Category: MAKING PROGRESS
How to slow a sheepdog down
How to slow a sheepdog down. Ways to calm your trainee herding dog, and make it work more steadily. Slow that sheepdog down! How to slow a sheepdog down and get it to work more steadily is a frequent sheep dog training question. There’s no “quick fix” for getting a keen dog to work at…
Back to forwards
Improve control of your working sheepdog once you and the dog have mastered “Backwards is the Way Forward”. A matter of trust Walking backwards, with the dog steadily bringing the sheep up to you at the pace you choose to move back at, is one of the best exercises we know. It’s a particularly useful…
Why your dog should flank both ways
We explain why your sheepdog must go both ways round sheep. Make sure the dog will run around stock in both directions. Left or right-handed Most humans are left or right-handed. Similarly the majority of herding dogs favour working in one direction over another. Flanking one way is simply a habit. Dogs can be trained…
Sometimes nice is not enough
Does your dog need more confidence when working difficult sheep or other livestock? Needing a bit more grrrr! It’s all very well training your dog to keep back from the sheep and not upset them, but what can you do if the sheep refuse to go where the dog’s trying to put them? For the…
Tess in the open field
Teaching a young dog outruns and flanks in the open field for the first time Teaching a young dog outruns and flanks As well as learning specific sheepdog training topics, we like to show you complete training sessions. This helps keep the topics in context and gives the viewer a better understanding of the dog’s…
Sending the dog the wrong way!
No, it’s not a mistake! Sending the dog the wrong way will improve its flanks. Make flanking fun for the dog One of the best ways to get a dog to give the sheep space when it’s flanking (or casting) is to use a technique we call “sending the dog the wrong way”. Once you…
Educating Gloria! A typical sheepdog training session
Watch a typical sheepdog training session, full of valuable lessons. It also shows the wrong way to take sheep out of the training ring, into the open field! Educating Gloria This tutorial shows nine-month old Gloria, a bright, enthusiastic young dog, and her fourth training session with some well-dogged sheep. As well as showing a…
Backwards is the way forward
Our best sheepdog training exercise, once you have control of your farm dog, and the dog has basic control of the sheep or cattle. Our best sheepdog training exercise It’s boring – and it might appear pointless to the novice, but walking backwards with the dog bringing the sheep up to you, is our best…
Moving out
Moving sheep out of the training ring into the open without losing control of dog, sheep or both, can be a problem A tricky affair! Getting your trainee sheepdog to bring the sheep out of the training ring without crisis can be a tricky affair. The sheep will usually grasp the slightest opportunity to bolt…