superminty

lol! Minty had an attack of the sillies, first run I walked out half way through, judge had to point out that he had actually set a course as we just made up our own Next few runs were better but still no pass, did some nice work in agility though so was very happy and had heaps of fun entertaining the crowd Ah well, donation to the club. Plus I won a wine hamper in the raffle, yahoo Back to the topic - I have stick in the ground poles that I just cart with me everywhere. Taught it originally in the park. No barriers. Or do you just mean barriers in the way your yard is set up? I confused I've never practiced weaving at home, always in a park somewhere.

Just curious, why not channel weaves? While I still have some proofing to go re: entries, I found that as long as I worked on getting up to full speed at each step before tightening the channel, I got speed and accuracy. I also don't like to use a V - seemed to create more confusion than it was worth, my dog really struggled with getting them from a V to straight but had no problems with having them upright from the start and just bringing them in closer. To proof entries I use three poles and offset the first one when starting difficult entries.

I'm interested! I've got a dog trialling in open that I'd like to sharpen up a bit and the pup needs all the work he can get, lol! Weekends are better than weeknights but I can adapt.

Workshops run from 9am until 4:30pm

You'll need to contact Four Paws to confirm but I believe exceptions will be made for those that have done a clinic with Dave previously. Classes will be suitable for beginners to advanced and I'm sure I can get Dave to set something up for us ANKC herders to practice on If you don't know don't worry but...Do you have to pay for these or be a member of the club? Thankyou! kelpie-i: correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the Sunday arvos will be pay as you go - there is a package available which includes a clinic and lessons - but bookings are essential for clinics AND all classes as numbers will be limited. Again, for any enquiries contact Four Paws.

Hi there. Posted with permission of herding_guy. Herding workshops are up and running in Diggers Rest. The first workshops are scheduled for the 31st March and 7th April. Booking are essential and places are filling fast, so be quick! For all information, booking forms and enquiries please contact: http://www.fourpawsk9training.com.au/ (under training services) Hope to see some of you lot there! Cheers, Hannah

Congrats jesomil!! Can't wait til my boy grows a brain and we can get into trialling as well. My arms are still sore... I really enjoyed the day - even though I was disappointed with his work early on, Cash came away brimming with confidence after the arvo stuff, particularly that work in the tiny yard - being such a big boy I though he'd struggle but he handles himself better the less room there is! Yard type perhaps? Loved seeing Cooper, the first sheep-backing Aussie! I'm gonna rope someone into taking photos for me next time so look out!

Booked weeks ago, just a little keen here! And he is a BIG baby...25 kgs and counting! Took this photo this arvo - have a look at the tongue!

Thanks jesomil - I might enter my boy in city slickers, he can't possibly do worse than he did at Welshpool. As for how we will know each other, well, I know Sam so I will just stick by her and you'll know me by association I have a red and tan too ;) Not sure if we can associate with Aussies ;) All excited now! Two weekends of herding, yippee!

Any more info on the trial at Warragul? I can't find details anywhere! Cheers

Hi Sam! I'm going with my young 'un, would be great to see Cooper again! Oh, and you too

Ok, here's my attempt at casting using tmc's advice Sorry it's so short but there was a naughty puppy moment that I had to edit out... Now I just need to work on pushing him out more. I have been shown the "poly pipe toss" but don't have much confidence in my throwing ability or my timing - comes with experience I guess. By the way, what's a honky nut?

tmc: Cool, thanks for that advice. I am a complete novice so need all the help I can get So I should leave him in a drop and walk a bit in front of him then release him? Straight in front or to one side? I'll try it out this arvo and get some footage so we can see how I went ;) He is a natural header so I try to set him up so that he will go to the head - I can usually tell which way he is going to go by watching where he is focusing - so let's say he is going to cast to the right, should I be standing out in front and to the left of him before I release him? Or just be in front and let him choose the direction? Argh, so many questions!

