Does a sheepdog need to be confident?
Without it, Kay would struggle to cope with stubborn sheep.
We had another early start this morning with two lots of sheep to gather at Dean Farm. We’re “enjoying” a heatwave in the UK at the moment. So I was more than happy to get up at 5am today because I wanted to get the sheep in and draft the lambs out before the heat became unbearable.
Even so, by the time the lambs were all in the trailer and ready to go off to market, it was hot enough, and the dogs were exhausted.
Complications
The operation didn’t go as smoothly as usual, with misunderstandings about which sheep were going back to which fields. It was extra work for us all but, although I was hot and tired when we finished, I’d been pleased with the dogs.
Improvement every time
Bronwen continues to improve every time we go to the farm. Her work inside the sorting pens is exceptionally good. She’s recently taken it upon herself to “wear” back and forth behind the sheep, making certain none of them escape. As a result, they’re keen to go through the sorting race!
An occasional sheep tries to knock her down, but they don’t attempt it more than once. Bronwen usually gives them a good nip on the nose before they make contact. Bronwen’s confidence is such, that she takes these knocks in her stride.
Kay, back on form
The most impressive dog today was Kay; she gets more confident each time she works. Gill suggested it might be a result of her feeling more responsibility since we parted with Carew. Kay’s also lost a lot of weight since she had her pups, and of course that will have helped matters, too. This morning, little Kay was like a new dog! She’s usually reluctant to work in the handling pen, but this morning she and Bronwen stood no nonsense at all from the difficult ewes.
Confidence is key
The picture at the top of this page is a joy to us. Previously, to get a picture of Kay walking behind the sheep, I had to tell her to stay where she was while I moved back to get the picture. I had to do this because Kay was becoming increasingly reluctant to walk ahead of me to drive a flock. She insisted on walking by my legs. We managed that way for some time, but now Kay’s work is improving all round. That has to be a good thing, and long may it continue.
Does a sheepdog need to be confident? Yes! And if you need your dog to work in tight spaces, or at a distance from you, it’s especially important. But it CAN be taught. Take a look at our sheepdog training tutorials.
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