help with collie when herding......

B

beanie_boo

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 July 2009
Messages
150
Visit site
my boyfriend has a collie that hes been teaching to work with his sheep. shes not been easy to train as shes not good with other dogs so he hasnt been able to put her in with an experienced collie.

Basically, when he sends her away, she cuts in to close and quickly to them, scattering them and tends to physically push them away. however when he sends her he other way (come by) she goes nice and wide and steady. she also charges at them when shes supposed to be holding them.

he's at a loss as to what to do so any help would be good :D
 
Where a bouts are you? How old is the dog. Don't send her too far have a good stop on her and stop her and redirect her.walk yourself to the sheep so when sent you are closer to her to shush her out, have a rolled up bag in hand to flap at her, if you hae enough hurdles could you make a round pen to put sheep in so she cant spread them any other problems let me know
 
he lives near ipswich?
he was working her today, it was only 2 older lambs in a small field, not even a field really but she just goes for them. the sheep were rigt behind him hidg for most of it.

the other day though, he had her working a group in andout of a gate and she wasnt to bad. just have to really get after her and it gets frustrating for him. do you think teaching her a strong leave command would help because she doesnt pay much attention
 
Really want a bunch of sheep ten or a few more, if bites a cage muzzle for she eps sake must get a good stop then correct and try again.
 
As said a group of at least six but no more than twelve is easier to train with.

I have an enclosed area where I have the sheep and a bamboo cane with a feed sack tied to the end of it and I wave that at the dog to keep it out.

She need to learn a good obedient 'lie down' which can mean either a down or a stop.

You do not say how old she is. Enthusiasm is bound to be to the fore when they first start working, corrections need to be fast firm and fair.
 
shes nearly i think so stil very young and enthusiastic :)

we had her in a bigger field without about 10 ewe with lambs and she wasnt to bad, but she just suddenly seems to lose it and starts running and sending them everywhere.

with along line would it not get in the way when shes turning and looping behind the sheep? i'll give the plastic bag a go as well :)
 
nope - use a really light weight line. Ive been to training with a couple of top trials champs and they both started dogs out that way. Last lesson I went to there were people over from Sweden training before me with dogs who are well on and still on a long line. Not sure who is down your way, but your friend could get further north id highly recommend a session with Derek Scrimgeour in the lakes, Bobby Dalziel or Julie Hill/Bobby Henderson in the Borders. There are bound to be folks down your way though, have a look on the ISDS website.
 
so would you use the line to correct the dog when they get to close? ive got one somewhere, will dig it out :) i'll get in contact with a few you mentioned as well but we're back at college next week so wont be able to go far. thanks foryour help :)
 
Farmers guardian has a sheepdog trials column which has names and where they are from besides them to get ideas of folk, prehaps Sarah Jenkins or ray Edwards, use to trial but don't now do demos as they pay for horse.
 
beanie_boo said:
so would you use the line to correct the dog when they get to close? ive got one somewhere, will dig it out :) i'll get in contact with a few you mentioned as well but we're back at college next week so wont be able to go far. thanks foryour help :)
Click to expand...

id make sure you have a solid stop command first, eg down, and if that is then ignored you are able to do something about it when they are on a line. Defo recommend going for a lesson or 2, Ive just play at it lol
 
ok, i'll have a go with her when im next their and let boyfriend no about it...just gotta dig the line out now :P thanks for all your advice :)
 
beanie_boo said:
......Basically, when he sends her away, she cuts in to close and quickly to them, scattering them and tends to physically push them away. however when he sends her he other way (come by) she goes nice and wide and steady.......:D
Click to expand...

For me, training sheepdogs starts with the STOP. It's the only way to correct a young dog which needs a change of direction. Many dogs are one sided, as in they have a preferred side, and the only way to correct that is to concentrate on the side which they don't seem to like.

I never use a line, or a muzzle, because I find that when the "aid" is removed, the dog all so often reverts back to it's previous behaviour. To get a dog to move away from sheep on her outrun, I would place obstacles in her way. Sheep hurdles, a bale or two of straw, a car, a tree or two, if you have them, anything which the dog HAS to go around. You could even try traffic cones!!

Near to you is a man called Rob Maclean. He's first class, and knows his stuff.

Alec.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top