Chewie passed.....his HCT!
We had really light sheep - they liked to scatter with the wind..... We did a group of 6 for the test, hoping they would settle better than the groups of 3 did for the clinic in the morning. It sort of worked! I had a friend take some pictures while we were in the arena- she got some that turned out OK. 
Here we are at the start, getting our instructions from the judge. Note the sheep have fled to the far back fence already...... 
These sheep were really leary of Chewie - and this is not a typical sheep reaction to him. He just stands there, makes not that much eye contact. Hardly the hyper spazz as we come into the ring. Maybe my boy is finally growing up and getting some "presence" 
And, we're off! 
way too much power here, they should not be moving that fast 
But, things did settle down.. 
For this leg, we were required to cover the length of the ring 3 times with the sheep: 
and do turns in both directions: here I am making Chewie switch sides (from clock-wise to counterclock-wise) - 
And then you have to stop the dog - a stand, sit or down - and have a recall - call them away from the sheep and to you - and have them under control. Here we are after the stop, recall and as we are walking out of the arena - 
Yay! success!!!  
I am so proud of Chewie!  
We stopped and each had a hamburger on the way home to celebrate  |
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Good job Dawn and Chewie...almost like you both grew up on a farm or something.  Congrats! |
violet wrote: Good job Dawn and Chewie...almost like you both grew up on a farm or something.
Congrats!LOL - you may be onto something!!!
Thanks! |
| You guys look awesome!
Way to go Chewie!  |
Congratulations!!! Fantastic work.  |
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:yay: |
Way to go, Chewie!    
You're still our hero!  |
| 'Atta boy, Chewie!!
There's nothing Mom can throw at you that you don't accomplish! Well done! |
| Chewie is my hero your man is amazing at all he does.
WTG CHEWMAN |
| Chewie loves to work. The show ring, that's not work, there's nothing physical or mental involved......just stand proud and walk at a slower rate than is necessary (in his book).
Have you considered trying him as a dock diver or a bird flusher?.....no tail for pointing. There doesn't seem to be much he won't try. How's his sense of smell........tracker? |
The speed of the sheep looks oddly familar from when his sister is working  Maybe I can blame it on light sheep?   Oh, wait, she does the same thing to goats The last time she worked them they actually left the arena Methinks we have some work to do yet on toning down her enthusiasm a tad.
Great job, guys!!!
Kristine |
| Congratulations Dawn and Chewie.
Your determination and commitment to your boy makes him a shining sheepie at everything he does. BTW.. you look fantastic. |
| Go Chewie!! What a Sheepie!! Congrats, Dawn!! So very cool!! |
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CONGRATULATIONS!!! That would take a lot of dedication to accomplish and you both did it. WAY TO GO, CHEWIE!!!!!!!! |
| CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! |
Atticus wrote: CONGRATULATIONS!!! That would take a lot of dedication to accomplish and you both did it. WAY TO GO, CHEWIE!!!!!!!!
Not to in any way diminish Dawn & Chewie's accomplishments, but this is very doable for most OES. The HCT is a form of instinct certification. In both AHBA (which this test/certification is) and AKC there are introductory test classes, more advanced test classes, and then for the more advanced dogs, trial classes. The first leg basically only requires that the dog show some sustained interest and very basic obedience, and the tester can handle the dog for you. The second leg does require some basic herding training, but it is very doable and I bet Dawn would be the first person to encourage people to get out there and give it a try!!! See http://www.ahba-herding.org/ and specifically http://www.ahba-herding.org/hct.htm HERDING CAPABILITY TESTS HCT tests are to be held in the setting of a clinic. Such tests must be held at the facilities of a herding trainer, utilizing experienced stock regularly employed in training herding dogs. Special permission must be obtained for use of any other venue, and any such venues must be set up similarly to a training facility with sturdy fencing and stock regularly used for herding training; public venues such as fairs or similar general public events are not accepted. Arena size for HCT tests must be a minimum of 50 x 50 ft., up to approximately 80 x 80 ft. Corners must be rounded; oval or round enclosures are preferred for first-leg HCT tests. The tester may handle the dog during first-leg tests. For second-leg tests, the owner or owner's agent must handle the dog, with verbal assistance or brief intervention by the tester being acceptable. In order to pass, dogs must be tested off-lead or with lead dragging in first-leg tests, off-lead in second-leg tests, and may not be held or physically touched by any person or tied to any object. First-leg tests may take the form of a basic instinct test and are fairly free-form, with no set path of travel. The dog is brought in on a long line approximately 6 to 15 ft. in length. At some point while on the line, the dog must demonstrate a stop (down, sit or stand) and a recall before the line is dropped or removed. A dog which cannot be recalled shall not be let off line. Dogs may not be struck or have objects thrown at them with the intent to strike them during a test. If it is necessary to do this to protect the stock, the dog must be immediately removed from the arena and will not pass. Second-leg tests require a more controlled passage from one end of the arena to the other (easily visible markers, such as ribbons or placards, may be placed on the fence at opposite ends of the arena to help indicate direction, or cones may be set on the ground 10 ft. in from the fence at opposite ends of the arena). The stock should be set out clear of the fence, well away from any corner. The dog is put in position and the lead removed; the dog should hold a brief stay (pause) before being sent to collect the stock. The stock are moved across the arena to the opposite end, then returned to the vicinity of the set-out point, then taken again to the opposite end of the arena, and brought back a second time to the vicinity of the set-out point (approximately four traverses of the arena). The dog is given a final stop command, and recalled. Dogs are not to be allowed to harass, chase, rough up, trample or grip stock. Dogs evidencing aggression are not to be let off lead. Unruly, uncontrollable dogs or dogs which attempt to attack the stock must be taken from the test area immediately. Dogs which are excessively fearful of the stock should be removed. In second-leg tests, dogs