Progress...

Seeker by Megan Quigley

Seeker and Gem have been going to herding lessons for the last few weeks that I have been off from agility trials. Some days, it takes a Herculean effort for me to make the long drive to Bedford. It is close to 2 hours one way to go to our lessons. Some people say I am dedicated. Maybe that is so, but really for me, it is the privilege of training a Border Collie to do what God intends for it to do with its instinct and drive. I know the potential and I know my goals for both of them. Seeker is blossoming and he has finally earned the right to be taken off the long line he had been dragging for so long. He has proven that he is mature and confident enough to make the correct decisions. He has learned his flanking commands, for the most part, and has started learning to drive. This is a challenge for him, but one I think he will be able to accomplish. 

    He will be moving out in to the big field this week which gives him more room to work and to make mistakes. My job is to keep that from happening. It took me long enough to figure out that as long as I stay quiet, confident and cool, he responds appropriately. If I get stupid, a sheepwreck will ensue forthwith. Duh... I have learned to not only watch him, but keep the stock in my vision as well. Not always easy, but very important. Stock sense is something that you have to learn so that in any given situation, the handler can watch the stock and gauge their reaction to pressure from the field, other sheep, the dog, the handler... it goes on and on.  


     This is a big step in helping Seeker in lengthening his outruns and learning how to handle the pressures in the big field, where there are many as opposed to the training ring. I am confident that we will handle it together. He is very responsive and biddable and has stopped the nonsense of trying to beat me to his stock. He knows that if he is correct and quiet, he gets them. If not, he must become so to have contact with them. He's a smart cookie... He gets it.


     Gem has made progress as well. She is a serious little thinker and trying to let her just have a go isn't always successful. She tries very hard, sometimes too hard in fact. For her last 2 lessons, we worked her with Jack's dog Gwenn. That seemed to give Gem confidence and loosen her up a bit. The first week we used Gwenn a great deal. This past week, Gwenn's only job was to pull the sheep away from the fence for Gem. This worked out very well. I can see Gem getting more confidence with each exposure. She isn't afraid to get between the sheep and the fence, even at her diminutive size. 


     I have high hopes for them both... I am hoping to have Seeker ready to get some experience at a few AKC herding trials this summer in preparation for having him ready by Fall to run Novice/Novice. For Gem, as a start, to get her Pre-Trial tested (PT) title this summer and get her ready for next year to run in Border Collie trials. The journey continues...

Gem starts obedience class...

     Due to my crappy work schedule and the fact that most classes are in the evening when I am working, Gem is finally (at 1 year of age) in an obedience class. It also helps that I don't have the boys in classes now and have the time to work Gem on the night they normally would have had class. Gem needs this... I need this... I am building a working relationship with her. She is finally seeing the value of working with me.
     A few days before her 1st birthday, I had her spayed. And now... she is finally interested in food. Not all food, but her interest is growing. Toys are not always appropriate, although I do use a tug with her even in obedience class. First and foremost, she has to learn obedience to do agility... My dog, my rule... While she is learning to "watch me", do stays and heel nicely on a lead, I am still working foundation exercises in agility with her. She is a natural in obedience I am finding. After her initial culture shock of being in a class with 9 other dogs, she is adjusting nicely. Week 1 was enough for me to not go back...Her arousal level and barking at the other dogs gave me a major headache. This week, although she still had some moments of barking, she was vastly improved. These are things we work at home, but putting her in a class is exactly what she needed.
     This week she gave me some short bursts of heads up heeling with attention, did her stays and likes to play the "Leave it" game with a treat on the top of her foot. She adores her instructor Linda and I may have to use the "Leave it" with her so Gem doesn't bounce on her. Gem is a social butterfly with people. She likes most dogs, but draws the line with naughty puppies and dogs that lack social skills...(ie staring) Although she likes pouncing and wrestling with Seeker, she doesn't want that from outside dogs. She currently thinks puppies are yucky... :-)

     I am not used to working with the girls... I love the boys and have always had great working relationships with them. My relationship with Gem is a work in progress and one that I am happily figuring out. She is independent, but wants to be right. She doesn't like lots of repetition so it challenges me to find fun ways to repeat exercises without losing her attention. All in all, she is making me a better trainer and handler. I am hoping that we will continue to enjoy doing obedience although that is truly up to me. I also think there may be a dancer in there somewhere. And of course, agility and herding as well. According to the Chinese, she is a Fire, like Piper. If she can accomplish half of what he has, it will be well worth the journey put before us. However, if she never earns a title, that's okay with me too. Gem is more like Piper than he cares to know... could be why she irritates him so much.
     The horizon rises before us... and I anxiously await each new day...