Well it was far from what I would call a "nice" day, but I spent a good part of it outside with my dogs anyway. I went across the road with the trained dogs and it felt so good to send them further and have them do some distance driving without all the pressure of the yard and barn. They all did a very nice job. Toss got a little confused a few times with the additional distance on the drive. (under only whistle direction) He is SO forward and for some reason was taking the stop as being wrong and would look back at me with confusion. He just needs distance and whistle work. I was proud of his outruns and how he held the long fetch line on his own. All the others went out nicely as well. Gwen tested my nerves on her outrun. She is such a big outrunner. When I sent her, she went way out to the far side of the uncut soybeans.... I wasn't surprised by her path, but it was still a little unsettling waiting for her- given that's it woods beyond the soybeans and if she had continued to just run the back side of the soybeans she'd a mile away before they ended... I waited confidently though, and sure enough she popped out of the uncut soybeans in just the right place. Her drive work was the best she's done yet. :-) Cruz has never made a better outrun, and I think he is finally understanding that last piece of the puzzle. Today I actually saw him looking ahead at his sheep on the way out- that is not the norm for him. Deal and Gwen do it every time. It was a delight to see to Cruz relaxed and thinking during a send of that distance. His form was much more confident- vs. just plain fast.
I had a good time with the young girls in the paddock and barn. Ivy was fantastic. She's very strong and fearless, but has a wonderful head on her shoulders. She never clapped down, not once. I even took them out of the paddock and around the yard for a few loops, and she hung with it. :-) It was fun to do so much work with her and never have to say a word. :-) That's such a nice thing for them as well- they can just learn. If I'm not saying anything, the pup can soak in so much more stock sense. Young dogs need to just do to learn. Learning the verbal commands comes later. Right now Ivy and Clare need to learn stock- not commands. Right now it's my job to make that happen for them. It's when you put too many things on a young dog at one time that you run in to trouble and as handlers we don't always remember what all a young dog is taking in each time she's on stock. And quite frankly, if I can't just shut up and just let my young dog do it's job, then it's probably not a dog worth spending a whole of time on! Young dogs need to learn via simple "jobs/chores". I knew this a long time ago, and had gotten away from that.... I kind of started just working on sends and fetch lines... it was boring. I was bored, my girls were bored and we all got a little frustrated... The last two sessions of going back to working them like they are doing something practical has made a world of difference. :-)) Kit did a lovely job in the barn. That was good work for her. She was quiet and settled the whole time and can now flank completely relaxed in the 12x24' barn. I sent her a couple times in the yard and had to stand (myself) closer to the sheep. She's like her father. She is going to take some time to put an outrun on. But the rest is already there- even close at hand inside flanks during a drive. The back-to-basics work has been a huge plus for Kit too. I'm very, very happy with all of my dogs right now.
Well, apparently a billion dollar aircraft carrier cannot pull into a pier because of fog. What a bunch of bullshit. Ben was supposed to be home yesterday, but probably won't even be home tonight. I miss my husband.... (and now after 2 days off I work till the weekend.)
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