It's also to remind me of my happy place!
Cap and I had a lesson over the weekend...we worked on his outruns. I had trouble getting the situation set up by myself (sheep kept following me and would not stay put) but finally when sheep were held for us by a spotter and dog, it all came together. On the bye side, Cap is tighter than on the away side. On both sides, he is a bit tighter than you want and he does not (yet) go deep enough. We are taking a gradual approach. The more I work him, the better he gets.
On the bye side I am doing a little bit more influence on him, i.e. walking out ahead of him, sometimes stopping him and bending him out, etc. On the away side I don't have to do as much, I might walk out but not stop him and bend out unless he needs it. I think others are finally seeing what I have seen all along in Cap...his approach to the sheep is both businesslike and intense.
Spot got to run out along with the quad which is good exercise for him, but we did not have a lesson. We are on a budget. Two lessons is more than I can handle, right now.
Once back home, I worked Spot and Cap on their respective plans. I put sheep on hay to work on Cap's outrun, since I was by myself and did not have a spotter to hold the sheep. He is doing really big boy stuff! It started raining the instant I got sheep sorted to work tonight, and it kept up raining until I was finished working Spot. What gives? There wasn't even rain in the forecast. I worked anyway even in the rain, slogging around in the mud. I only have so much time to work dogs and during the rain is when that time slot fell. Oh well! Super happy with Cap and what he is doing.
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| Mudder Collie |
For Spot I am following my plan to increase his physical and mental stamina for a good and happy shed. This time he pushed sheep out to the hay and we did one easy outrun. Then I did two sheds, which were both happy and OK. I will continue with this plan; sometimes just going out and shedding right away, and other times doing a few things first (an outrun, some driving, etc. more or less) and then a shed. I want to figure out how to keep his head cooler so that the shed will seem easy to him by the time we get to it on the course even though it is always near the end.
I'm so glad to have Ryme back in the working crew as he got to set the stage for Cap and Spot. He loves to work and is the "sheep cop" who will correct any reluctant ovines who think late afternoon is the time to "go home" and not work with dogs. Uh-uh. Ryme says you are going out to the field, without any nonsense.
We have had so much cold rain. I am not complaining about moisture but I am getting worried about some of the sheep in this weather. They are our responsibility and are dependent on us for their care.
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