Finally Spring and mostly clear ground so we get back to some herding ! The best we could do over the winter was 2 or 3 times working ducks in Sue Amsden's really nice but small arena in N.H. Thanks for the invites Sue !
Started the season with just small stall almost packed pen work with Fios and Ava at Diane Menard's . The dogs do like all that pressure but work through it : < ) I was standing in another stall so got to work on inside flanks.
Now Diane has a mostly clear big arena so have worked Fios, Ava, and Peak out there twice.
Peak has really come on and was doing bigger outruns than normal and running past the dog tied on the inside of the fence to prevent sheep from running to gate. Normally Peak would go no where near another dog ! She was on all through her lesson and doing some nice driving with holding sheep on the fence line ! At 9.5 years old when most dogs are being retired , Peak is just beginning ! Very exciting stuff since she would hide behind my legs in the beginning . I have high hopes for good stuff from her in arena trials this year.
Fios is getting driving now and getting better at stopping and getting a better pace on the fetch . Everything is improving for us as a team. Been a long , slow bus, tearful and occasionally joyful journey. As long as he will keep coming into the field with me, I will keep trying to do right by him ! He has been quite the teacher ; < ) I was really happy with our work at my most recent lesson at Denise Leonards ! Her big field is all open now too.
Ava is kicking it up more now . I was happy with the big wide outruns and natural stop ...LOL She is really naturally talented and probably would go far with someone who can give her daily work but she'll have to make do with me. She was distracted a bit by duck egg shells ( she loves to eat them ) in the field . .....hmm bad sheepdog and BAD seagulls for dropping the eggs out there ! I am planning on sending her to Barb Armata for more continuos training this Spring. Denise had taken her twice but now has a litter of pups due so not as much time or space for that extra dog. Will be good for Ava to get work on different sheep anyway.
I am very excited for this year and learning how to handle now that I believe in the dogs and am building partnerships with them : < ) I actually even occasionally did the right thing in directing the dogs in driving in my past two lessons !
Onward and upward : < )
