When the outrun goes wrong, look back to the basics
We’re often asked what can be done to improve a bad outrun. There are many opportunities for the outrun to go wrong. Here are the most common faults that handlers worry about: The dog doesn’t reach the sheep Crossing over on the outrun Not bringing the sheep back to the handler Too fast! It’s quite […]
Gathering sheep at Dean Farm today
Portia excelled when she was gathering sheep at Dean Farm today! In the picture above, after returning the sheep to their field, Portia took a dip in a water tank. “Get in the car!” Apart from not wanting to get into the car! (I still have to lift her in). Portia was very impressive when […]
Featured tutorials – gripping the sheep
Gripping the sheep isn’t necessary for a confident working sheepdog, and can be counter-productive by upsetting the sheep and causing extra stress. Training a dog that grips can feel like a thankless task; it might seem that you take three steps forward in your training session only to start the next session two steps further […]
The training programme that we recommend
Training tutorials that guide you through a recommended programme of sheepdog training – what to do, and when to do it. The early stages of sheepdog training, especially for a beginner, can seem daunting. There’s so much for the dog to learn, and it can be hard to decide on what to teach first – […]
Flock Work tutorial
Is your dog ready to handle a flock of sheep? Once your dog can control a small number of sheep reasonably well in the training field, it’s natural to start thinking about working a flock of sheep. After all, that’s what the dog’s for, isn’t it! To us humans, flock work seems like a natural […]
Working off balance – Sending the dog the ‘wrong way’
Our “Sending the dog the wrong way” tutorial introduces a great exercise for widening the dog’s flanks and outrun. Just as when we teach shedding we ask the dog to ignore a basic lesson (NOT to run through the sheep) this time we want the dog to work off balance. We’re asking the dog to […]
Backwards is The Way Forward
Wondering whether to work on flanks, stop, or working distance? We think Backwards is the Way Forwards! Work on all aspects at once with this deceptively simple but effective sheepdog training exercise. As soon as your dog’s working around the sheep, and is under some sort of control, this simple exercise in an opportunity to […]
Featured tutorial – Early training with your sheepdog puppy
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that training a sheepdog puppy can wait until the puppy’s older – your puppy will start learning from you the moment it meets you. But it needn’t feel like work for either of you. The early months with any puppy are invaluable for getting to know its personality, and […]
Featured tutorial – Driving
A three-part tutorial to teach YOU how to teach your sheepdog to drive sheep. The Driving tutorials are among our most popular videos, tackling a subject that many handlers – and dogs – find challenging. Some sheepdog trainers dread teaching their dog to drive, but if you take the time to understand what’s happening there’s […]
Featured tutorial – Moving out into the open field
The training ring is ideal for keeping the action in easy reach of the handler, but some young dogs are unhappy when working in a restricted space. Confined with the sheep, and feeling under pressure, a dog can be uncharacteristically aggressive. Moving the sheep out of the training ring, and then putting them back in, […]
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