The Lessons of October
Bryna and I went for a herding lesson last evening. There was an autumnal sadness to it, in a way. While I can leave work from early May to late July and still get to the farm and have plenty of daylight left to practice in, as the days get shorter, I gradually reach a point where I must take a few hours of vacation time in order to avoid using my stock stick to feel my way around the field in the dark. Yesterday I had to leave 2 hours early, and with the change from Daylight Savings to Standard Time, I cannot manage to do it without taking half a day. So henceforth our weekday herding will be restricted to federal holidays and very special occasions, and we will make do with a Saturday or Sunday. Sigh.
But autumn has its own sweet joys. The drive to the farm was lovely, with the red and gold trees all around, and from our practice arena, a fine view of the sun setting over the Shenandoah Mountains. The weeds leaving their seeds in Bryna's feet are far fewer, and the drier days reduce the chore of washing feet. And the crisp air gets us both really moving. After a few minutes of work, I felt comfortable in jeans and t-shirt.
For several weeks, we have been working on "trial" sheep. That means these sheep are lighter, and more prone to running off if the dog puts too much pressure on them. My goals during this session were to work on Bryna's down, and to improve her flanking. Her down is better than it was even a few weeks ago, but I need for her to be able to hold it even when she doesn't want to: when she thinks the sheep are going to get away from me. Those moments occur when, for example, I do want them to "get away." For instance, I might want them to go through a chute without me, or into a pen so that I can shut the gate behind them. Bryna's instinct to fetch the sheep to me is so strong that it is as if she can hardly accept that that is what is really supposed to happen next.
So I have had learn ways to be more clear and firm. My severe correction now for her jumping up from a down consists of a very loud "ACKKKKKK!" I don't know how to spell that really, but it is a noise that comes from deep down in the back of the throat. I like that one because it sounds very firm, but to me it doesn't sound angry -- just insistent. Only if she really grabs a sheep in unwarranted excitement do I resort to a "NOOO!" (I should note that this can be wearing on your throat. Back when I used to lecture to 200 college students without a microphone, this might have been easier, but now a few good ACKKKs are pretty wearing!)
The flip side of this is that when she managed to hold her down very nicely on the 3rd penning try, I stopped everything for about 30 seconds to cuddle her and tell her how wonderful she was. Then we went right in and got the sheep right back out, but again she had to hold a stay while the sheep exited. (You may recall that I once realized that we could never stop on a pen in our lessons, since she was starting to think that event marked the end of our sheep games.)
Not one full segment of this stuff was perfect. But there were really good moments, and by the end of the lesson, we had made some good progress, and my gigantic "ACKKKKs" where moving down to "ackkkks." To put it another way, 3 months ago I think one might say that Bryna nearly didn't have a down, just a good slow, combined with very good balance and intense fetching instinct. Now she does have a down and it needs to be more reliable. (Actually a lot more reliable, but we're improving.)
Oh, did I mention that in the distance, someone seemed to be practicing up for deer season? That sort of gunfire, banging, crashing, etc., really rattles her, and a year ago we would have had to stop. But by trying to make things interesting (changing directions, moving faster, etc.) after those moments, she never actually went off the sheep, even though she was clearly thinking about it. If you knew what a soft dog this is, you would know why I was as pleased by that as by the improvement in her stops.
Like Judi, I had my own recent herding videotape experience. Let me say that I don't have a video camera or a VCR, and after seeing mine, some friends would argue that I don't have a TV, either. So there are only two herding videos of Bryna that I have seen. One was made June, 1995, when Bryna was almost 1 year old. It was not Bryna's 1st exposure to sheep, but it was a first lesson for both of us. The teacher was Vergil Holland. The second was made just before we went to Orlando. My filming friend copied her video onto the remaining tape of my Vergil Holland lesson, then I watched them both one after the other. It was a revelation! We really *had* learned something in those 14 months! I didn't look like the complete doofus I was in 1995. (How could I have just stooood there like that!!!) Bryna now actually does what I ask her to, fairly often! She actually stops several times when I want her to. The sheep don't run like maniacs the whole time in the second part. Maybe we have learned something after all???? 'Course, I did fall on my fanny in both segments....
On Sunday at our next lesson, I will try something new. I am going to take Dropshot, Bryna's good beardie buddy and former roomie at Camp Gone to the Dogs, out for a lesson, without his mom Marsha. Marsha isn't thrilled about sheep stuff, but she knows that Drop enjoys it. And when I mentioned it to my teacher, she thought it would be a good learning experience for me. We shall see. Bryna started sheep lessons with a solid down in obedience class, and a few other training assets. Dropshot's down is pretty shaky. Drop has the first leg of his HCT, and I would like to train him enough to give Marsha a birthday present of his 2nd leg so that he can have an HCT title after his name, and all of the associated bragging rights. Unfortunately, we both know that he won't work if Marsha is there, so Marsha can't watch this first effort. Wish me luck.
Sorry for the lengthy blathering. Happy fall (or spring if that is what it is doing where you are)!
Lynne & Bryna