Sheepdog confidence is essential for everything we ask of our dog, whether it’s an outrun, working in tightly packed pens, or loading stock onto a trailer.
Why does a dog need confidence?
A dog which lacks confidence will make the early stages of training more difficult. For instance, getting sheep away from the fence. Additionally, keeping them in the middle of the training ring, demands confidence on the part of the dog. Sheep are quick to recognise a dog which lacks confidence and what’s more, they’re quick to take full advantage. That’s just what a shy young dog doesn’t need!
A dog that lacks confidence is too often condemned as “weak”, but emails we receive from handlers describe a problem whose root is a lack of confidence. Confidence must be taken seriously.
Can you build sheepdog confidence?
Our revised and extended sheepdog confidence tutorial addresses and resolves confidence problems. We begin with recognising a lack of self-assurance. We discuss whether an aggressive dog is over-confident? Is it nervous? Does the dog appear to work erratically? How do sheep or cattle behave towards the dog, do they move away with respect or just stay put?
Watch this short video of Kay, who is a quietly confident sheepdog. Kay “demonstrates” to her daughter Jet that even a tight scary place is nothing to fear. Kay wasn’t born confident but in time, with patient and sympathetic handling, she learned to be more assertive. So did Jet.
Your sheepdog’s confidence is your responsibility. Watch The Dog’s Confidence, in our sheepdog tutorials library, to understand how to nurture and protect your dog’s confidence.
WE CAN HELP YOU TRAIN YOUR DOG TO WORK SHEEP, CATTLE OR OTHER LIVESTOCK
If you’re interested in training a dog to work sheep, cattle, or other livestock, we can help you – whether you’re a complete beginner, or just wanting to improve.
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For a very small monthly (or annual) subscription, watch many hours of expertly presented sheepdog training lessons. Not just theory – we show you what should happen, and what to do when things go wrong. Signup now. It’s easy to cancel payments at any time and you can continue to watch for the period you paid for.
Find out how members can send videos for our assessment and advice on their dog’s progress.
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