Dirt Blowing…

Jai timed out on the cross drive of her first run and scored a 24. Our second run ended short of the first drive panels with a big THANK YOU when we decided to take down a ewe. I mean really take her down, 1970's cop show style. Or like something out of a western from the same era — Clint Eastwood, if he had functional incisors instead of a six-shooter.

I think I'm going to have to change my whistles. My 'Away' is being misinterpretted as GRIP THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF WHATEVER YOU CAN GRAB ONTO AND RIDE THAT BITCH UNTIL MY SCREAMS TURN TO SOBS!

Wah-wah-wah.

Maybe my tone isn't low enough. Maybe I'm inadvertantly whistling the theme to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

I called my PN run with Jack because he was NOT LISTENING to my voice or my whistles at all. Maybe he assumed I'm just a background theme. A nice auditory touch to not stopping or flanking. Something that builds the suspense…

wah-wah-wah

Maybe I'll get rid of whistles entirely. Neither dog seems to like them. Likewise my voice isn't helping to build our rocketship to Sheepdog Greatness.

What are my options? How might a mime run a dog? I wonder…

Regardless, and despite how it may sound above, I was happy with both dogs. Helsley said that it was the best he'd seen me run Jai yet, on difficult sheep. I felt at the time, and still feel, that it was my mistakes in timing that brought on the grip on the second go.

The first run was really difficult for both Jai and I and we did what we could. Jai had better flow on the second run, but I fucked up a few flanks and I think it contributed to her frustration. 

DD mentioned that my timing was likewise off for Jack and may have contributed to his soundtrack theory. It was only his second trial and we are still pretty new to eachother. 

Next trial – Kelley Creek in Utah. I have three weeks to order my black leotard, white face paint, and harmonica.