I feel like such a SHEEP DOG SLACKER lately.
Last weekend I worked Jai one day. We worked on shedding. Sort of half heartedly, really. I used DDs entire herd of sheep and waited for a natural opening large enough to drive a barge through slowly. Then I called Jai in and she came because I was also eating a sandwich at the time. (And drinking a beer, but I don't feel that influenced the outcome). She drove the subgroup off until I said,
"Look Back!" with a full mouth, so it sounded like, "LOO BAAPH"
It took about three times and some flailing, where I lost a chunk of cheese from my sandwich, which Jai eyed hopefully, before she gathered the remaining flock and regrouped.
We did this two times before I decided I wanted some chips and salsa.
Shedding makes me nervous. And hungry. I do enjoy TALKING about it though. As long as someone else is actually DOING it at the time. Maybe that's cooking.
Sunday we watched the finals at DDs house where my neice, the Good Katy, was housesitting; Kelsey, Susan, GK and I. We thought of questions to pose to the commentators that would get me kicked off for sure; Things like,
"What are you wearing?" and,
"What is the approximate area, in square meters, and French, of the drive from last fetch panel to shedding ring?"
"If you only pen half the sheep, will you get half the points?"
We laughed, but used good judgment in not posting them…mostly.
It was a GOOD TIME. I won a DVD because Kelsey typed the answer that Susan correctly provided to a question.
It takes a village.
I am entered in two trials, I think, coming up. Trailing of the Sheep, NC, and Fire Ridge PN. Both challenging courses. Both really mere weeks away.
This weekend I'm going to the Oregon coast with my children. Plus Jai and Pat.
Next weekend I hope to work dogs. I mean REALLY!
I like to drink coffee from a zippy cup when I work my dogs, I have seen Scott Glenn do this at clinics and I like to impersonate big hats, not yet sure how it will help with the herding, but I am sure it will all make sense one day. It sounds like eating a sandwich and drinking beer while herding you are taking it to a higher level.
So you are giving Open a try at the “Trailing of the Sheep”? Very cool, good luck.
I will be at Fire Ridge running PN with Ben, hope to see you there.
~Jorgen
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Impersonation is a good thing. I’m considering adding bling to my wardrobe, like the DDs with her seizure inducing sparkle-hats and industrial-strength shiny belts…I think it hypnotizes the sheep or something. Still, I’m also afraid that it might be a CHEMISTRY thing and if the WRONG PERSON wears rhinestone studded accoutrement then it leads to aggression or forest fires. So…
I’m only running NC at T of the S because I knew I’d go anyway and figured it would be good for Jai. She likes big fields.
I look forward to seeing you and Ben at Fire Ridge.
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if you are going to the northern Oregon Coast IE Astoria, Cannon Beach .. let me know ! you won’t be too far from my house! come see the new pasture!
Jai and Pat would love it ! your kids will find it totally boring LOL!1
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Hey Annie/Leslie!!
We are in Manzanita! How far away are you? My kids don’t want to hear about sheep or stockdog stuff. BUT maybe you and Dennis can meet us for dinner?
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How fun is that? I love the oregon coast, one of my very very favorite places to be 🙂
If you’d be kind enough to make me a sandwich I’d gladly eat it while pretending to know how to shed. I’m envisioning tossing one slice of bread each direction and half the sheep will neatly gather around each slice, vying for the treasure. At that point my dog and I can stand in the center like everyday heroes 😉
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