EyeHerdEwe

~ An Eye for an I, a tooth for a Thank You

EyeHerdEwe

Monthly Archives: June 2011

Goring Ranch SS SDT: As the Days Got Shorter…So Did Our Runs…

28 Tuesday Jun 2011

Posted by Katy in stockdog

≈ Leave a comment

Due to an unseasonable amount of precipitation the venue, though beautiful, was in three or twelve or 45 feet of grass and ticks.  Doesn't matter how far the outrun was; could have been 200 ..300…yards or 100 miles…It was a long distance through tall grass and over a small hill.  Out of 40-something open runs the first day, there were only 17 scores.  Things did not improve much the next day, though they adjusted the field slightly.  For pro-nov they moved setout slightly uphill, which helped for visibility, but it was still difficult through the tall, thick grass for the dogs, the sheep, and the handlers. 

Before our turn, watching a few runs leading up to ours, Jai spotted the sheep.  When we stood at the post, Jai stared in the correct direction as setout moved the sheep to the field.  I sent her, she did a nice outrun, decent lift; the fetch was a struggle as the sheep had a strong draw and it was hard for Jai to turn them …until she gripped; then the sheep turned and we were able to do some sketchy driving and timed out just getting to the pen. 

I was really happy with her. It was hard work in that grass. She was great.

Pat can't see at a distance.  I'd get him glasses, but they'd have to be bifoculs so he could see upclose to lick his balls, his other favorite past time.  With his chronic panting and licking, they'd always be fogged up; he'd look silly.  Pat has pride – …and, happily, experience.  Though he started way wide and threatened to continue past the sheep to setout, he took my redirect and brought me sheep but it was really hard work for him.  Once he got the sheep to me and (sort of) around the post, he was driving beautifully, but we timed out.  It was really getting hot, the outrun was laborious and Pat has a sore shoulder so I pulled him from his second run.

Prior to Jai's second run, as we stood around waiting, she fixated on a horse in the field adjacent to the trial course.  Then entire time we waited for our run, waited for our sheep, Jai stared at this tan horse grazing piecefully against a fence in the wrong direction. 

I mean, sure, aesthetically, it was a pastoral scene…but I'm thinking, "I'll bet this isn't about beauty and this is going to bite me in the ass."

Occasionally, during the runs leading up to ours, Jai would break her intense horse concentration long enough to note the relatively close presence of SHEEP, but as soon as they disappeared up the field or into the exhaust, she was back gazing horseward.  No sustained interest in the part of the field we were standing in that actually contained sheep.  The source, if you will,  of our future sheep.

I'm not going to lift my dog up into the air and force her to look in another direction because,

A) That looks really silly and since I've NEVER lifted her before, unless we're cuddling at home on a chair or couch, I KNOW she will think this behavior on my part is really really really wrong at the post, and she is likely to nibble-lick the shit out of my face in nervousness, causing me to scream and drop her….

B) See A.

So I kept alternating between thinking,

"This is going to bite me in the ass." and,

"No, she'll remember….she just found sheep not two hours before. Once I send her, she'll forget about horses and go get the sheep. Just like I'll stop thinking about the beer in my cooler.  We've never ridden a horse together…we don't even watch westerns. I'm so happy I brought lime for the Corona!"

I pointed her 90 degrees away from the horse and I sent her comebye …and she went down field veering across course and straight for the fucking horse.  I recalled and tried to lay her down to redirect, but she came ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE POST….where I attempted to send her again…to the … frankly disinterested horse.  We did this a few times and then I walked off.   I should have let her bring me the goddamned horse so we could have RIDDEN OFF.   The post was about a quarter mile from the handler's tent through 120 feet of grass and ticks and we were both hot and tired. 

Regardless, I was happy with both my dogs.  They both gave it their all and I made the mistakes, as usual.  It probably would have been nice to ride that horse.

Under Pressure

17 Friday Jun 2011

Posted by Katy in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Jai still has not quite forgiven me for sending her alone into a dirt blowing battle to capture sheep behind enemy lines.  The trailers full of probable monkeys, the people who scream guarding them. Were they even sheep? 

She would consider another line of work, like ear model or ball tester.  

But no.  The other day I worked her in a small area. Smaller than DDs little pasture, which Jai HATES, but bigger than my car.  The goal was to help her learn to work through pressure; to get her excited and build her confidence in situations that normally make her unsure.

These are days when I yell 'FUCK' a lot.  I mean…A LOT.  I really need a whistle for it. 

