Summer’s flown by

Summers for me are crammed and jammed with as much as I possibly can get into them between resting times. I’m working my dogs as a brace (a team of two working in unison) and though it’s a challenge have gotten to where they will work off my body language and work more fluidly together at herding sheep.

People seem fascinated and I suppose wonder why I even want to work my dogs together, as at times it is so much harder to get two to be directed then just one. It kind of started as a way to help my Shorty dog over a rough patch. He lacked the confidence to work on his own away from me on the livestock.

Now his desire to work has intensified and sometimes it’s just a struggle to get him to not try to take the sheep away from Junior while they’re working together. Anytime one dog tries to cut across the other dog’s path to work the sheep by himself, I put him in a wide flank, circling and off contact from the sheep, until he listens to take my direction -- staying in position. Both dogs are very quick to pick up on this maneuver of mine and since they want to remain on contact (directly moving the sheep) will settle down to work more cooperatively with each other. Nether one of them wants to spend their time running wide circles around the perimeter of the sheep. Although it is great fun to watch two dogs running flanks counter to each other. Kind of like a circus act, on dog going clockwise and the other counter clockwise.

I sort of look like an orchestra director out there. It’s probably odd to watch the boys and I. The dogs know what right and left mean. If I say right, I’m wanting the dog to come on my right side and line up beside that leg. So I truly have a right hand and left hand dog now. Shorty lines up on my right and Junior on my left, when I call in preparation for an outrun. The out run looks like this...

I lift my arms out in a sweeping motion (in the beginning saying “get out”) and the boys take off on their appropriate sides around the sheep. When driving and turning it is great fun to move them with my body position. As I step out to the side and raise one arm it will push both of them over in unison as we continue to move driving the sheep along. If one of the dogs moves to cross the others path I will verbally reposition him and we will get going again. I find this great fun. This dancing with my dogs.

I love the company of my dogs and it is very fulfilling to have both out with me in the field. We are our own small little pack. The dogs have always followed me where ever I go, and out to herding trials or clinics are always found by my side. I think no matter how many dogs I would have I would figure out a way to have them all there with me.