Articles

Setup for Success Herding Style!
submitted by Claudia Frank

I have been training dogs and competing with them in a wide range of activities for over forty years now. The last eighteen years have included stockdog training. I’ve learned that when a new method or attitude toward training comes along to not poopoo it but take a serious look. I read the books, watch the videos and attend seminars. There are many new ways of training to get the results needed as competition gets tougher and tougher.

For a new person training a stockdog and perhaps new to livestock while also being bombarded with such a wide variety of information on training and trialling will be very confusing. The dog’s instinct driven reactions can add to the confusion. I’d like to make some suggestions that may clear the air and help the new stockdog enthusiast to move forward in training and reach their goals.

1. First you must have a good understanding of dog training. There are lots of thoughts on this subject but the end result should be a strong bond between you and your dog that isn’t dependent on food or other training aids to have your dog working consistently and reliably for you. Two excellent publications are Janet Lewis’s “Smart Trainers, Brilliant Dogs” and Bobbie Anderson’s “Give Your Puppy A Head Start For Competition”. You must be aware of the full progression of training from introduction of a new behavior to the complete reliable performance of that behavior. Your dog must consider you the leader and source of fun as well as discipline and not a littermate.

2. Throughout your daily lives use your obedience and expectation of good manners so the dog’s basic premise toward his responsibility to obey will not drastically change when you go to livestock training. Consistency is very important.

3. Read and watch everything available regarding Border Collies and their stockdog training. Some will be conflicting but get a general idea of the various ways to train.

4. Find a trainer whose methods and results seem to coincide with the way you’d like your dog to handle stock. Keep in mind your own physical abilities to reproduce the type of training moves that the method would need to be successful. You can observe various trainers by auditing seminars, observing lessons given to others and attending trials.

5. Once a decision has been made to follow a particular trainer’s method and progression of learning stick with your decision. Every training method has progressional errors. These are behaviors that most beginning dogs try out and move past with your help. These errors sometime vary with methods. When you have not trained a stockdog before you may blow these episodes of learning out of proportion. But with each new thing learned there has to be training so the dog understands what to DO and what not to do.

6. As you work with your trainer make a note of your progress and in what order you are introduced to the various skills needed. Often skills are introduced as the opportunities present themselves and you cannot always go out with livestock and have them behave as you wish to teach a particular move. But good basic building blocks should be of major importance. When problems arise further up the scale of skills you can return to the building blocks to work through the problems.

7. Make sure you understand the training you are getting. Don’t be afraid of asking questions as to why a certain move is taught or why the dog behaves the way he does. You should be learning to train a stockdog and not just follow given instructions.

8. When setting your herding goals be realistic about the time that you have to put into the training and trial preparation. Do not expect more from your dog than you have reasonable expectations to receive. Stockdog training is very difficult. It requires understanding livestock as well as dog training. It also requires LOTS of practice of skills and USING of the dog to gain experience for both dog and handler. Weekly lessons and daily practice are the ideal.

9. Stick with your chosen trainer and his method until you have finished out a couple of dogs and fully understand the training method from beginning to end. That includes how to correct any problems that may result.

10. If you decide to change methods again observe the new trainer and try to develop an idea of the flow from beginning dog to finished dog. Auditing seminars is very good. By now you have some experience and may need only to touch basis with the new method on an every three week or monthly basis. The key is that you must be aware of providing the dog with the correct building blocks for this new method. You cannot correct problems without the solid building blocks of that method.

11. Don’t just run out and try a new skill just because you read it in a book , went to a seminar or watched a video. Without the correct building blocks you will only confuse yourself and your dog and fail at accomplishing what seemed easy. If you really would like to teach a new skill or correct a problem make sure you lay down a solid foundation to make it possible.

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First Introductions
By Peggy Richter

Young novice dogs are a little different than older novice dogs on stock. I am going to start with what one does with a true puppy and then go into what one might do differently with an older dog. The major difference is that pups do not have the physical or mental development they will have later, and so certain precautions are needed.

