Last year my goal was to start Sookie in a herding trial this year – but since Sookie only has been out herding a few times since June last year I have postponed this goal. As agility has been taken up most of my spare time there has only been very little time for herding as I also want to make sure my dogs get some rest between competitions and training.
For the last couple of months, both Sookie and Vini have been training almost once a week on the sheep. With Sookie it was like starting all over again – had to remind her what Lie-Down means and the difference between Away and Come Bye 😉 But she picked it up quickly – my smart girl! Sookie is actually doing quite well – she’s keeping the lines and has a natural distance to the sheep during the outrun. My only challenge with Sookie is that if she doesn’t think the sheep are moving fast enough when she drive the sheep away from me she tends to get very close to the sheep. Well, my bad – so now working on keeping the distance during the drive as well. If we can keep up the regular training during the winter I will definitely sign us up for a trial next year!
Vini has been working on a big pen and later in a small field. Helle has helped me to start Vini up but Jette, Vini’s breeder, has only seen Vini working on the pen. Today Jette was holding a clinic at Jan’s place and I participated with both dogs. This was the first time Vini was out in a big field. I was working on the send arounds and on driving the sheep to me. Vini did so great – and even Jette complimented us 😀
Nice to get some inputs from Jette – it was a great day and I am very proud of my dogs – now both dogs are sleeping with a huge smile on their face 😀
Big thanks to Felicia for the photos!
Sookie
Sookie
Vini
Vini
-::- -::- Dansk version -::- -::-
Sidste år var mit mål at stille op i en hyrdeprøve i år, men siden Sookie kun har hyrdet meget få gange fra sidste år i juni, har jeg udskudt dette mål. Da agilityen har taget det meste af fritiden, har der kun været meget lidt tid til at hyrde, da jeg også vil sikre, at mine hunde får pauser mellem træning og konkurrencer.
I de sidste par måneder har jeg hyrdetrænet næsten en gang om ugen med både Sookie og Vini. Med Sookie var det næsten som at starte forfra – hun skulle lige have genopfrisket hvad Lie Down betyder og at der er forskel på Come Bye og Away 😉 Men hun fandt hurtigt ud af det igen! Sookie gør det rigtigt godt – hun holder nogle flotte linier og har en naturlig afstand, når hun laver udløb. Min udfordring er dog, når Sookie ikke synes fårene bevæger sig hurtigt nok i fradrivning, så mener hun, at hun skal gå helt op bag i fårene. Det er min egen skyld – hun skulle være stoppet lige fra starten. Hvis jeg fortsat får holdt træningen ved lige over vinteren, så skal vi absolut ud til en konkurrence næste år!
Vini har været om en stor fangefold og på løse får i en lille indhegning. Helle har hjulpet mig med at få startet Vini op, men Jette, Vini’s opdrætter, har kun set Vini på fangefold. I dag afholdte Jette et hyrdekursus hos Jan og jeg deltog med begge hunde. Dette var første gang Vini er ude på en stor mark. Jeg arbejdede på at sende Vini rundt om fårene og drivning. Vini klarede det så flot – og selv Jette synes det – ja, vi fik for en sjælden gang ros 😀
Dejligt at få nogle input fra Jette – vi havde en super dag og jeg er super stolt af hundene – nu sover de begge med et stort smil om munden 😀
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