The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: pikilily on July 06, 2011, 03:13:15 pm
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hi, i hope someone can advise...
we have just got a collie pup, Meg, who will be a family pet.... but i would also like to work her with the sheep...eventually. Can anyone reccommend any books, websites for working collie training.
she is only ten weeks old so no 'formal' training yet but I am reinforcing what ever she does with the commands as she does the move herself....shes only been with us for two days so still very much settling in period yet!! she is quite clearly a clever girl so i think the work/training will keep her happy and mentally fit.
Emma T
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Barbara Sykes runs the Border Collie rescue and is the wisest lady I know about how these very smart dogs tick. She has an excellent book called, I think, 'understanding your border collie' and it contains advice about general training - and how to avoid the collie training you instead :D (think my two have been reading it though ::))
We've got some 'sheep dog training' videos at home, will look them out when I get there.
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Julie Hills and Bobby Henderson hosted a working collie masterclass for CSSA a couple of years ago. Incredible skill of handlers and dogs. I think they do work with novice handlers - it would be well worth it if you could get along to see them. Magic folk and wonderful dogs - and never a raised voice :) Sometimes a book or video just isn't enough.
www.henderson-hill-bordercollies.co.uk (http://www.henderson-hill-bordercollies.co.uk)
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I would second Rosemary. Julie came down here for a workshop 2 years ago & was really good. You learn so much doing & being taught while doing
Rose
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We have a pup who is 5 months old today. We put the sheep in a round pen and he stays on the outside. My husband goes into the pen to move the sheep about and as he moves , my husband is giving him gentle voice commands. When he heads the sheep he is asked to lie down. It is very exciting starting a young dog off. He will not be allowed loose in the field with them though until he is old enough and fast enough to head them on the move. also his recall isnt good enough yet, he has selctive deafness when called at the moment.
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A well Trained collie is a joy to watch when working, good luck with your pup :)
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training a sheep dog is a good book for beginners hope that helps
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We have a pup who is 5 months old today. We put the sheep in a round pen and he stays on the outside. My husband goes into the pen to move the sheep about and as he moves , my husband is giving him gentle voice commands. When he heads the sheep he is asked to lie down. It is very exciting starting a young dog off. He will not be allowed loose in the field with them though until he is old enough and fast enough to head them on the move. also his recall isnt good enough yet, he has selctive deafness when called at the moment.
Sue, I'm interested in hwo you train the recall,and how close you ask the dog to come. With Gundogs it is the first step to a good retreive - a retrieve is only a recall with something in the dog's mouth. We demand that they recall either straight to the front, right up close, or to heel. We have aseparate command fortehm to turn, waht ever direction tehy are going in, whether to left or to right or a way from you, they must about turn immediately and go in the opposite direction. So if they are going away from you and you ask for the turn they will come towards you but since it isn't a recall they don't have to come up close and sit. They would expect another command when getting near to you, possible a stop whistle at distance, or another turn whistle, depending on the circumstances
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OK - I need to take a break from this dog training....I have just asked Henry the hoover to 'Here Here Here here'! :o :o ::)
Emma ::) T
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Andy Nicklas DVD on starting sheepdog training is quite good for starting off. It shows a lot of the balancing & how to move to help training balance at first
Rose