Sheepdog training help

[martlin]

Hello all, I wonder if you can help me out a bit... I seem to have, ahem, acquired another dog. Where do I start, a bit of background:
we have a mid sized flock of sheep and a sheepdog to go with it, border collie called Stacie We bought Stacie partly trained at the age of 15 months, she is nearly 5 yo now and I continued her training myself and she is a fully fledged sheepdog now. As our flock is growing, we have decided that another dog to work alongside Stacie would be a grand idea, because as much as my lovely JRT tries, no self respecting ewe takes her seriously
So, I was expecting that we will take the long trip to Buith Wells(Sp?), visit the guy we bought Stacie from and just get another - simple, right? Well, no, apparently not! My OH just went and bought a PUP a lovely huntaway boy.
And that's where my little problem lies. I have had puppies before and trained them as companions, I have a sheepdog I continued training with, but I have never trained a sheepdog from scratch! So... how do I actually start?

I can share a Godfellas Pepperoni and a red bull if you got this far

 

[martlin]

Anybody? Pretty please Surely, somebody has a sheepdog

 

[Spudlet]

Try dropping Alec Swan a PM, I think he has / had sheepdogs and he's in North Norfolk (that's the uncivilised half of course) so he might know a trainer local to you

 

[martlin]

Thanks, Spudlet. The problem is, there aren't any trainers around this way, it's mainly a welsh thing, you see Not many sheepdogs in Lincolnshire
And anyway, I would really want to have a go at it myself, I know how to teach them pretty much everything once they know the run out/pass, just need some direction on how to teach the run out As in, how old do they start and teaching what first.
arghh, why couldn't my darling OH just get another yearling collie? Men for ya.

 

[Dobiegirl]

No real help but I know a great guy in Somerset who teaches all levels and even runs sheepdog trials. If you wanted I could give you his phone number in the hope he may know someone nearer to you.

 

[martlin]

I know a few trainers in Staffordshire, and Shropshire... just nobody around here. I also can't grasp ''come by'' and ''away'', so Stacie does ''left, left'' and ''right, right'' instead not very sheepdoggy, is it? OH says it is like sitting in a police pursuit car, listening to me working her, lol. I think a proper trainer would have a heart attack with me

 

[Dobiegirl]

My friend who is the sheepdog trainer has told me of people who have come to him not knowing a thing and going away on top of the world.

A good trainer will not take the mickey and after all everyone has to start somewhere.

Just a thought have you had a look to see if there is anything in Farmers Weekly? or Farmer & Smallholder adverts.

 

[martlin]

I've searched Farmers Guardian and google for the time being. I'm sure I will find someone, somewhere

 

[mon]

Huntaways will be different to train to collies, that's why I stick to collies, try ISDS website or google huntaways was a small demo of them at last NSA she event at Malvern so contact NSA for their details.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I expect to see you working it like this
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/388776/Joe-Bennett-tracks-his-undies

 

[martlin]

I expect to see you working it like this
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/388776/Joe-Bennett-tracks-his-undies

PMSL! Kitty, trust you to lower the tone

 

[Spudlet]

I think there's one out Norfolk way as someone I met walking once reckoned she was training her collie up.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I'm sorry when in doubt with nothing helpful to say - post funny pics

 

[martlin]

I think there's one out Norfolk way as someone I met walking once reckoned she was training her collie up.

You mean one like in BDC's link? That would scare me to death I live a sheltered life
ETS: I managed to find out that they start their training at 8 months old, so I have 5 months to find a suitable trainer. There is an added complication, though - apparently, it's my OH's dog and HE is going to train and work him (snort!)... Those who know my OH can imagine how funny that would be

 

[Wundahorse]

Hello all, I wonder if you can help me out a bit... I seem to have, ahem, acquired another dog. Where do I start, a bit of background:
we have a mid sized flock of sheep and a sheepdog to go with it, border collie called Stacie We bought Stacie partly trained at the age of 15 months, she is nearly 5 yo now and I continued her training myself and she is a fully fledged sheepdog now. As our flock is growing, we have decided that another dog to work alongside Stacie would be a grand idea, because as much as my lovely JRT tries, no self respecting ewe takes her seriously
So, I was expecting that we will take the long trip to Buith Wells(Sp?), visit the guy we bought Stacie from and just get another - simple, right? Well, no, apparently not! My OH just went and bought a PUP a lovely huntaway boy.
And that's where my little problem lies. I have had puppies before and trained them as companions, I have a sheepdog I continued training with, but I have never trained a sheepdog from scratch! So... how do I actually start?

I can share a Godfellas Pepperoni and a red bull if you got this far

If you want a good laugh please read my new thread titled "poor excuse for a collie".Perhaps you can give me some tips.