INSTINCT TESTING
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| Heart took her herding test 2 years ago..and as I remember, I did nothing!! Just had her on a long lead and followed the 'shepard instuctions....just watching her 'instinct' kick in!!! It was AWESOME since she had NEVER seen a sheep before that moment~~~It made me cry to see my baby just doing what comes naturally!!! You will just love watching Bella ~~just so awesome~~~~ |
| So does that mean that I get to go into the pen with her??? That would be better than me outside of the ring and her in there with a stranger. do they supply the long leash or do I need to get one? I have a long lounge line for the horses so it is about 10 -12 meters long. That would work I think |
| There are a few ways the test can work - and ways you can be part of it. It can be with the tester evaluating and handling the dog, or the owner in with the dog and the evalutor just observing. Or it can be a combo of the two! The goal is for the dog to be "turned on" to the stock. Whatever way works best, is the way to go. Most people I have seen are at least in the ring with their dog and sheep. A few humans are not comfortable or too afraid and stay out. Some have started in the ring, and their dog is too focused on their human to work, so you try it with the human out... Some are so focused on the sheep they don't even seem to know any human is even there....and then some are real hesitant about the stock - the "I don't want to get in trouble...OH, I CAN chase them??!" type thing. The tester will be able to help you help your dog, or just do it themselves. My 1st dog I had no clue. I had heard about herding, but never been to a test or class. I actually drove there after getting off working a night shift...I was pretty hazy! I went in the ring, and explained we had sheep but never had a herding dog, or had any clue. He asked me "what do you say to him?" and I replied "Ollie, get the sheep"....Yep, I really did.  Bless his heart, he kept a straight face and said, OK, do that then....and we were off! Ollie was very interested in sheep and we passed easily. No training yet, but lots of instinct and interest. He never took his eyes off those sheep the whole time in the ring.Then later, a bunch of interested people from our area got talking. How cool it would be to have herding classes by us??, so we all could learn. Taking full advantage of my sleepless state, they got me to volunteer my sheep and farm (and husband to build more fences  ) and w approached the tester about how would we do this. He volunteered to come himself (  ) and be our instructor - and that's how we came to do herding at our farm!With Chewie I just went in and did it all myself. I hadn't tried it for about 8-9 years. We hadn't practiced, but I remembered enough from working Ollie that we did just fine. I still had my stick, and we had fun. This is us in our leg 1 instinct test:  It was at the Nationals in MN in 2008. We really strongly encouraged the newbies to go in with their dogs, and I think all of them were glad we encouraged (bullied) them into it! I'm not sure what this tester does, or if their are regional differences, but I would think this would be similar no matter where you are. |
sheepiegail wrote: So does that mean that I get to go into the pen with her??? That would be better than me outside of the ring and her in there with a stranger. do they supply the long leash or do I need to get one? I have a long lounge line for the horses so it is about 10 -12 meters long. That would work I think I was typing my reply at work, and had to work for awhile, so mine got posted after you and Val had replied. I think the tester had the long line....maybe Val can help on this one? We didn't use one, after I promised JoAnna (tester) that Chewie wasn't going to go crazy after her sheep. If you are comfortable working your own line, by all means bring it. We are training direction commands now, and I'm using one of my lunge lines!!  They work well. |
| IN MN the tester supplied the line. I was so clueless and was one of the people bullied into going in the ring...after all, I'm a city girl and the only sheep I have ever seen was at the petting area at the zoo!!!!!! |
| I use (still) a tab on my girls as some of them (OK, Sybil) HATE having anything touching them and would throw a fit. Then I just started using the tab for everyone. Tester will most likely have her own way of doing things and her own line so as to not destroy people's leashes. I wouldn't worry about a formal recall. I have yet to see a dog tested who couldn't be caught if it came to that Not to worry. The tester will explain everything before you start. Kristine |
| I entered both of mine for the instinct test. I am really excited to so how it goes. |
sneakysheepie wrote: I entered both of mine for the instinct test. I am really excited to so how it goes.  That is great!!! We'll have so many out there. It makes me happy |
How many out there are doing to herding or instinct testing at Nationals??? Bella is all set to go and I am going to go early so that I can see some of the tests. I may just get the bug to really do some herding work with Bella if it looks fun.....oh no where do you get sheep to practice on?? I didn't see any on sale at Petedge or Cherrybrook when I was buying more brushes for Bella.  |
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