BEGINNER - INTERMEDIATE - ADVANCED - ONLINE TRAINING
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No fewer than SEVENTY, clearly explained, easy to follow, sheep and cattle dog training videos, for novice sheepdog trainers, farmers, and shepherds.
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With either plan you can watch the videos as many times as you like while your membership is valid. We regularly add new tutorials too! Here's a list of the topics we've covered so far.
I have purchased a Austrailand Collie puppy. I have 50 sheep. I have 2 great prynees that watch them during the day. i had got the puppy to teach to move sheep. Which cd’s do I need to get to teach my beginner dog? I see the membership but I am still a little confused on which videos to start with for his /and my training. I have never been trained to work w/a sheep dog. I move my sheep down the street using a dog leash. I need help figuring out which is the best method to use. The membership yearly or buying certain cd’s if you could guide me. My pup is 4 months old now. I want to get him moving and do it the right way if you could please give me guidance on how or what i Need at this point being a beginner. Thank you.
I am in the u.s
Thanks for your message, and for your interest in the tutorials.
At the moment, all of the tutorials available online are also available on the four collected volumes of DVDs. If your broadband can run the tutorial preview then you’ll be able to watch the tutorials online. There are several tutorials specifically dealing with training a puppy, and as a subscriber to the tutorials you could also leave comments and ask questions if anything isn’t clear, or if you have a particular problem to deal with. I’d particularly recommend you watch What Shall I Do Next? – which describes our program of training (what to teach, and the order to teach it) and Top Tips for Easier Training – which gives you an overview of what’s in the tutorials. Top Tips is also available free of charge to anyone who registers for a subscriber account.
If you prefer, or need, to watch the tutorials on DVD then they can be purchased here. Other DVDs that might be helpful to you, as a beginner to sheepdog training, are First Steps in Border Collie Sheepdog Training and Starting your Border Collie on Cattle, Sheep or Ducks.
I hope that’s of some help.
Hi Andy! I have been using your training methods quite successfully, considering I was a total novice, to train my border collie. Thankyou for such valuable help and advice, it’s a wonderful hobby. I was recently given another young dog, “Angas” – border collie x Australian kelpie and both parents are working dogs. My question is how soon should I begin training him with sheep? (He’s now 6 months old) I’m trying to concentrate on basic discipline at present. All good until he chooses not to comply!! I have recently bought 20 hurdles 2.1 metres long so should have the makings of a decent enough yard. I ‘m afraid of him getting too excited and out of control initially.
By the way…..we live in South Australia. Regards. Paula Cousins.
It’s great to know you find the tutorials useful Paula, thanks for the feedback.
You don’t actually say how long you’ve had Angas. If it’s only a few days, bear in mind that it takes time for the dog to properly ‘bond’ with you.
If you watch the “Starting a Young Puppy” tutorials, you’ll see that we like to start youngsters off as early as possible, but it’s important that the sheep don’t frighten or harm the dog because this can affect its confidence.
If you can trust the sheep though, the sooner you get going, the easier it will be to gain control of him.
I recommend you watch the Starting a Young Puppy tutorials even though Angas is six months old. Then, I suggest you watch “Starting a Strong Dog” in case he’s very excited when he encounters sheep. Ultimately, if he’s REALLY aggressive, watch the three “Training Max – the Gripper” tutorials.
Please try to keep in mind that if you’re really anxious at the time you take Angas to sheep, he’ll sense that, and it will add to his anxiety too!
It’s easier said than done, but try to be “Calm but Firm” (another important one to watch).
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Thankyou! Will watch all of the above. I have had Angas for about 6 weeks and am very happy with his temperament so far. Being half border and half Kelpie could be interesting!! I’ll let you know as I am sure to have many more questions as time progresses. Paula.
This is the first time we have expose our ewes to a neighbors ram. We only have a small flock of 7 ewes. We brought in the ram in February and plan on taking the ram home this weekend. My question is if it is ok to still work my dogs on the exposed ewes. I wasn’t sure if this would cause harm to the unborn lambs. I have 4 Border Collies and I should have asked this question before I exposed all of my ewes.
It’s not a good idea to train dogs on pregnant ewes.
I suggest you obtain three or four ewe lambs to train your dog on, and let the ladies have some peace and quiet!
Hi Andy
Which tutorial would you advise for me?
I’ve just about got my dog penning ,
When I tell him to come bye or away at the crucial moment he does the comand, but to straight rather than bending out to give them more room & not spook the sheep.
I am quite hard on him to push him out if I see him coming in to tight .
But he’s liable to turn a circle on himself before he goes out.(which I don’t like)
Hope this makes some sence
Cheers
Mike
Ha! Tell me about it!
This happens with nearly every dog, so don’t worry, it’ll come right, but you’re probably pushing the dog a bit too hard. I have a very promising youngster (Dulcie) who’s doing exactly the same thing at the moment, so I’m trying to take the pressure off her.
The dog needs more practice in situations which are not so tight.
Get the dog to put the sheep into a corner (loosely) and then flank him PART of the way round them. It’s easier said than done, but if it fails, it’s because the sheep are too tight in the corner for the dog’s current confidence level. Find a level of tightness that the dog can cope with, and then very gradually tighten it, making sure the dog will obey your flank commands and stop at any point.
It’s comparatively easy for the dog to go into a corner and bring the sheep out, but quite another matter to stop behind them. If it won’t, use the dog to get the sheep out of the corner, and then put them in more loosely. Only increase the tightness as the dog gets more confident.
We don’t have a specific tutorial for this Mike, but perhaps we should have. Thanks for raising the topic!
Try not to be hard on the dog at a time when its confidence is lacking, you should be firm, but encouraging. Frightening the dog out won’t build its confidence, but successfully practising in a lower-pressure situation, and finding out there’s nothing to be afraid of, will.
Lastly, spinning round is a classic sign of a lack of confidence and should stop as the dog’s confidence improves.
Hi Andy
Brilliant I’ll give that a go
Thanks
Mike