Last evening I took the three of my dogs who weren't at the vet being old and sick (poor Hank) for their nightly walk/run/roll in something dead or digested.  Very recently I've noticed a change in Scout on these outtings.  She used to stick at my heel, except when we first started out, when she'd blast as fast as possible for a long enough stretch to prove that she could out run Zeke. 

She's gone through a few stages actually. Months ago, she'd bark and bite at my feet, which annoyed the absolute F*CK out of me, for the first 1/2 mile of the run. I'd scream, I'd threaten, I'd throw shit at her. FINALLY, she got off that kick.

She went through a relatively normal phase of following Zeke everywhere, alternating with crouching down and stalking him, pouncing on him and then racing off to do it again.  This Zeke tended to ignore, although for awhile he, too, seemed irritated by it.  When I started working with her on her "lie down" and "stay" on the trail this phase ended.  That was not my intention, but it coincided with the training.

Then Scout went through the longest phase of just following calmly and quietly at my heel. This, too, annoyed me. (Proving that I'm a thankless bitch who will never be satisfied? Perhaps.)  I worried that this indicated some sort of insecurity. 

Ever since Dianne and Jodi called me the Appendages of Yammering Ruin (not their words, exactly) I've been trying to be more aware of my vocal presence, as well as my physical.  I've been trying to lay off calling the dogs back on walks/runs unless its necessary for their safety or my photo op.  No training on the trails. This is recreation time.  Scout is back to ranging out and pouncing on Zeke.  I'm shutting up for Olympic qualifying stretches of time.  I think its healthier for everyone. 

Last night, on our way back to the car, Zeke rolled in something so foul and frothy, dead just long enough to be at maximum putrid level without having lost that juicy cadaver quality….I screamed obscenities all the way home.  All the way home.  I waved my arms and screamed.

Okay…I couldn't come up with a better title. Whisperer was taken. 

Today Scout and I went out to Dianne's to try something new that she came up with to make Scout feel and respond to my body pressure. 

I spent the drive out to Caldwell listening to Estrogen Tunes, compliments of my husband, who made me a cd of Alanis Morrissette (Is it a hint? Like, 'Maybe if Katy listens to the same stuff my friend's wives listen to, she, too, will vacuum and make healthy soups and stews, instead of spreading bacon bits on the carpet every few weeks, calling it bio-shag,  and buying beer and chips by the Costco caseload'….) 

I like Alanis Morrissette okay.  After 30 miles I started to wonder if she ever keeps anything to herself, though.  Does she let any small slight go unsung?  She seems to have catchy tunes backing up a lot of whining.  She's like a melodic nag.
I can't imagine coming home to,

Anyway, I'm sure she's not The Soundtrack to my working/training relationship with Scout.   Jodi tried Carol King for behind our last working video and it was nice…but I still picture Tom Waits or L7, personally. At least for now.  Today was better.

Dianne had Scout and I work in the not-round round pen.  She had me use *2* stock wands to block Scout's access to the sheep while I forced her to back up off my body pressure.   Then I'd lie her down and make her wait until I released her.  At first it was all about Scout trying desperately to get around me to the sheep, barking and circling, lunging— while I tried to stay on my feet and ahead of her.  Gradually, though, she slowed down and did back up.  When I released her she was much calmer in getting around the sheep.  She began to respond to my pressure.  

Dianne worked an 8 month old pup, Teal,  using the same method.  It was really fascinating to stand back and watch her work with him.  Initially he was all shaking adrenalin and drive.  There was a pretty dramatic difference in the behavior of the dog after just a few times with Dianne calmly backing him up and making him lay down and think a moment, process, before getting his sheep.  I think the coolest part of stock dog training is the psychology behind maximizing your dog's potential.  And that much of this transfers to human relationships. For instance, I bought more beer and chips than ever on the way home.  PLUS a case of Fakin Bits(tm?).  (no pork killed in the cleaning of this carpet!)

