lesson with Barb Armata 8 4 12

Diane Menard and I went to Barb Armata's for a herding lesson yesterday in Esperance NY.  

At 62 you would think I would not care about praise but I was most pleased when after my first go with Fios that Barb said she was proud of me for insisting Fios down and stay and sticking with it  :< )   She also commented that she was glad I had Diane to kick my Ass !

This was sooooooooooooooo hard for me to do after 15 years of click and treat for agility.  Pretty much have to use verbal and or physical corrections for herding unless you have an easy saint of a dog .

I have been worried from the start that Fios would not like herding if I put too much pressure on him.  Maria (Fios's breeder) said in the early days that he wanted to work for me and I could not turn him off but someone else could . I should have beleived that a bit better.  Now after pussy footing around for 3 years, Fios is snapping too quickly and not quitting !  He might run off a bit with each new pressure thing from me (hmmm if I run off maybe Mom will give in ? ) but he always comes back happily for the next go :< )


Since Fios was doing good with the down (it's all we worked on in our last lesson !), we got to do other things. Like widen him at the top (by my running towards Fios through the sheep)  and turn out on away flanks  (pointing my hat at Fios  and pressure into Fios) .  (I got him to down originally by slapping my hat on my leg as I marched all pissy faced at him ) All done with mostly body pressure as really that is all Fios needs.  Now if I can get the presssure prescence right and timing he will just do it. 

Diane calls me "oblvious Betty "  and I guess sometimes I am in herding :< (  I turned around to hook Fios's lead to the fence and he took off after the sheep !  She's not looking ...... GO !!!! Barb told me to call him back and our sheep left for good.  Had to wait now for another set.  Barb said the others would come back eventually.  BAD DOG !!!   BAD BETTY :< (


Barb isn't really saying or doing anything I haven't heard but she has a prescence that makes you just do it with no argument ;< )  She just is this is what needs to be done ..period !!

Thank You Barb for no fooling around, just do it attitude and the praise ;< )  and Diane Menard for believing in me and my dogs and picking away at me until I was ready to hear it !

We may never be great but we'll be the best we can be !