Today was a wonderful day. I got to work with some good students and saw some great progression. I worked a wonderful Aussie that read his stock well and did some great balance work. The Aussie was about one year old. No bounce and no bark, but good work. I was very pleased to see that.
Later in the day, Tony (Faye) and Kathleen (Emma, Gael) came over and we worked on trial runs. We sorted some ewes and lambs at Nayab's field and ran the course. One ewe would turn on the dog if they got to close and that helped both the dog and handler learn to read the stock far better. Then I had Tony and Kathleen run a Ranch course and they both did awesome. I was hard pressed to knock off 7 points on their runs.
Kathleen and I went out to lunch and had Chinese food. She just got a farm and that is her dream come true. Her dogs hit the Mother Lode with her! She came back and worked Gael in the round pen and Gael is going to a top notch dog. She had a great feel for the sheep, sensible and lots of power. Brave also!!
After everyone left, I worked Taff. I put him on the ewes and lambs. That was his first time and he forgot a couple of lambs but I reminded him and he went back and got them. I worked him using his whistles and he would try to go where he thought that I wanted him so I made him really listen and go where the whistle told him. I also worked on him casting out wider as he flanked, His outrun was quite nice. He did grip once on the drive and got a correction as it was unwarranted. He did quite a few outruns and did spot on with them.
This is our backlawn. There is about 30 lambs and 20 ewes, more or less. A couple of the ewes will smash a dog down if they think the dog is too close. Taff did well with them.
The sheep spread out and he worked to bunch them together. After a bit, he got the idea.
Slowing down and doing the job at hand.
Doing a big flank on the hill. The hill can suck a dog down closer to the sheep but he did well.
The sheep are in the woods and I sent him on a blind outrun. He got them all.
'Bunched up and bringing them to me.
Tucking in the laggers. He did well and it was a good workout.
Ok, all done now and time for a soak in the pond.
Playtime!!
Taff swims and will bring the stick back. He got cooled down quickly and we had fun. Taff has settled in quite nicely and is my dog. He could care less what anyone else tells him - he doesn't listen to anyone else- but when I ask him something it will be done at warp speed. We just hung out together for a while and enjoyed the afternoon.
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