Same Song, Second Verse!



In the second phase of training a dog to tend sheep, I use an easy transition from the 2-sided graze to the 3-sided graze as described in another section. The trainer must first of all be comfortable with standing on one corner and trusting the dog to patrol the exposed sides of the flock at a sufficient distance to avoid disturbing the flock. Further, the trainer must be comfortable enough to move among the sheep and to the other side of the sheep from the dog while the dog continues to patrol all exposed sides. The trainer can also help the dog to understand that he has to watch the exposed sides of the flock by moving the trainer’s own position along the border from time to time. The dog will naturally choose to wear along the borders which are not covered by the trainer’s position.

The dog now must learn to put sheep back into the graze if they leave it. If sheep do not readily leave the graze, the trainer can put hay or grain in a few spots outside the graze. Put the feed on the ground at least 8-12 feet outside the border of the graze so that the sheep are drawn to it. Allow the dog to approach the trespassing sheep and move them back into the graze without crossing the border himself. If a certain sheep repeatedly trespasses, the dog may watch that sheep for a while. If the dog has to move away to tend other sheep, and if that same problem sheep breaks the rules again, the dog would be allowed to use discipline on that sheep even if the dog crossed the border into the graze in order to do so.

This is usually a very easy lesson to train. The dogs understand their job by this time and they like the empowerment of actually taking some control over the flock. After the dog can do this very important tending task in a workmanlike manner, it is time to move on to the 4-sided graze.

Below is a rough sketch of the next level of tending work; look, Ma, no fences!


In this phase of the training, we move off fences so that all sides of the flock are exposed. If necessary, draw the sheep fairly close to you as the trainer. Do not allow them to spread out too far. Spread feed on the ground if necessary. Make a visible border around the perimeter of the safety zone for the stock, into which the dog is not allowed to venture.

If necessary, attach a long check cord to the dog's collar. Let the dog drag the cord as he wears alongside the flock. Tending dogs with the proper foundation in training at this point will choose one of two methods to hold the flock in place. A dog with very strong tending behavior will work as in the above diagram; he will leave the trainer's side and go across the face of the flock and turn to wear alongside the flock to the last sheep. Then the dog will turn and come back to the trainer.




If earlier training has been absorbed thoroughly by the dog, it will "square the turns" rather than slicing in on the flock's space. As the dog approaches the trainer, the trainer receives the dog, pivots and points (directs, encourages) the dog to go across the front of the flock in the other direction to work the opposite side of the flock in the same manner.

 
Some dogs will choose a slightly different manner of work. As this kind of worker leaves the side of the trainer, the dog will proceed across the face of the flock and along one side of the flock, but will cross behind the flock and come up the opposite side of the flock to the handler. So long as the dog does not cut the corners and crosses at a sufficient distance behind the flock, this is tolerable with small numbers of sheep. This behavior is based on the more primitive circling instinct and should not be allowed to deteriorate into simply orbiting the stock constantly without consideration of the tasks at hand.

Because, here again, at some point in this phase of training, the trainer will put some tempting feed on the ground outside the safety zone. The dog will be expected to notice the trespassing sheep and put the sheep back in the flock, with discipline if necessary.

So by now, the trainer has a dog that will hold sheep in position out in the open, making sure by wearing alongside the flock that all the sheep stay in the defined area. If one escapes, the dog takes responsible action immediately and returns the sheep to the flock without disturbing the rest of the flock.


Head 'em up; move 'em out!

As the dog grows accustomed to the shape of a safety zone around the flock, is squaring up the corners fairly well and paying close attention to any sheep likely to leave the flock, the trainer can start moving slowly out ahead of the sheep. The sheep will follow the trainer and the dog will continue to act as a living fence around the moving flock, just as he did when the sheep were still. If the dog grows hectic in his work, simply stop and establish the former training routine.

At this point in training, it is easy to relax and let the dog revert to untrained behavior such as pushing too often on the flock, diving into the space of the flock, circling mindlessly around the flock, or not moving alertly with the flock. The trainer must read each dog and offer more challenge if the dog is not staying alert; and going back a step or two in training if the dog gets confused or hectic.


This dog is working calmly along the border of the flock's safety zone. The sheep remain calm, too.

When your apprentice dog can work for one hour or more in a calm and concentrated manner with the flock held in position and can execute the maneuvers described above, you can then begin to move carefully ahead of the flock and let the dog continue to wear alongside the flock, crossing ahead of you as you lead the sheep. If the dog crosses behind the flock, make sure that the dog does not pressure the sheep to bunch up around you or to rush ahead of you. If this happens, go back a step and make the dog understand that his path of work must not put too much pressure on the sheep.

Later training phases will explain how to move sheep safely into and out of pens, along traffic roads, across bridges and through open fields with growing crops.

Your questions and comments are very welcome. Email Ann Garner at Herdenhunde vom Weiher.

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