Build a relationship
If you are going to expect your dog to work for you, you need to build a relationship with him. I'm not saying spoil him and let him get away with blue murder, but be a friend, a mate, a buddy to your dog. Yes, you still need to be the boss, and there will be times when you will need to discipline your dog, but if all you do is tell your dog "No", or "stop it", or "cut it out" and don't say anything nice to your dog, he will never willingly work for you.
If you are lucky enough to get your dog as a young puppy, it is important to spend as much time as possible with him.
It doesn't have to be "training", but your pup will learn things, just by being with you.
He will learn not to tug on your pant leg, not to jump up and bite at your hand. He will also learn that you are nice to lay down next to, that he is safe with you and that you are there for him. He is not alone.
Be there for him
I'm not saying you have to be with him 24/7, but make sure you are there for him when he needs it.
Introducing a pup to sheep for the first time can be really daunting. After all, they are bigger and stronger than him, it's intimidating.
Prime example....
Jock was trying to do as I asked by moving the sheep off the wall. There was no gap for him to go through, which meant that he would have to squeeze through between what looked like solid sheep and a solid wall. He looked back at me as if to say "I really want to mum, but I'm scared".
This is when I stepped in....
Walking to his side, I started pushing my way behind the sheep and physically moving them away from the wall, creating a gap. All the time I'm encouraging Jock. Saying things like "Get in there Jock", "Good boy, come on, get in there" all in an enthusiastic voice. I was seriously encouraging him.
His entire attitude changed.
It was almost as if he said "Hey, mums here, let's get these sheep moved, I can do this!" and that's exactly what he did.
He knew I was there for him.
Later on, when one of the ewes threatened him, I encouraged him to get in there and tell her off. He didn't bite at her, or doing anything wrong, he just darted in and made himself look big. With me standing behind him and waving my arms, the ewe moved away. He didn't know I was doing it, but my actions convinced the ewe to back off. He thought he'd won.
Now, if he gets faced up with a ewe, he doesn't back down. If they charge at him, he will spin around out of their way, and then spin them back to the flock. He's only a pup, so this is acceptable behaviour. Now, he believes that he can move the sheep where he wants to, but if he's ever unsure, I'm there for him and he knows it.
Praise, praise, praise
I can not stress this enough. Praise your dog. For every move your dog does right, a quick "good dog" will mean the world to your dog. You don't have to go overboard, just a reminder to the dog that he's doing well will help.
Too many times I see people in the training pen with their dog and you hear them say plenty, but never a word of praise. For some dogs, it would probably be better if their handler shut up, rather than badgering them all the time.
A pup is a pup, for such a short time. Be patient
Although you might want to get in there and get training going as soon as possible, some pups mature later than others. It's fine to take your dog out to the sheep a couple of times a week, but keep the training sessions short and light-hearted.
Too much pressure at a young age will turn a dog off work.
So, put some time in training, but remember, play is just as important (if not more important) than training at a young age.
The photo above is of Jock the day after he came home. I'm busy off to the left working on my car (restoring a 1977 Mini Clubman) and Jock is keeping me company. It looks like he's pulled the lead tight and that it's really short, however he is actually laying down on it. He'd on a folded up cardboard box to keep him off the cold concrete, he has a bucket of water (yes, it's clean water), a rope to chew on, and the remains of a dog biscuit/bone that he just couldn't fit in. He stayed there for about an hour before going for a walk, and then coming back and going to sleep. I may not have been sitting down next to him, but I was talking to him a lot, and just being there with him. He was content, until tucker time at least!
No comments:
Post a Comment