The point of balance is a valuable indicator of your dog’s control of its sheep. Everyone’s heard that the dog must balance the sheep, but what does that mean?
You’ll often hear that the dog MUST stop at 12 o’clock. To understand where this is, you need to imagine that the handler is standing at 6 o’clock on a clock face with the dog directly opposite the handler (at 12 o’clock). On the other side of the sheep.
At least, that’s the theory!
The point of balance in practice
In practice it isn’t quite so simple. Sheep are often keen to go in a different direction to that which the dog is employed to bring them. In this case, the dog will need to position itself to one side or other of the point of balance. Rest assured though, if the sheep are moving towards you in a straight line, then wherever your dog is, it has found the point of balance.
Watch the Balance tutorial to understand the basics of balance. Once you’ve mastered the point of balance Sending the Dog the Wrong Way looks at working OFF balance. Additionally, Driving Part 2 explains that the point of balance can be more than just watching the clock!
Sheepdog training videos
Our sheepdog training video tutorials provide valuable guidance for members. From starting a dog and progressing its training, as well as guidance for competing in sheepdog trials, they deal with the challenges that arise.
NB: Tutorials are available to paid subscribers who are logged in to their account. There’s more information about our sheepdog training tutorials in the video below.
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.
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