? Work Ethic? Intelligence? A Desire to Please? We want it all 😁🤩😎 Any conversation about Drive must include a discussion on Work Ethics.
Tucker Creeks Thunder Bolt having some fun
Gate games and door/gate manners are incredibly important for any and every dog, not just herding dogs
Some nice gate practice. Calm entry into the trial arena is so important. Impulse control for dogs anticipating a high drive activity such as herding is so valuable. The "gate game" starts as puppies and helps build your relationship and your expectations of your dog. No need for up down games or other distractions. Down is a nice simple request and if you've taught it in a positive way, it should be easy to achieve nice patience at the gate 😁
What is an "Expert"? Wikipedia defines an expert as An expert is somebody who has a broad and deep competence in terms of knowledge, skill and experience through practice and education in a particular field. When searching for defining the difference between Expert and Specialist I found Specialist = wide knowledge + less experience
Expert =extensive knowledge + extensive experience. Today it is hard to decipher the experts from those who have certificates, titles but no real life experience. Those who have real life, practical experience but no titles? Then who do you follow? Well the simple answer is that probably all have something valuable to share. Those with book smarts have value, those who practice have value, and those who win and earn titles have value. Those who have vast years of knowledge and practical experience in a field that doesn't necessarily get any physical recognition by organization or social media have great value as well. Some "experts" have excellent social media presence especially today, and are talented with modern technology using flashy websites, fabulous graphic design, and high end images on their pages. Some use science, some use digital tech to wow you. Websites, Facebook, Instagram, there are some whose technical skills will win grand audiences in weeks while others with also credible vast hands on experience, and knowledge will remain hidden gems in the historical dust. My advice is to weigh them all with the same scale. There is something great to be taken away from almost every teacher clinician, rancher etc that I have had the great pleasure to learn from. I've learned that sometimes big winners can't teach and great teachers can't win! Some can do both and others can only do very specialist aspects - such as one breed only, or, one particular activity. Some never do any activities with any success but have some solid book knowledge you may be able to draw from. I don't have to accept it all, I have learned to temper my WOW with a reasonable respect for credentials, titles, and experience. Be open and ask questions. Don't be afraid to question authority if you have a valid reason to need to understand more. Don't ever let yourself be bullied into keeping your mouth closed because others don't see the titles at the end of your name, or that you think you don't know enough, or you may be asking remedial questions. Great teachers and solid comrades welcome the challenge for exchange. We all keep learning as we go and if you are an expert - keep an open mind, and a healthy well protected ego. Challenges are part of wearing the badge! Happy Herding Learning this week!
What is an "Expert"? Wikipedia defines an expert as An expert is somebody who has a broad and deep competence in terms of knowledge, skill and experience through practice and education in a particular field. When searching for defining the difference between Expert and Specialist I found Specialist = wide knowledge + less experience
Expert =extensive knowledge + extensive experience. Today it is hard to decipher the experts from those who have certificates, titles but no real life experience. Those who have real life, practical experience but no titles? Then who do you follow? Well the simple answer is that probably all have something valuable to share. Those with book smarts have value, those who practice have value, and those who win and earn titles have value. Those who have vast years of knowledge and practical experience in a field that doesn't necessarily get any physical recognition by organization or social media have great value as well. Some "experts" have excellent social media presence especially today, and are talented with modern technology using flashy websites, fabulous graphic design, and high end images on their pages. Some use science, some use digital tech to wow you. Websites, Facebook, Instagram, there are some whose technical skills will win grand audiences in weeks while others with also credible vast hands on experience, and knowledge will remain hidden gems in the historical dust. My advice is to weigh them all with the same scale. There is something great to be taken away from almost every teacher clinician, rancher etc that I have had the great pleasure to learn from. I've learned that sometimes big winners can't teach and great teachers can't win! Some can do both and others can only do very specialist aspects - such as one breed only, or, one particular activity. Some never do any activities with any success but have some solid book knowledge you may be able to draw from. I don't have to accept it all, I have learned to temper my WOW with a reasonable respect for credentials, titles, and experience. Be open and ask questions. Don't be afraid to question authority if you have a valid reason to need to understand more. Don't ever let yourself be bullied into keeping your mouth closed because others don't see the titles at the end of your name, or that you think you don't know enough, or you may be asking remedial questions. Great teachers and solid comrades welcome the challenge for exchange. We all keep learning as we go and if you are an expert - keep an open mind, and a healthy well protected ego. Challenges are part of wearing the badge! Happy Herding Learning this week!