To start, you do not need the sheep. Your pup needs to know it's name, to sit, down, come when called and to walk on a lead. You can teach an 8 week old pup these things. I do it using "semi-moist" dog food as the "cookies" (they are very tiny, making them more or less "token", fit easily in one's pocket, are balanced dog food - more or less - and the dogs love it). If you feed your dog other than dry dog food, the cookies may have to be somewhat more enticing. I don't use force in any way to teach a pup, but before they go to stock they do need to have encountered the rule of "when I say so, you must do so". You introduce this after you are certain the pup knows what you are asking it to do.
So far, this is "plain vanilla" obedience, but herding is not just instinct. It is working FOR you, and that requires being able to take directions. Once you have your pup reasonably trained to do as you ask, you can consider taking it to stock.

I'm sure someone will ask if you can do it earlier - yes, IF you have a trained skilled dog that is willing to let the pups follow it and cover for them - usually the mother of the pups. In that case, you may not need this book.

Selecting the stock is important. You want stock that are not going to give your pup any grief - this means nothing that will be too fast for your pup, nothing that will be too hard for your pup to move. Do not err on the side of thinking your pup is superdog. You can always increase the slowness or reluctance to move on the sheep but a bad experience can not be undone. I usually use dogged lambs or my "knee capper" sheep for this - sheep that will group very strongly and won't give any guff to the pup and won't freak if a little wool is pulled - I do prefer a sheep with some wool. You also want a controlled environment. I use a round pen or a small "take pen" about 24 x 26 feet in size. You want to be able to get to any part of the pen in about one or two steps. I usually use 3 to 6 head of sheep.

Going to see the sheep entails walking on a lead, since I believe it's a "whole package". The pup should approximate a heel position and not fight the leash. You want the pup to sit when you stop, and to sit when you open gates (this is important later in trials or working). You want to use a command for the dog to enter, as in the future, you may need to tell a dog to go thru a gate without you. I use the term "walk thru" (this has proven to have some beneficial advantages in agility tunnels). The dog should sit for you to close the gate, even when you enter the pen with the sheep. If the pup doesn't, calmly work on THAT portion of the training and don't worry about the sheep.

If your pup has done well so you can close the pen for the sheep, you can elect to either remove the lead or have a light line for the pup to drag. The purpose of the line is so you can grab the pup if needed, so it entirely depends on your feeling on how easily you will be able to do this - assuming the stock have decided to go nuts after all and your pup is zooming about. For little pups, I generally take the line off, since they can trip over it too easily. For pups 4 months and older I usually leave the line on.
The idea is NOT to have a riot, but to see if your pup has "instinct". The work you want to see is the same as the standard "HIC" tests.

On the sheep: Presuming you have selected the correct stock for your pup, you do not want to have a bunch of racing around, biting and splitting. You should have your pup sit at the gate while you close it and sit long enough for you to take off the lead and step to the sheep (keep in mind we are using a small pen – about 26 x 26 – so you need only take one or two steps). If your pup doesn’t sit long enough for you to do this, catch it, put a light long line on, and repeat the sit part. You only step away from the pup and go to sheep when the pup sits for at least long enough for you to step to the sheep and say the release word (I use “ok”). This is important later – many dogs NQ in trials because they bolt after stock before the handler is ready and in ranch work, you want the dog to wait long enough for you to give directions as to what it is to do. As we progress, the pup will be asked to wait while you go farther and farther from it.

Once your pup will sit long enough for you to get TO the sheep, what then? If your pup is eager, you can step to the head of the sheep and see if the pup takes the initiative. If it does, sniffing or approaching the stock, this is good. You make encouraging noises and step back a bit so that the sheep have somewhere to go. If the pup is waiting on you, then you “play the dog” – walking BEHIND the sheep and moving them as if you were driving them. Most puppies are highly imitative, and the pup’s desire to be with the pack and to follow you will help to encourage the pup to come with you rather than be left behind. If it moves towards you and the sheep, again, make encouraging noises and let your pup know it is doing what you want. As the pup gains a bit of confidence, it may pull wool (this is why a wool breed sheep is preferable for introductions) – as long as the pup is NOT doing a “rat-killing” shake, ignore wool pulling or even biting at this point. IF the stock are not moving readily at the pup’s approach, your stock are too non reactive and you need to put in stock that are more easily intimidated. If they are racing about in total panic, you need to do the opposite – put in calmer, more non reactive stock. If they are moving easily or even bouncing about a bit but controlled, you have it “just right”. Do not expect the pup to do things perfect, but you should be able to keep the stock moving (keep walking backward to give the sheep a place to go) and are ready to try the next step.

