With Intention!

I will close my eyes so you can't see me

OOooo...Tam O' Canter took his first meaningful correction today, and he was just shocked that I spoke to him that way. I've put up with a lot from him. I've let him cavort around, dive in for the occassional grab, and zoom and buzz. It's been more important for me to keep up his cha-cha and confidence than to make him mind.

Well today he pushed me too far. We were in the medium field flanking, and beginning to learn to lie down, then gather. Apparently somebody looked at him funny, or made the wrong wiggle, because he dove in with intention, grabbed one of my sheep and shook her like he meant it as she was giving her best impression of a sheep fleeing for its life.

Alright! Enough is enough. I came at him with my body, backing it up with my voice. Once I got him shut down, I spoke to him in no uncertain terms to make him understand that behavior would not be tolerated. He gave me his best impression of "who me?" "What did I do?" after throwing himself down with a flounce, and we were back to work. 

I introduced the outrun today by laying him down, moving the sheep away from him, then asking him around. I tried to stop him on balance, with him preferring to fly around in big loopy flanks. I didn't press the issue. I just stopped and started again a few times.

One of my yardsticks for training readiness is whether they improve from day to day. In that regard, Tam is measuring up. The other is how they come off a meaningful correction. We'll have to wait until tomorrow on that one.