Herding?

yukidomari · 19-04-2010, 00:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lunas Mom

So Luna sheep herding for the first time yesterday - I am sure my husband will post the video when he gets around to it. Well, she certainly has drive - though I would say she is a little more predatory than expected for a 16 week old. She did the "good" herding things like "wearing" and "gathering" but she also REALLY wanted some mutton!

So, are you going to continue with actual herding? What's your prediction?

Is she really cut out for herding, or not really?

draggar · 19-04-2010, 00:57

Well, I am really spoiled when it comes to Herding - my Malinois, Zorro, has only had a handful of lessons (it is 2 hours away and expensive) and is ready to earn his PT title (I worked him yesterday too, he hadn't seen sheep in over a year and a half and even back then he had only about 6 sessions with sheep). Zorro knows what he is doing from Mother Nature - I am just an idiot with a stick! Seriously, Zorro makes me look good!
On the flipside, Luna works like a typical GSD, in my instructor's opinion - and very much like my GSD Kiri. She is a little predatory and bossy with the sheep and will require a firm hand and excellent timing. My instructor usually works my GSD for me, as she has way more experience than I do and she likes a hard dog, so it may end up that she works Luna for me too.
I think it will depend on how frequently I can get to work on stock while Luna is still puppy enough for me to mold - otherwise she will require a more experienced hand.
I like herding but it isn't easy with a dog like Luna. My instructor teases me and calls Zorro "Prince Charming" and "Gentleman Jack" and certainly encourages me to continue on - it will just take longer and more work with Luna than it has with Zorro. And Luna has her won ideas about what we should be doing - she isn't the type of dog that will "lie down" on command if she thinks she should be moving the stock. Zorro is obedient enough so that I have time to "catch up" to his sheep smarts, but Luna will not give me that - she will do things HER way. So I have to learn faster and figure out how to reward her with sheep or remove them from her when she does something wrong. She will take every opportunity to get what she wants, to heck with me. I predict a few shredded tails, and lower legs before I am quick enough to compensate...

draggar · 19-04-2010, 01:27

http://www.youtube.com/draggardevir#p/a/u/2/Zcqo6XHzpRI

Here she is Herding!

yukidomari · 19-04-2010, 01:48

Very interesting video! I am very surprised that Luna doesn't show more interest in the sheep initially. Thanks for sharing! Look forward to more videos.

draggar · 19-04-2010, 01:58

Remember, she is only 16 weeks old, and a lot of her "lack of interest" in the video is actually her offering "calming signals" (looking away, pretend sniffing, moving toward them sideways to be polite) to the sheep. Never having seen them before, she was not sure how to "communicate" with them, so she used "polite dog" language. Not to mention all the smells of the other dogs, sheep pee, and more importantly, sheep POO.
Disgusting, but true, she thought of the pasture as a salad bar - she ate at least a pound of sheep poo. So, there was FRESH poo in the round pen (hey, they are running Pez dispensers, mom!) to eat, as well.
And what exactly are we doing, mom? What are they?
Once she realized THEY moved if she chased them, she was all about that new-found power. It was the first time in her life that something bigger than her DIDN'T correct her rudeness! And they RAN AWAY so enticingly! And they have tug toys attached to their butts, too!

yukidomari · 19-04-2010, 02:05

I forgot about the sheep poo.

Yeah............ there was a horse that passed through our park this morning and left some gifts and the two pinshers would NOT leave it alone. Much more interesting, course.

Angelika · 19-04-2010, 02:18

Yes, very interesting. One day Luna will eat them all loooooooool

No, seriously: don´t you have the possibility to do "mantrailing" with Luna? CsW are really predestinated for that.

Cheers
Angelika

19-04-2010, 00:57	#2
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	Well, I am really spoiled when it comes to Herding - my Malinois, Zorro, has only had a handful of lessons (it is 2 hours away and expensive) and is ready to earn his PT title (I worked him yesterday too, he hadn't seen sheep in over a year and a half and even back then he had only about 6 sessions with sheep). Zorro knows what he is doing from Mother Nature - I am just an idiot with a stick! Seriously, Zorro makes me look good! On the flipside, Luna works like a typical GSD, in my instructor's opinion - and very much like my GSD Kiri. She is a little predatory and bossy with the sheep and will require a firm hand and excellent timing. My instructor usually works my GSD for me, as she has way more experience than I do and she likes a hard dog, so it may end up that she works Luna for me too. I think it will depend on how frequently I can get to work on stock while Luna is still puppy enough for me to mold - otherwise she will require a more experienced hand. I like herding but it isn't easy with a dog like Luna. My instructor teases me and calls Zorro "Prince Charming" and "Gentleman Jack" and certainly encourages me to continue on - it will just take longer and more work with Luna than it has with Zorro. And Luna has her won ideas about what we should be doing - she isn't the type of dog that will "lie down" on command if she thinks she should be moving the stock. Zorro is obedient enough so that I have time to "catch up" to his sheep smarts, but Luna will not give me that - she will do things HER way. So I have to learn faster and figure out how to reward her with sheep or remove them from her when she does something wrong. She will take every opportunity to get what she wants, to heck with me. I predict a few shredded tails, and lower legs before I am quick enough to compensate... __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

19-04-2010, 01:27	#3
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	http://www.youtube.com/draggardevir#p/a/u/2/Zcqo6XHzpRI Here she is Herding! __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors Last edited by Gypsy Wolf; 19-04-2010 at 01:27. Reason: Add description of video

19-04-2010, 01:58	#5
draggar Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 370	Remember, she is only 16 weeks old, and a lot of her "lack of interest" in the video is actually her offering "calming signals" (looking away, pretend sniffing, moving toward them sideways to be polite) to the sheep. Never having seen them before, she was not sure how to "communicate" with them, so she used "polite dog" language. Not to mention all the smells of the other dogs, sheep pee, and more importantly, sheep POO. Disgusting, but true, she thought of the pasture as a salad bar - she ate at least a pound of sheep poo. So, there was FRESH poo in the round pen (hey, they are running Pez dispensers, mom!) to eat, as well. And what exactly are we doing, mom? What are they? Once she realized THEY moved if she chased them, she was all about that new-found power. It was the first time in her life that something bigger than her DIDN'T correct her rudeness! And they RAN AWAY so enticingly! And they have tug toys attached to their butts, too! __________________ Fred Lanting's Official Site Dog Actors

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19-04-2010, 01:48	#4
yukidomari Moderator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 847	Very interesting video! I am very surprised that Luna doesn't show more interest in the sheep initially. Thanks for sharing! Look forward to more videos.

19-04-2010, 02:05	#6
yukidomari Moderator Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Los Angeles CA Posts: 847	I forgot about the sheep poo. Yeah............ there was a horse that passed through our park this morning and left some gifts and the two pinshers would NOT leave it alone. Much more interesting, course.

19-04-2010, 02:18	#7
Angelika Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 847	Yes, very interesting. One day Luna will eat them all loooooooool No, seriously: don´t you have the possibility to do "mantrailing" with Luna? CsW are really predestinated for that. Cheers Angelika