Step to the side and using a light crook (pvc, bamboo or a buggy whip with no lash all work well) try to block or push the pup into changing direction away from you. Some pups get a bit oblivious so you may need to hit the ground just hard enough to spray a bit of dirt in their face or hold the crook out just enough to physically check them. Do NOT threaten the pup. Some are very responsive to a crook and will change direction if the crook is just “out there”. Either is fine, but you must get the pup to change direction when you ask. This is harder than it sounds and it is where having experience can help. If you aren’t certain you can do this, have an experienced trainer show you or do it the first time for you.

A pup that has “turned on” will change direction and still try to control the stock. At this point they are not trying to bring you the stock especially- they are trying out their ability to boss the stock and the stock is coming to you because they know you are the “safety zone”. The fetch part of herding instinct seems to kick in just a bit later than the bunch them up and boss them instinct. By having the stock help you in this department, you are giving your pup a “leg up” in developing its instinct. Go up and down using the fence to help you if you need (in a small pen, one or two steps is all you are going to do anyhow), then put the stock in a corner and get the pup to halt. This can be hard, but with the stock BEHIND you in the corner, you can block access to the stock and grab the pup if needed (stubborn pups will be dragging a light line). If they haven’t stopped of their own accord, stop them yourself using the line, and try to get them to first sit and then come to you (and yes, sometimes they need help on both parts). Then you want to heel the pup out of the arena, sitting and stopping at the gate again. DO NOT OVERDO a pup. 5 minutes is PLENTY. Have a cookie to reward the call off – you will be resuming work at a later point so that the pup learns that coming when called is not the end of the world.

For some time, you will be practicing just this part, coming to the sheep calmly, working them just a bit without worrying too much about any mistakes – just letting the puppy boss the stock – and calling off and leaving calmly.


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Clinics Before a Trial

by Peggy Richter

AHBA rules permit holding a clinic the day before a trial with the trial judge. AHBA judges may not judge dogs they own or co-own or which they have owned or co-owned within the previous six months. They may not judge a member of their family or immediate household, and they may not judge a dog where they are the primary trainer or handler within the last six months. Clinics, however, are perfectly acceptable.

Allowing clinics before trials with the trial judge is a good way to offset the costs of a particular judge. This enables a trial provider to offer a judge who might otherwise be too expensive to fly in to judge one day at a trial. Does it maintain a “level playing field”?

Yes, if the clinic is open to everyone who wants to participate. Each individual has the option to enter the clinic. Not everyone will be able to travel on the clinic day or to afford the clinic. However, the same situation exists for anyone who wanted to just practice, even without a clinic. Local handlers will find a trial less expensive than those from “out of town”. Locals will have a chance to work a given field and stock, to learn the draws, because they will have likely trialed at this site or on this stock previously. If they train at the site, they will have more knowledge regarding the site and the stock will be familiar to the dogs. There will always be some individuals with “more time” on the livestock and field than others. A clinic, rather than making this situation worse, actually can make the situation more level, since it gives a chance for those “out of town” to become more familiar with the site and the stock before a trial.

Since any group or individual hosting an AHBA trial can do a clinic, no one has a particular advantage in doing this. It’s an option for any AHBA event.

Some breeds/ individual dogs do better with stock they are familiar with (most farm dogs do not work strange stock. They only work those on "their" farm). Some do better with stock that don't know them (stock can learn weaknesses about a dog just as easily as they can learn respect).

Does hosting a clinic prejudice a judge in favor of a given dog? No. Clinics allow the participants to practice and find out the judge's views, but it also allows the judge to see any faults dogs have as well as their strengths. And of course, if you trial under a particular judge more than a few times you are going to have a good idea what that judge wants and that judge is going to have a good idea about your dog too. So unless one makes a rule "no local judges and no judges can judge more than once every 3 years", herding is a small enough world that they *are* going to know something about you. .

