Welcome to The Real Time Canine, Part Two



Welcome to part two of The Real Time Canine. In this edition, I will describe the daily life of a Border Collie sheepdog prospect. In weekly posts using words and pictures, I will describe what they learn and how they learn it. Each pup imparts knowledge in their own special way, and through them I will give you insight into how I train a Border Collie Sheepdog from beginning to success.

As with Kensmuir Star in the original
Real Time Canine, you will be with us every step of the way as these talented youngsters acquire the confidence, willingness and skills necessary to attain my goal for them to become a useful working sheepdog and successful trial competitor. I hope you will join us and find useful tips and technique on how to train a sheepdog.


After a lifetime with animals, dogs, horses and livestock, I am happy to share my expertise with you. I have found success at sheepdog trials at home and abroad, and have trained dogs that went on to find success with others. To learn more about me and my dogs, please visit my BorderSmith website, and my BorderSmith Blog!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Little Dog, Big Field

December in So Cali
Jed is learning, and I'm pleased to report that my leash plan worked beautifully.  In an earlier post, I wrote how Jed was going through the "keep away" phase that many pups do, and how I had changed my method of overcoming that since raising Kensmuir Star. With Star, I verbally corrected him when he did not come when called, and more or less hunted him down. He eventually overcame the tendency, but my method was too harsh for him, and I wanted to try something lighter with Jed.

With Jed, I keep a leash handy, and when ever he was slow to respond to "here" request, I would simply go to him, slip the noose type leash over his head, and off we would go. No problems, no hesitancy, no fear.

Today, for the first time, when I told the dogs to "load up," as we were heading to the big field for practice, Jed trotted straight to the truck and got in. Still too small to jump from the ground, he jumps to the trailer tongue, then into the truck bed, and he's so athletic, it appears to be more like stepping. Where it is still an awkward maneuver for Star, Jeddie makes it look easy.

After working the big dogs today, I wondered whether the lessons would hold. I tried it again, and all 3 of my dogs, Jed included, got right into the truck. Lesson learned. That job is done, and it surely makes things a lot easier for me. Good boy, Jeddie!

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