I listened to NPR on the way home.   I was afraid I'd ovulate if I didn't.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jodi Darling

Saturday we (I, Jodi, Colleen, and Jaenne) went out to work at Janies on setting up the course for the Halloween trial.  It's been blogged about in better places (hayewe) and I won't go over the parts that Doll already covered since I believe the 3 people that read this blog also read her's.  Suffice it to say that normally when a man calls me 'blondie', I'd take a shovel to his head – but I never actually heard it applied to me this weekend, until one time towards the end of the afternoon.   I suspect that it was the Keystone Light and ridiculously tight wranglers talking.  Regardless, I wouldn't have taken anything those guys said or did more seriously than Pat humping my leg a few days prior out at Dianne's house.  Except that it is worth noting that I find Pat much more attractive.  We have more in common. He 'gets' me.

Sunday we went out to Dianne's house to see Pat…uh, I mean take lessons.  Jodi, Jaenne and I.  This time the Tip was for me to perhaps amputate my arms since I apparently can't keep from flailing them around like tenticals on some crazed sea creature, which my dog seemingly deciphers to mean, Play Time, since what else can all that random motion mean?   Scout was laying down for me, she was staying down, with some reminders, and she was slowing down…but we still have cutting in on the stock issues when I send her, which I know is my timing in part…and perhaps my….gesturing.

Its been suggested before that I put my hands in my pockets.  I'm not even aware that I'm doing it.  I gesture, I wave, I scoop.  I need my arms for hugging nuclear children (saw it on a bumper sticker) and I'm sure they'll come in handy later in my stock dog education but for now they seem to be …tentacles of doom.   This week I will attempt to curb my gesturing as well as my vocal outbursts.  Which will not only make me a better handler but please my family in general, I'm sure.

Last night I went over to Jodi's house and she video-taped me working Scout.  I have to say, through gritted teeth, that I'm a huge believer in the painful lessons learned watching yourself on video.   There is nothing like it to let fully sink in the reality of what all is going wrong out there.  While I'm working I think I'm aware of the mistakes I'm making, about 2 seconds after I'm making them…and when Jodi or Dianne points them out to me; I certainly know when things are not going right, but I think I like to reassure myself that they aren't THAT BAD…Scout is a little more off her sheep, she downs 3 out of 5 times… 

Seeing yourself shout the same commands over and over, your dog blowing you off…God Damn, she is in constant motion and so is my mouth! …it's strong bitter medicine.  I almost stopped watching the Longest Video Ever about 3 times, I kept getting mad at myself.  It reminded me of black and white stock film footage I've seen of chimps chasing eachother around a table.  Round and Round…hoot hoot…round and round.  One chimp is in a dress, the other in a tuxedo with tails.  It's all silent, but you can tell that one is almost constantly hooting at the other.  The point is never really clear.  The only thing slightly less disturbing about my training video is that, thankfully, I didn't wear a prom dress.  Other than that, the chimps seemed to have more of clear goal in mind and they were both aware of one another's presence.

On the bright side, Jodi was completely delighted by the video.  She danced with unbridled joy. Laughing. Clapping.  Snickering,

"Wait till you SEE IT!! OMG! It's the BEST VIDEO EVER! YOU NEVER SHUT UP! Count how many times you say, 'Scout..down…down, Scout…Scout. Down.' You will learn SO MUCH from watching this…"

I taped her working Zip.  It is worth noting that I have never seen Jodi work so calmly and quietly. You are welcome. Hoot hoot.

Today I went to Dianne's for a lesson.  At first, Scout and I made the same mistakes.  I repeated commands, with increased volumn, Scout blew me off, rushed in, etc.  Dianne, who will one day learn that on my training days she might just want start drinking around 9am,  came over and in her own incredulous DIanne way asked, "What are you doing?"

I never know how to answer this.  "Uhhhh…" seems sufficient.

Dianne pointed out how important it is that I setup the run during the first moments out there to succeed. "Don't let her blow you off that first time."

Today it wasn't so much that we covered anything new with Scout, it was more about me enforcing what I say; only issuing a command once, then getting after her for not listening.  Really getting after her.  It's the same thing we cover each time, really, but I believe I made progress today.  I kept picturing those damn monkeys.