Gate games on our regular walk. We are all a little rusty😅. Special is playing the deaf card... While she's 13 and a half, she really does still know what down is... 😂❤️
Good morning herders! What's on your mind? Is there anything special you'd like to talk about? What do you do to keep your herding dog fit? What are you working on now?
Good morning herders! What's on your mind? Is there anything special you'd like to talk about? What do you do to keep your herding dog fit? What are you working on now?
Noteable is the mention of the high set tail and the style of working is forceful and not the hunting style of the Border Collie. Both are different, both are useful. :-) https://fb.watch/5jHFJ6dCjm/
Noteable is the mention of the high set tail and the style of working is forceful and not the hunting style of the Border Collie. Both are different, both are useful. :-) https://fb.watch/5jHFJ6dCjm/
On the topic of "NO". I was asked to share my comments on our own page about a post cautioning about the the word NO with your dog. This in no way is meant to take away or negate the positive notes in the original article... It made some good sense. .......... I do think whatever word you use, it should have some meaning to a dog. People will use the word NO because they use it in communicating with other humans and it has meaning - which can be in some cases an answer, others use it to create an abrupt STOP in the behaviour of others etc. However, NO as a word can be used as a cue IF the dog has been taught that NO means "I don't like what you are doing, Make a better choice" . It doesn't matter whether you use the word "NO" - or "Leave it" to ask a dog to ignore something, or "Off" when you mean for a dog to stop jumping up and so on. All could be considered an aversive if the dog would prefer to be doing the behaviour you don't really like.
As much as it is important to be prepared to actually ASK your dog to perform an alternative behaviour to the one you don't like, it should not replace a cue that requests a dog to be allowed to make a better choice and behave. From very early on I teach my dogs a "That'll do" which is a request to be in neutral, a happy place where my dog does not need to be focused on other activities around us or agitate other dogs around him.- a longer explanation I can offer. But for this purpose, I think what I am trying to say is that the word NO has negative connotations for people. But whether you use NO, PIZZA or yell words like PEACHES or LOVE in a loud scary voice, the word itself is irrelevant.
No can be a cue although I don’t use it. I prefer to use a different CUE when I want my dog to make a better choice. And this while it may sound negative to some, is not at all negative to my dogs. It is simply solid information them. It is no more negative than saying “leave it”, or “ah ah”, or even less negative than withholding a reward such as a cookie or a toy. I've seen many a dog with a devastated look on their face when a toy is not offered after what the dog felt was a legitimate attempt.
So while I don’t favour the word NO specifically, it can certainly be a CUE to let a dog know I don’t like what they are doing, and to make a better choice. While again - as the author suggested - the dog has been taught some alternative behaviours which are choices I might prefer.
I simply believe that my dog is intelligent enough to understand my verbal cue to make a better choice and that other’s understand it is not a punishment. No more than the actions I listed above which many R+ trainers use. I have great expectations for my dogs to be responsible for their own actions, so that I can offer this CUE from a distance even when my dog is doing something I would prefer they cease. My dog’s reactions are not at all negative, neither do they look disappointed, hurt or punished.
When I train I will not use this in shaping or training a behaviour but I will use it when my dog makes poor choices to race after other dogs, bark incessantly, take off and not return, bite my hands or leash, and other undesirable behaviours that could have serious consequences to my own dog or others. I would not allow my children to be so misguided in life nor do I think my kids or dogs should be left to find out these behaviours have crappy consequences - often worse coming from other dogs, cars etc , than a good well explained "cue" from me.
