Herding!

[fly30]

I think Venus is likely to be a good herding dog. Still a bit excited for the moment. Unlike Fly who is very sensitive, Venus doesn't fear anything, not even my stick (I usually can't even show it to Fly). Training two dogs in one day is very tiring, especially Venus lol !

See how more sensitive Fly is (she has more experience so the work can't be compared).

 

[Dogster]

Wow, this is so fun to watch!!!!! Fly and Venus are excellent at herding!!!!!!

 

[madeleine]

nice!!! Really liked to watch this!!

 

[fly30]

I can't say they are excellent. I have seen excellent dogs at work and this is far from what we can do. However, I'm proud of them.

Venus is an absolute beginner. I rescued her from a very dull life on a balcony and, if she had not been offered to adoption, she would never have seen a sheep. A real shame. She has a strong mental and I'm sure she'll be a good herding dog in a year or two.

Fly is a dog who is willing to please me. She'd do anything to make me happy. However, she's very sensitive. She's been practicing herding for two years now and she's arrived at a skill level where I need to put more pressure to go further. Up to now, she was unable to deal with this pressure so we found it difficult to go any further. The fact that Venus has joined our family did her a lot of good and, magically, she can now stand pressure and her work is more accurate. Last time we went herding, she did a very good and difficult work and looked at me with pride, just as to say "look, I did it !".

 

[Dogster]

I do not know much about herding, so Fly and Venus are some of the best I've seen.

Is there such thing as herding with two dogs? Could you maybe do that with Fly and Venus, to balance out the workload? (Sorry for this question, proves how much I know about herding.)

 

[fly30]

Working with two dogs would not be a good idea in our case : too much pressure on the sheep would make them run away.
Also, having a young dog working with a skilled one would have him getting fixed on the older one and he would not ne able to work on his own.

 

[fly30]

Fly has improved a lot ! I can't believe it ! There was a time, we had difficulties getting over her sensitiveness and progress was slow. Don't know what happened suddenly, probably growing up with the arrival of Venus, my other Border Collie. Fly can now push the sheep ! I really enjoy it ! Thank you Fly !

This was her first pushing session

And this was last week, her second pushing session

 

[Caiti]

Looks great! Good job!