Dianne also let me work Nicki.  Nicki is a young dog DIanne is training for someone else.   That was really fun. To experience what it felt like to send a dog on a longish outrun and work with advanced problems (Nicki is very pressure sensative) was like driving someone elses sports car. 

Then I got into my POS toyota wagon and went home.   

This weekend was pretty stockdog intensive and I wish I could illustrate this with nice digital photographs of dogs and sheep in action…but…I take shitty pictures.  Always have.  Jodi takes beautiful pictures and will undoubtedly post some on her blog. My pictures are my words. Be thankful because that usually comes closer to an actual point, believe it or not, than anything I can produce with a camera.

With a camera, I always either take a shot of the wrong thing or frame the picture ridiculously….
"What is that a picture OF, Katy?"
"An ant hauling a potato chip…"
"Where is the ant?"
"It's really small…its down there somewhere…"
"Is that your garage and the neighbor's house?"
Yes, its a shot of my entire yard…I thought the context was important."

Context is important.  That continues to haunt me with my stockdog work.  Until I can master context in the physical sense, the way I over-master it in the written/picture department, I will be a shrill mess out in the field.

This weekend we took part in a demo for a little community (*cough* Victorian Stepford *cough* ) that was celebrating, as near as I could tell, vacuuming out an old barn and ….the civil war, plus the bad music that preceded it.  I might be a little jaded here because…who writes songs about a Badger in the Outhouse?  Are these words something that we need to put to music, really?  AND why in Idaho do we need civil war re-enacters?  If I had known that the event would be festooned with aged men shooting blanks, I'd have brought my mother and left my dog at home. Scout certainly didn't need to be reminded that anyone fought to keep blacks enslaved.  We both hate gunshots and balloons (and Eric's cell phone).  SO…Scout and my part in the demo was sort of frantic. THOUGH I do think it was, despite my little rant, good for us in general (no pun intended) because I did make her work through our issues.  The area we had to work in was VERY small and she worked too tight at first and I was afraid to correct her too loudly…with all the children and women in skirts and bonnets and such…plus I wasn't sure if I'd be shot for screaming "GODDAMN IT I SAID GET BACK YOU LITTLE BITCH! JODI IS LAUGHING AT US!"   I know for certain that we would have been violating some social code of the 1800's.  Women weren't named Jodi until after washing machines were invented.

Anyway, Scout did better each time I worked her, because I did better.  I was more relaxed and made her, quietly and without the use of foul language, "lay down" and "get back".  It wasn't stellar, but it was good for us.  Scout's sister, Mo, did really well for Jaenne.  I hope someone took pictures of them working together. I hope Jaenne updates her blog.

Next we drove over to the Ketchum/Hailey area to help out with the annual Trailing of the Sheep trial.  I helped with setout.  This was good exposure for me because we weren't using dogs (in the pens) so it was a good opportunity for me to be around stock and experience them from my dogs perspective.   I don't have sheep of my own, yet.  Just 4 dogs and a cat, so my experience with livestock outside of my recent dog herding forrays is …oh…nonexistent.   It was pretty impressive to me how easily Jodi and Susan could take a group of 30 range ewes and calmly encourage 5 to walk into a small pen, quickly and yet pretty languidly.  I usually ended up with 6 or 7 and it happened much more haphazardly.  I tried adjusting my pace and body movements and it helped some, but I couldn't replicate the ease.  I asked Susan about this later and she said that she sort of communicates what she wants from the sheep.  Being a woman of science, she was reluctant for this to be interpreted as 1-900 Ask a Sheep Psychic fodder, but it made sense to me on a deeper, less Shirley MacLean level too. I think Susan communicates thru her body movements, eye contact, and even more subtle language that prey animals would pick up but I can't yet, that she can be trusted and is in control; Susan never doubted that 5 sheep would walk into the pen.   Like with athletes who say that they picture the objective in their mind slightly before and as they are achieving it.  I think, again, its a matter of confidence and being fully engaged, instead of just trying too hard with your body while mentally worrying about the Badger in the Outhouse or why we don't have Vietnam or Desert Storm re-enacters.

Anyway. It was a great weekend.  I don't have a picture to prove it.