DD put sheep in her corral and I walked beside Jai and encouraged her to flank, not letting her go to head; to come into my pressure and drive the sheep through my bubble and the sheeps' bubbles and her own thought bubbles,

"I'd like to squeaze through the fence and run away to be a Therapy Dog with a vest. A vest says 'I'm Working!" unlike a sweater that says "She can't have children!" …  I would comfort people who aren't hungry but hate to waste good meat, be the inspiration for people who sit in roomy comfortable chairs and need something to do with their hands…."

"Jai! Walk up!" I said.  Jai wagged once and continued to stare at the sheep from a prone, not walking up position, cringing, licking her lips.  

"You keep saying your commands like they are a question," DD said, " You ask her -'Jai, walkup?'… You need to TELL HER TO WALK UP and GET HER EXCITED!"

Jay meanwhile licked her lips vigorously and issued a few new wags in my direction. Resumed staring.

"JAI! WALK THE FUCK UP! OMG WE JUST WON THE ORGANIC CHICKEN LOTTERY! CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!! WALK UP! WALK UPWALKUP! FUCK FUCK FUCK…"

Jai took a few steps, then laid down.  Then she'd go to their heads.  Or she'd go behind me and flank which resulted in perpetual swirling.  It was a very patience-threatending endeavor. 

Finally, I managed to use my deep baritone Double D voice (with a hint of Louis Armstrong) to insist in a way that worked,

"COME ONCOME ONCOMEON…SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER! YEAH! WALK UP!WALKUPWALKUP!!UH-HUH!"

and, after taking her frustration out on the ewes with a few grips, she lost the desire to leave, started to come in more and worked better.

I am leaving for the weekend, sans dogs, then I have just a few more days to work with her and Pat, and then we trial the following two weekends in Utah.  I have *No Idea* what to expect.  She can do nice outruns, she can work beautifully….or she can fall apart, take one flank only, blow me off, grip a ewe…. wag wag wag.

She should model that wag at some cattle dog club.  That tail is the stuff of aussie pet dreams.

*****

This post is dedicated to TT from AG.  I wrote the entire thing on a conference call.

Dirt and Other Things Blowing

15 Wednesday Jun 2011

Posted by Katy in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Jai had 2 runs on the pro-novice field, PLUS a re-run …resulting in 2 retires plus a DQ.   The DQ was the Grande Finale, when Thanking Us to get off the field felt really genuine.

The pronovice field was about 400 yards across a plowed wheat field and up a slight incline, down into a draw and finally the last 20 or so yards up a hill where four range ewes were set out of trailers.  Two stock trailers, a horse trailer a couple of four wheelers; plus 4 people and 2 dogs.  The only thing that was missing was clowns, warped organ music and fireworks. 

As far as Jai was concerned it was like storming the beach at Normandy alone.  Still, she went. Each time.  She went out looking pretty good, but ultimately came in too tight, busted up the sheep and swirling near the trailers occurred.  Word at the top was that on the first or second run she actually recovered the sheep but hesitated and lost them again to the trailer suck.  The last run she rolled a ewe and then proceeded to chase it around the trailer.  Growling. 

We have some work to do.  DD likes to haul sheep to the desert and work. I'd like to haul some to a carnival.

Pat's runs went better but I still tend to forget to think once I step to a post.  Or I forget to think about what I'm DOING.  I have a few moments of leisure after sending Pat because that dog is a O/L/F machine.  He will bring sheep; they might come fast, but they will come straight.  His outrun is beautiful. Four hundred yards gives me plenty of time to day dream or just grab some 'me time'…looking up when I hear hooves. 

It's one of the reasons I don't cook.  Once something goes into the oven, or onto a burner…well, my job is done.  The appliance can do the rest.  Sadly, as with my stockdog trialing, I forget how important TIMING can be.  That the occasional INTERACTION with the ingredients is crucial.

We made our fetch panels at high speed both times.  Then I tried to slow Pat down for the rest of the course and we timed out at the pen.  I think I made one of the drive panels, on one of the runs, but I can't remember.  Like I couldn't remember to remain standing at the post until he broke the plain of the second drive panels.  I just sort of walked away, then remembered 10 feet into it and scurried and hopped my way back. 

The judge did NOT DQ me for this or the "SHIT!" that I uttered when I realized.  Maybe she didn't hear, or maybe she wanted to see what was next – would I produce bread, some PB&J, and make a sandwich, eat it langorously at the post while Pat held sheep at the pen willing me to come over and OPEN THE GATE?

No.

We only had 7 or 8 minutes. I had no bread.

SO! I have a few days between that trial and the next one. 

Archived Posts

  • October 2019
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
Follow EyeHerdEwe on WordPress.com
wordpress visitors

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • EyeHerdEwe
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • EyeHerdEwe
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar