My puppy was born today

I still haven't made up my mind. I don't want the border collie board to rule my life. I go there for opinions. But, you know what they say about opinions, they are like a$$holes, everyone has one and some of them stink. LOL. I really like the BC board. Like a nice discussion, but don't like arguments. Anyway, there were 12, count 'em 12 in the litter. WOW.......is about all I can say. I am used to seeing 5-6. I wasn't sent any pics, he is waiting to make sure they all make it. That's a big litter.


My last training day was a disaster. It's depression week here. My trainer noticed I was shaking more and he got "on my case" about how I was handling Usher. Know what? He was right. I was going to back out of the ASCA trial, but he said he would run Usher for me. So, Usher is doing Sat. AM & PM sheep & cattle and Sun. AM & PM sheep & cattle. If Kelly runs him, there's no reason for a DQ. That's MY job!

I thought being away from them for a time being, would be like riding a bike, just get back on and it all comes back to you. I'm sure I am the most frustrating student Kelly has. Bless him for putting up with me this long.

Don Couch Clinic

This was a great clinic, just built for Usher and myself. The sheep were pretty light in the morning but got heavy in the afternoon for the maltese cross. Sorry no pics of that. Usher was pretty amped, as usual. We only used a 3 sided pen. Here we are "reading" the sheep. Noticing which way the heads and ears are turned.

Once the sheep are in the proper position, it takes little work from the dog and the handler to get the sheep penned pretty easily. Patience is a virtue.

Here the sheep are all the way in. It paid off and Usher's hard work and my listening worked well. It is nice to live in an area where so many good trainers are out there.

Thanks Don. I learned a lot and it was fun.

April 15, 2009

Usher and I had our lesson. Isn't it sad when you forget your camera? Kelly had to change it a day because he had a corgi trial, he did very, very well - got reserve High In Trial. Missed High in Trial by 5 points. Usher and I worked on a few outruns getting further and further away, then it was back to penning.

Just for fun, he let out 6 head of cattle and Usher really amazed me. He did a nice outrun and fetch and brought them right to us. FUN FUN FUN!!!!

This week-end I'm headed out to Don Couch's for a penning clinic. I'm glad Kelly's been helping me so we don't make TOTAL fools of ourselves. Who am I kidding? We will anyway. On the way home, I made sure I knew where he lived. I get lost a lot.

Kelly ran into someone I once knew and were talking strange names of dogs. She said I once knew a gal who named her dog Migraine. He said, you mean Dianne, well she's a student of mine. Small dog world.

Tuesday's lesson

Kelly and I worked very hard on penning and re-penning. We had Usher in a pen with some tough sheep, non flighty and not afraid of dogs. We moved Usher around in the pen moving the sheep until he got his confidence level and would work quietly. It was a good lesson.

We are still going to the Don Couch penning clinic, basically so I can watch other dogs. Kelly's the guy for me. I really like his patience with me.

AHBA Trial

This was Usher & my first trial. I haven't trial a dog in many, many years. It showed. I had fun, did most of the course. I entered a lower course than I was going to- thank God. That way I could help my dog if he or I got into trouble. Here he is bringing the sheep around me. Oops, you missed a few Usher, but we had time to go get them.





This is the look I get on my face when everything goes blank. It's lovely, isn't it?

Here we are going through the L shaped pannels with an assisted drive. Whoops, wrong side, buddy.

There we go and make it through.

Over to the other side for the one panel wear or drive

Then we had to put them through a shoot and pen them. Now here's where the trouble started. Usher hasn't had much practice penning or taking stock out of pens. He penned OK. Getting the stock out was much more difficult-we DQ'd. He was a little rough. Same thing happened the next day only worse.

I'm not giving up.

Yesterday was fun!!!

I started off at Kelly's. We didn't want to work Usher to much because when he gets over worked he gets this glazed look over his eyes and decides it's up to HIM to do the job and I don't count.

Then Kelly went with me to Dianne Deal's. It was freezing there. Didn't help I forgot my big coat. I realize when things happen bad, I just freeze up and stare at my dog while he runs wild. I can't think fast enough to take time to think. Dianne had me use w a l k u p very slowly. That helped.

I'm going to TRY and take these lessons with me to the trial this week-end. Don't let anyone fool you. The upper levels at AHBA trials are not easy. Much more difficult than N/N. If you go, I'll be the shaky one.