Week Two

 Lump of coal clay

It took exactly 2 attempts at corraling Jed in an exercise pen for him to learn how to claw his way out. I caught him the first time, grunting, reaching, twisting his body to inch slowly up to the top and make his escape. I put him down, and he gave up. Once back inside the next night, he soon started to climb. I plucked him off the wire enclosure and, once again, put him down, then stepped out of the room. What...what was that? Turning to see what was nudging my leg, it was Jed, of course, standing nearly on top of me. That was the end of the Ex-pen, rendered useless before I could ever relax.

I have a very active puppy on my hands. I've been worried about him not eating enough, and I shouldn't. He eliminates quite often, thank you very much, and is wearing me out with boundless energy. Even while he has learned to quiet himself when crated inside the house, he demands attention all the time. I decided today to tucker the little guy, and took him with me to the big field while I worked my dogs. He was very patient in his crate under the shade of tall eucalyptus trees that line my practice field, and I didn't hear all that much from him. Then it was time to walk. We were quite a site, the 5 of us. 3 big Border Collies, 1 tiny Border Collie, and 1 infinitesimal Miniature Pinscher. I just chucked Jed down and off we went, him on wobbly legs but keeping up... with me, anyway. Except for the occassional puppy-sit, he stayed by my side while the others wandered. Since I didn't have to worry about him, I had plenty of time to enjoy watching Dexter paddle and hop his way through hay stubble that's half as tall as he is. My plan worked. Once home, Jed ate and crashed. So did I.

Another big day in the big field. He's been asleep for over an hour now.

                       Little dog, big field                    

This week's top five:

1. I stood by while Jed slid and fell, but he mastered the stairs on his own.
2. Just buckle it and go. How to become comfortable in a collar and bungi leash.
3. That's right, those are sheep that you smell.
4. Calling Dexie on his bluff for the win. Sweet!
5. It's never too early to learn how to please.

I give my pups lots of opportunity to figure things out on their own. Border Collies like, and need to problem solve. I could have saved time, made it easier for him, and carried Jed up the stairs. But I would have eliminated an opportunity for him to figure it out and learn on his own. I will almost always leave them to it when I have an opportunity to encourage critical thinking in my dogs.

I am very straighforward about introducing my dogs to new concepts. I do not see value in talking dogs into things. That seems more like begging, which doesn't engender their respect. To introduce Jed to a collar and leash for the first time, I could have used treats or clickers, or some some slower form of what might be perceived as a more gentle introduction. My belief is that way is more difficult for the dog. I will almost always choose short and sharp. Do it 1 time with enough intention for the dog to accept it, and move on. I expect that my dogs will accept the new concept. After all, I make the rules that they must live up to. I introduce the new concept, and simply move confident in my belief that they are accepting. With very little persuasion, my dogs have always complied, and I believe that has as much to do with my confidence as anything. Dogs follow my lead. If I am unsure, they are more. Insecurity can manifest in what looks to us like bad behavior or disobedience. Barking, squirming, whining, clawing, twisting or running away all to avoid a collar.  I picked Jed up buckled on his collar, which was already snapped to a bungi lead, and walked away. He never made a sound, and immediately began the process of learning to walk nicely.

Do I have any belief that little Jed, at 9 weeks, will become interested in livestock? No, but I will do everything to encourage it even from this young age, and I will be watchful. I'm lucky. I have an opportunity to raise my pups around sheep. They are simply always around, and the youngsters do not know any different. That way they do not become hyper-excited from just seeing stock, like some pups who never see them until it is time to start training. You are starting in a hole with those dogs. There were more than a few times this week when I noticed Jed watching my horse and sheep, and I saw him sniff the air in their direction a time or two as well. I will be watching for any sign of recognition.

Bravery is such an important quality in a stockdog. Sheep are sometimes cranky, rams can be mean, cattle are strong, and ewes with lambs can be downright dangerous. A successful stockdog will have the courage to face them all, without so much as taking one step backward. It is absolutely necessary in a top-class dog. Can you win dog trials without courage? It happens all the time, but winning dog trials does not mean a dog is top-class, and I would never breed one without it. At this point, Jed is not much bigger than 6-lb Dexter. Dexie is older, smarter, and very possessive of me. He got his bluff in early with Jed, intimidating him with bluster, snapping, and a growl that sounds like a garbage disposal.  By the end of the first week, Jed was standing flat-footed looking impassive when Dexter advanced, and I was glad to see it.

Pressure and release, pressure and release. That's how we train stockdogs to work for us. We apply pressure to let them know we are not pleased, release it when we are. If my dogs are put on sheep for the first time understanding that concept, and wanting to please me, my job as a trainer is so much easier. I introduced the theory to Jed right away. I tapped the crate when he was unhappy there. I ignored his mournful cries from the crate, then retreived him once he became quiet. Every single time he put his feet on me, I gave a low growl, and gently shoved him aside. When he stood still for me to pick him up, I praised him profusely. More praise for coming to me when I called him. He was born wanting to please me. Personally, I believe there is not a dog anywhere about which that is not true. But, sometimes we cross the wires, and through our own ineptitude and misunderstanding of dogs, we encourage the wrong behavior with poor timing, and end up with a dog we call bad. For me and Jed, it's simple. I consistenly encourage the good, and consistently discourage the bad. 

 Foreboding?

Another big day in the big field and the "keep away game" has begun. In other words, he's thinking about becoming hard to catch. I'm being pro-active about this, and I'm starting now. He just doesn't want to be locked away in a crate, which is what I do to him most times that I catch him. So, I've begun a catch, tickle, release program. As often as possible, while we're out walking, or haning together, I call him to me, give him much love, and set him free. It's working already, because he never knows what will happen when he comes to me, but it might be good!

Likewise barking. There are few things in life that irritate me more than a dog barking incessantly, or at all really. Jed has shown an inclination to bark at play, which I am discouraging. It's a v e r y bad habit, and better to simply stop it before it starts. Yes, it's irristably cute when Jed and Dexter play, with Jed hopping, running, and barking. What can it hurt, right?  It is not cute at all, however, when he's older and tied out while waiting his turn to work, let's say, barking his fool head off because he was never taught better. Or at a dog trail, when I leave him to run another dog, and he is standing flat-footed barking like Cujo and annoying the entire campground. We see those dogs at every trial we go to...right? It's rude, it's extreme bad manners, and I know absolutely that it's almost impossible to stop once it starts. It is SO much easier on the dog to dispatch this problem when they are young. Most importantly, however, if you expect to have a well-behaved dog at work, and on the trial field, they simply must be well-behaved away from those pursuits. You most assuredly cannot have one without the other, and there are no exceptions to that rule.