A judge has to evaluate fairly those dogs owned by good friends, serious enemies, breeds they don't like, breeds they do, individual dogs they like or hate, and often enough, dogs related to theirs or in competition to dogs related to theirs. If a clinic is going to influence a judge unduly, so will all the other possible influences.
If a judge "plays favorites" or doesn't seem to judge fairly, then it's time to not run under that judge. If you like the site but not the judge, it is sometimes helpful to let the show chair know why you aren't entering. They may decide they like the judge better than your entries. On the other hand, they may find that enough people have an issue with the judge that they hire someone different next time. Different people may like or dislike different judges, but in general, those who are "really bad" do not get hired.

Practice or clinics in general tend to make for better stockmanship. And that, in my opinion, is what AHBA is all about.

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Trailer Safety
How to load and unload stock

by Peggy Richter

I use my stock for trials and sometimes these are at sites other than mine; I sometimes pick up other folks stock or help load them and I sometimes haul my stock to the market. Over the years, with various dogs, I’ve come up with some rules that I find make it safer and easier to load or unload livestock.

Like any other task, the ideal makes it easy for the dog and safe for the stock, the dog and you. Trials may test for “can the dog do this” and therefore may restrict you as to how much help you can/can’t give the dog or require you to do something a specific way. If you trial and will be loading or unloading stock into a trailer, it helps to try various scenarios in the safest way you can – a more challenging “load” should be done with more cooperative stock before trying it with challenging stock. If you have challenging stock, try the easiest set ups first. Below are some views regarding practical loading or unloading of livestock.

Generally speaking, it is advantageous to use a fence line or pen gate when loading a trailer or using panels as wings. However, there are times when you need to freeload stock into a trailer. There may not be any easy way to get the trailer to a fenceline or to a gate or you may not be able to bring or find panels for wings. I've had occasion to load and unload both my stock and other stock into trailers both using the fenceline and in the open. If you can't get the trailer against a fence or using a gate, it is best to have it COMPLETELY in the open because if it is partially near a fence but NOT against it, stock often try to squeeze through. I find that aiming the stock STRAIGHT into the trailer isn't as useful as aiming them to the hinge corner. It is good to let them see the opening and think for a moment, but NOT good to let them think too long as then they try to turn or slip past. If possible, aim the trailer so that sunlight enters and eliminates the shadows.

If you are planning on hauling the stock a fair amount, it helps to train them using feed or hay/grain as a reward for entering the trailer. The first time stock go into a trailer is usually the hardest unless they have been traumatized while in the trailer or while entering the trailer. The easiest way to train stock is to start with the easy set up (trailer on the fence) and some hay or grain in the trailer both as a reward and an enticement to enter. Work up to where you can load the stock in the open. If you haul stock long enough, you will find you need to have your dog able to do this.

In unloading, again, it is a good idea if possible to open the door so stock can see the light and WAIT. Usually stock will think about it and exit without using a dog. In such situations, the dog is best used to control the stock AFTER they exit. If the stock don't exit and you need them to unload, the first thing to try is to tap the trailer sides with a crook or if the trailer has slits you can use, to put the crook inside and tap it against the wall inside. This sometimes works and entails no risk. If this fails, and you have an escape gate at the front, opening this and having the dog stand at that opening can be sufficient -- and sometimes using a bark by the dog will work. If the dog MUST enter, having the dog enter by the front gate is safest.

If the stock still resist, I do not like sending the dog in on it's own. On sheep it is safe enough, and with goats it is usually safe, but it is very very dangerous to do this on cattle. In unloading VERY stubborn stock (I've found this pretty rare), I usually go in WITH the dog and go in armed with a crook. It is not a case of the dog not being able to do a safe "take" but because in a trailer, the solid walls tend to make it not only difficult for the dog to maneuver but it also makes it very hard for you as the handler to see what is going on. In sending a dog in, it is again best to send the dog in on one side so as to let the stock come out using the other side of the trailer. Have the dog enter along the trailer side and wait. If the dog is one of those that tend to "hold" stock (with eye or otherwise), you need to direct the dog to focus on the one closest to the dog on the dog's side. WAIT, when the stock shift, have the dog walkup and so exit the stock. Patience is essential in all trailer loading and unloading. Rushing with the dog or stock usually ends up with problems.

Peggy Richter, Kuymal Belgians

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