Guess Who Has Taken Up Herding?!?
We did the instinct test a year and a half ago at the Sheepdog Shindig, and the trainer was really impressed with both girls. She said Tonks should pursue competition level herding, and maybe Luna too. So I finally get around to arranging for some lessons, and what a GREAT experience. WE've gone twice now. The first time, the trainer sized both girls up, thought they were really good, with a side note to "not discount Luna". And boy was he right- by our second Lesson, I'm just in Luna's way!!!  Tonks has impulse control issues, so while she's got great drive, she doesn't do well at reigning it in. If you've met Tonks, you won't be surprised by this "revelation".  It seems Luna's levelheadedness, her thinking things through before action, her gentle nature are all assets to her in herding. She doesn't rush, she doesn't split up the herd, and she doesn't startle them. In fact, on our second training session, by the time we were done, she was so tired she walked over to the sheep and sat down with them!!!! Here are photos- since I'm in the ring, I'm dependent on other to take the pictures for me. We've had lovely autumn weather (if a bit cold)... that first session, I did lots, and lots of running in circles with the girls on lead   We even did a little work to try and get Tonks to chill out:   By the end of the first session, Luna was a good enough girl to warrant letting her off the lead!  |
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| We then had to skip a couple of weeks, and got back to it last week. I still can't drop Tonks' lead, but she's getting a lot better about being a spaz. She'll stop herding and sit when I tell her too, which the instructor says is really good. He says he can see how much work we've put into the girls, which is nice to hear. There was one instance where Tonks actually pulled the lead out of my hands (spaz + impulse control issues + sheep = rope burns) and I told her to STOP! and she sat down. It's not a perfect situation, but I was impressed that she listened. Luna is of course a perfectly good girl. She worked the sheep so much this last time that she could hardly walk when we got home. Both girls were tired, but you could see Luna was actually physically exhausted. I'll try and make sure not to do that again. So- more photos. I did less running in a circle this session, so I felt very lazy just standing in the middle supervising:    That last one, where I'm smiling? Luna's doing all the work, and I feel completely unnecessary. Luna: "Oh yeah, I've got this."  |
| Great pictures! Looks like you have a great place for herding and that your girls love it. Murph loves it too--we just don't get to go regularly! Have fun!! |
| I wish there was a place around here I could bring Zeke. |
| our place isn't terribly close- it's a 90 minute drive there and a 90 minute drive back. So it eats a decent part of a day when we do it. But we think it's very worth it! |
| Yea girls-all three of you!! They look so into the herding, good job. I really like the pic of Luna mugging for the camera too. Glad she excels at this, she needed to find her niche. |
| I just love when working dogs work. They like to have jobs and it pleases their uprights. Good for you, and continue to have fun. |
| Awesome post ! |
Darth Snuggle wrote: our place isn't terribly close- it's a 90 minute drive there and a 90 minute drive back. So it eats a decent part of a day when we do it. But we think it's very worth it! Yeah, it's a 60 minute drive for us, but anything for our girls I know |
 Thanks for sharing all these pics - so fun to see.I think Joy would love to herd too, as far as the sheeps are not to big and bold..... Must have been very charming when Luna was so tired that she walked over to the sheep and sat down with them. Have you ever seen her that tired before?  |
| Great pics and it looks like a lot of fun. |
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