I was at Welshpool, saw your guy in Encouragement and City Slickers - I was with Dave (of Scout fame) but was too shy to say the words "Are you from DOL?" :D . We haven't done much on his cast yet but he does tend to go in quite straight and then arc around - the sheep he is working are well-dogged and so he gets away with it but I don't think he will have much success with that method with flightier sheep. I'm more interested in getting a cast like your boy - more pear shaped - looks lovely and doesn't hurry the sheep. How does he keep control of just two? I find my boy is much more relaxed and switched on out in the paddock as he has more to do - the round yard bored him and he resorted to creating his own fun - not good! So got him out of there quick smart. However we will be back in there to sharpen up commands (when I get around to putting any on him, that is) and I wouldn't have liked to put him out in a paddock before his stop was reliable - chasing a kelpie around a paddock is not my idea of fun!

No round yard footage I'm afraid but here's Cash just recently - one of the first times out in a paddock with this many sheep. He's 10.5 months. jesomil: just booked into the training day on the 10th of March. I promise I will be brave and say hi!

Thanks! :nahnah: He's coming along nicely but still acts like a goofy puppy at times.

Cash working today - he's 10.5 months

I dabble in herding. My dogs will never work on a farm. Therefore I go herding "for fun". My dogs certainly have fun. And they are quite serious. The two aren't mutually exclusive. CTD: Herding guy is off-line for the most part at the moment. PM me if you want his details.

I voted already - postal I'm sure there will be facilites in Welshpool or thereabouts - they have to vote as well after all.

We'll be there! I'm doing an agility demo Sat morning and will probably enter city slickers and the puppy events.

The presumption is that you would already have reasonable access to appropriate facilities - otherwise why get a working bred dog with the intention of working it? If I didn't have access to sheep on a regular basis, I wouldn't be able to consider trialling my boy - he is going to be my agility dog anyway, all going well. He still may not be trialling material - but I may decide to pursue it further in the future. I am in suburbia but am lucky to have sheep 20 mins away - I also travel 45 mins once a week to train on different sheep with a wonderful trainer - I am pretty lazy so if there weren't sheep near by, I probably wouldn't be training my dog to work. Commonsense really.

All depends on which way the wind is blowing, eh? Cash definately takes after Tuppy in the looks department. Those cheekbones! (or whatever they're called in dogs!) Sorry guys, seem to have high-jacked this thread! :rolleyes:

Just for comparison, a recent pic of Cash (from my phone, terrible quality)

That's what happened to me! I was warned that herding was addictive and it has certainly turned out that way. I am eternally grateful for the "sport" of herding for introducing me to the wonderful kelpie - one of which I now own - a breed that suits all my purposes. Increased interest in "herding" brings new blood into the sport - bringing both positives and negatives, as is unavoidable but also IMO necessary for the continued survival of a little known sport. As Mooper's plan suggests - get them in, get them interested, hopefully they will, like me, go out and get themselves a good dog, one that is capable of adding to the integrity and success of the "sport" - then the standards will improve. As mjk05 mentioned, there seems to be a lot of confusion (within my limited expereince of ANKC herding) as to what instinct is - instinct tests don't prove a dog has instinct and ANKC titles don't prove the dog has working ability - I know, my older dog has very little natural ability (read "instinct"), but she has her PT and we are going to try for her HSA. I see herding titles as training achievements, not a test of instinct and working ability. There is, however, room within ANKC herding for education - it is also an accessible starting point for those of us in suburbia who want to "give it a go" and then decide to get a good dog and take it further. I for one can't wait to venture into the world of yard dog trials etc. and get my dog working to the best of his abilities. Nothing better than seeing a dog doing what he was bred for. :rolleyes:

Agree with all the above, however we're just talking about defining instinct here - there's no denying that further training is required. Instinct defined in a dictionary is "innate impulse, natural inclination, an inborn pattern of behaviour..." The first time you put a dog on sheep, what are you looking for? What do you see as an indication that the dog will work or that a dog has talent? Instinct can only take you so far, yes, but it gives us as handlers something to work with. Shall we compare Minty's first time on sheep to that of Cash's? Have to say Cash has "instinct" as I define it, Miss Minty, delightful as she is, doesn't. Instinct is what the dog does without thinking, just because it feels right - whether he is right or not all depends on our interpretation - the time to control and guide comes later, with training. You can teach a dog to do almost anything, but everything runs smoother (although not necessarily easier) if you are working with the dog's natural capabilities. These capabilities are what I call "instinct". ETA: some more stuff ;) I'm supposed to be studying!