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Sheepdog Training 09 – Getting a good recall on your dog
How to train your dog to have a good recall So what should you do if you’re out with your dog somewhere and he won’t come back to you? Well, first, you shouldn’t really be releasing a dog that you can’t trust but let’s imagine you thought he’d be OK (after all, he comes to […]
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Sheepdog Training 10 – Always welcome your dog back
Your dog must always feel it’s safe to come to you Where possible in the early stages of training, the dog’s return to you should be made worthwhile, even exciting. Use a pleasant tone and a little fuss to show the dog you’re pleased that he’s returned. If the dog doesn’t respond to this, the […]
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Sheepdog Training 11 – Reading your dog’s mind
Just how do we go about reading our dog’s mind? Well, we can’t exactly do that but we can get close. This is one of the trickier parts of sheep dog training – you need to read the dog’s body language! If you study it, you’ll see that when the dog’s preparing to grip, his […]
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Sheepdog Training 12 – careful thought helps cure problems
Whatever problem you’re having with your dog, you should be able to cure it Think carefully about the problem – why the dog’s doing it and how you can change the training routine to correct it. Sometimes the dog will simply be using its own initiative to try to help you. For instance, if he […]
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Sheepdog Training 13 – Control your temper
Control your temper – your dog will sense your mood. If you’re training a sheepdog and you find yourself getting angry, there are two simple choices open to you: 1. Control Your Temper2. End the session. There is no point in going on with a training session if you’re cross with your dog. Nothing confuses […]
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Sheepdog Training 14 – Don’t blame the dog
99% of the time, if things go wrong it’s YOUR fault! Of all the sheepdog training videos and DVDs I’ve watched, this is the single most important statement I’ve gleaned. It was said by Martin Penfold on the Rural Route video “Starting Border Collies on Cattle, Sheep or Ducks“ I think Martin actually said 90% […]
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Sheepdog Training 15 – What does a sheepdog do?
What do sheepdogs actually DO? A good sheepdog should be a valuable assistant to the shepherd or sheep farmer. It will learn where the sheep (or other stock) are likely to be in each field, and it will gather them together calmly, and not leave any behind. A really good sheepdog will even recognise if […]
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Sheepdog Training 16 – Started sheepdog or puppy?
Should you buy a puppy or a partly trained dog? It’s a very long road from buying a puppy to taking part in your first trial. This can be daunting for a novice handler but, on the other hand, if you buy a puppy you can be sure it hasn’t developed any bad habits. If […]
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