I've started many dogs that had idiosyncrasies about left and right. Some preferred to flank one direction over the other. Mirk will only jump into the truck from one side. Price will only jump onto a 4-wheeler from the right, but fearing one side of my body was new to me, and it took me a couple weeks to catch on, unfortunately for Nell.
To confirm my suspicion, I put her on a line and walked her on my right. Sure enough, she tried determinedly to move to my left, and I had to hold her in place with the line. She demonstrated behaviour consistent with my hunch, flipping around on the end of the leash when on the right, and trying to beat me in front and get on the left.
In the case of Price and the 4-wheeler, and Mirk, and my truck, I've left it alone. It didn't effect them anywhere else, so, who cares? But introducing Nell to driving was proving impossible, because she would look and move towards me when on my right, turning off from her sheep completely. Sometimes she wouldn't take an away-to-me flank if I was standing too close on her left, and now I understand that was out of discomfort at least, and more probably, fear on her part.
Regardless of age, whenever I've started a dog that was determined to travel only in 1 direction, it's always been easy to remedy. I hoped it would be easy for Nell to overcome her odd phobia. I put her on a line and flanked her around her sheep. I would then lie her down, grab the line, and make her walk away with me on her left. I then turned a clockwise circle to set her up for the next gather, with her remaining on my right, and sent her away-to-me from my feet. Those were some of the best short gathers she's given me, and she seemed to be relaxing.
All this made me wonder what else I'm missing. What else am I asking for and not getting, because my dog needs help? What else am I correcting for that doesn't come from disobedience or the desire to please? Kind-a makes you wonder, doesn't it?