While I also actively train those alternative behaviours which I love like settle, go to mat, and especially just LIE DOWN (very effective compliment to NEUTRAL) etc. and this is important as the article reads. And yes it is pointless to just keep yelling NO and making the dog feel badly and not having an alternative. It is also so critical that a dog has a cue that tells them “I don’t really like what you are doing, please make a better choice”. The dog deserves some credit for being responsible for their own behaviour. Leashes, fences and me suggesting alternatives only go so far. 🙂 Love your dog, raise your expectations!
On the topic of "NO". I was asked to share my comments on our own page about a post cautioning about the the word NO with your dog. This in no way is meant to take away or negate the positive notes in the original article... It made some good sense. .......... I do think whatever word you use, it should have some meaning to a dog. People will use the word NO because they use it in communicating with other humans and it has meaning - which can be in some cases an answer, others use it to create an abrupt STOP in the behaviour of others etc. However, NO as a word can be used as a cue IF the dog has been taught that NO means "I don't like what you are doing, Make a better choice" . It doesn't matter whether you use the word "NO" - or "Leave it" to ask a dog to ignore something, or "Off" when you mean for a dog to stop jumping up and so on. All could be considered an aversive if the dog would prefer to be doing the behaviour you don't really like.
As much as it is important to be prepared to actually ASK your dog to perform an alternative behaviour to the one you don't like, it should not replace a cue that requests a dog to be allowed to make a better choice and behave. From very early on I teach my dogs a "That'll do" which is a request to be in neutral, a happy place where my dog does not need to be focused on other activities around us or agitate other dogs around him.- a longer explanation I can offer. But for this purpose, I think what I am trying to say is that the word NO has negative connotations for people. But whether you use NO, PIZZA or yell words like PEACHES or LOVE in a loud scary voice, the word itself is irrelevant.
No can be a cue although I don’t use it. I prefer to use a different CUE when I want my dog to make a better choice. And this while it may sound negative to some, is not at all negative to my dogs. It is simply solid information them. It is no more negative than saying “leave it”, or “ah ah”, or even less negative than withholding a reward such as a cookie or a toy. I've seen many a dog with a devastated look on their face when a toy is not offered after what the dog felt was a legitimate attempt.
So while I don’t favour the word NO specifically, it can certainly be a CUE to let a dog know I don’t like what they are doing, and to make a better choice. While again - as the author suggested - the dog has been taught some alternative behaviours which are choices I might prefer.
I simply believe that my dog is intelligent enough to understand my verbal cue to make a better choice and that other’s understand it is not a punishment. No more than the actions I listed above which many R+ trainers use. I have great expectations for my dogs to be responsible for their own actions, so that I can offer this CUE from a distance even when my dog is doing something I would prefer they cease. My dog’s reactions are not at all negative, neither do they look disappointed, hurt or punished.
When I train I will not use this in shaping or training a behaviour but I will use it when my dog makes poor choices to race after other dogs, bark incessantly, take off and not return, bite my hands or leash, and other undesirable behaviours that could have serious consequences to my own dog or others. I would not allow my children to be so misguided in life nor do I think my kids or dogs should be left to find out these behaviours have crappy consequences - often worse coming from other dogs, cars etc , than a good well explained "cue" from me.
While I also actively train those alternative behaviours which I love like settle, go to mat, and especially just LIE DOWN (very effective compliment to NEUTRAL) etc. and this is important as the article reads. And yes it is pointless to just keep yelling NO and making the dog feel badly and not having an alternative. It is also so critical that a dog has a cue that tells them “I don’t really like what you are doing, please make a better choice”. The dog deserves some credit for being responsible for their own behaviour. Leashes, fences and me suggesting alternatives only go so far. 🙂 Love your dog, raise your expectations!
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Many breeds herd and the resources for close working or upright dogs are limited. Here at the Talking Dog we focus on building a strong foundation and helping you better understand the world of herding from the dog’s perspective. Stop by at www.thetalkingdog.ca for useful articles, videos, courses, and other resources to get you started on the right foot.