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Herding Saturday

Discussion in 'Herding & Tracking' started by Bradt9881, Aug 11, 2014.

  1. Bradt9881

    Bradt9881 Forums Enthusiast

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    My favorite shot of Fletcher, cropped and expanded.......
     

    Attached Files:

  2. susanmccain

    susanmccain Forums Enthusiast

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    Great action photo of Fletcher! Thanks for sharing it with us.
     
  3. bkzoo

    bkzoo Forums Enthusiast

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    great shot! go Fletcher!
     
  4. Sullivan

    Sullivan Forums Enthusiast

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    Great action shot, love to see Fletcher at work.
     
  5. jomuir

    jomuir Forums Enthusiast

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    He's having a blast! Nice pic :smile2:

    I would love to get mine a chance to herd, wonder if they'd take to it naturally too.
     
  6. Bradt9881

    Bradt9881 Forums Enthusiast

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    Do they chase squirrels, or cars on the fence line? If so, they probably have the instinct to do it. Fletcher hasn't been taught any commands yet, it's all trying to get him used to working with the trainer, and have improve his natural drive to chase.
     
  7. ClantyreSheltie

    ClantyreSheltie Forums Sage

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    Or not. My landlord has a car chaser who is terrified of sheep. I have three that run the fence that have no interest in stock.

    In Shelties, getting the "chase" instinct is pretty easy. Putting control on that is not. Getting instinct and work ethic in the same dog is not common in our breed. I know lots of Shelties that can get through HT, and maybe PT, but don't have the work ethic to do Started. My mother had one that got through Started, but didn't have any interest in doing things "our" way. She just wanted to rearrange the sheep to her liking. Once they put pressure on her to work, she shut down.

    I've been through half a dozen Shelties at this point, and I finally have my first "working dog". Finished his PT at 11 months, and we just started learning "big boy" skills. Well, mostly *I* just started learning skills, the dog seems to do it naturally. :winkgrin:
     
  8. Bradt9881

    Bradt9881 Forums Enthusiast

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    And I still do not know if Fletcher can be trained and become a champion, but I have a trainer interested in trying, who had the number two sheltie herder before the dog passed. The border collies own the sport; there are only 3 non border collies doing it in NC by what I have been told.

    I was proud of him though last week. To have the sheep all in file behind Kelly, changing direction when Kelly would block him with the stick, it look very pretty on the video!
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2014
  9. ClantyreSheltie

    ClantyreSheltie Forums Sage

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    I'm not sure what Kelly means by "only 3 non border collies", but there are tons of folks down there that herd. Claire Apple is down there, and she specializes in upright breeds (and has Shelties). She comes up to our trials in Berryville regularly. She's a good one to take lessons from, too.

    Hopefully you'll make it up our way to trial when you are ready, we are fun!
     
  10. Bradt9881

    Bradt9881 Forums Enthusiast

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