showing lack of progress should be removed from the arena after five minutes. Each dog's formal test session shall be a maximum of 10 minutes, within which time the session should be concluded upon the dog fulfilling the requirements for passing. Tests are to be conducted in a consistent and fairly standard manner as described in the guidelines. The tester must provide detailed comments on each passing form, and spend time with each participant providing guidance and information regarding the particular dog and herding in general; comments and information should be presented to spectators also. Education is of great importance in herding tests. QUALIFICATIONS FOR PASSING HERDING TESTS First Leg: A dog which, after a period of introduction, shows sustained interest in herding livestock, either going around them, gathering them and moving them toward the handler, or moving them ahead of the handler to drive them, or a combination. A dog which works quietly, a dog which barks (a little or a lot), a dog which may feint as though to nip, or actually nips if on larger animals providing it is appropriate for the situation and not a threat to the health or safety of the livestock, are all acceptable. A dog may be loose-eyed or may show some degree of eye. A variety of approaches and styles are acceptable. It is to be remembered that many dogs through inexperience will make mistakes in their early exposures to livestock, but at all time the tester must see clear-cut evidence of herding instinct, with the dog attempting to keep the animals grouped and attempting to control their movement. Dogs which merely chase, play or push stock around, not really herding, must not be passed; distinction must be made between herding behavior and chasing. Dogs should show some responsiveness to direction. Second Leg: In addition to the above, the dog must exhibit the following: moving the stock in a controlled fashion from one end of the arena to the other; a stop; and a recall. The hardest part generally is finding somewhere close by where you can give it a try and hopefully get some lessons....Any takers...?
Kristine |
| Also - AHBA you can enter at any level (not continuous like AKC) so if you get a dog started you can start off trialing with started, you don't need to do instinct testing. or did I get them confused again????
Wait - okay from AKC handbook: There is no prerequisite for entry in a Pre-Trial Test or any trial level. If a dog is entered in both a test level and a trial level at a single event and qualifies in the trial level, it may run in the test level(s) at the handler’s option, but the entry fee shall not be refunded if it is scratched from the test level(s). If a test title, a test certificate and title will a dog qualifies in a test level and attains the second leg toward be issued provided the dog is otherwise eligible, but the dog is no longer eligible for entry in a test level as the result of qualifying in the trial level. (clear as mud) From AHBA TITLE REQUIREMENTS A dog may enter at any level for which it is trained. No title is a prerequisite for another. Okay much clearer. My point is not to wait to have your dog HIT or HCT if you wan tto train - many instrutors don't care about that and will work with what they have got. |
kerry wrote: Okay much clearer. My point is not to wait to have your dog HIT or HCT if you wan tto train - many instrutors don't care about that and will work with what they have got.
Oh, most people don't have a HCT for sure before they start training since it requires some training But most people get hooked by getting their dogs instinct tested and seeing the lightbulb go on. You can simply take the dog to their first lesson and that will becomes their instinct test in effect, but it rarely seems to dawn on people that their dogs might really want to do this until they see it for themselves.
The HCT, JHD (AHBA) and HT, PT (AKC) tend not to be very important as a measure of progress for people who have been doing herding for a while with say their border collies and such, true. But it's are a nice way for a beginner to get their feet wet and often challenging in their own way for our breed. You don't see many OES in the test classes, let alone the trial classes, so there's room for plenty more...
Kristine |
| No worry, I do not feel diminished in the least.
We were the only OES - I wish there had been more.
And we had to drive - about 150 miles...one way. But, it was a nice drive with my buddy |
got sheep wrote: No worry, I do not feel diminished in the least.
We were the only OES - I wish there had been more. And we had to drive - about 150 miles...one way. But, it was a nice drive with my buddy What did your old instructor say? KB |
Mad Dog wrote: got sheep wrote: No worry, I do not feel diminished in the least. We were the only OES - I wish there had been more. And we had to drive - about 150 miles...one way. But, it was a nice drive with my buddy What did your old instructor say? KB James really liked Chewie Even more impressed when I told him all the things Chewie can do
Of course, he said we need more training (how about training PERIOD was my thought!) Once again we flew through something by the seat of our pants and used our foundation as a way to get through something new. 
We had a great visit (the evaluator at this test was our old trainer, who came to our farm and we had classes many years ago) and caught up on our families and all our dogs! James has been busy, he moved back near Des Moines to be closer to his aging parents. He also has been judging alot - both AHBA an ASCA (australian shepherd club of america). He is going to the Netherlands this summer to judge a big ASCA trial there as well - how cool is that! And (for all you that may be interested) he said he would love to come do a clinic/seminar over a weekend at our place if we wanted him to. |
got sheep wrote: And (for all you that may be interested) he said he would love to come do a clinic/seminar over a weekend at our place if we wanted him to.
Sign me up!
Kristine |
| Does Chewie draw any sort of salary? He works so hard. |
ButtersStotch wrote: Does Chewie draw any sort of salary? He works so hard.
Free room and board? Paid travel expenses? |
got sheep wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: Does Chewie draw any sort of salary? He works so hard. Free room and board? Paid travel expenses? Oh, yeah. that's a good deal. I just wanted to make sure he didn't make more than me. |
ButtersStotch wrote: got sheep wrote: ButtersStotch wrote: Does Chewie draw any sort of salary? He works so hard. Free room and board? Paid travel expenses? Oh, yeah. that's a good deal. I just wanted to make sure he didn't make more than me. Well, he did make that $50 in the Ely weight pull.....did that put him over the top?? |
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