I read a discussion going on about relationship....and how to have a relationship with your working/trialing sheepdog. Some of the advice was super interesting and some counterproductive, in my opinion. I do think the discussion did what it was meant to do; since then I've been thinking a lot about what kind of relationship I want with my dogs. For me, I believe it boils down to respect
I took a lesson with Sal last month and the clinician challenged me to look at her respect towards me. He suggested I evaluate her respect for me off of sheep...interesting! He also thought, with some work on respect off sheep, that would transfer to respect on sheep. I've been pondering this idea ever since that discussion. The Sis/Sal line of dogs are just so freaking easy to live with. Because of that ease, it is also very easy to let them get by with small things that really aren't that big of deal in my book. But perhaps those small things add up to a lack of respect. I know my dogs like me...but do they respect me?
I've also been looking at what I think respect is. I've always thought it was a bit like a knife...where one side of the blade might be obedience (where a dog is made right) and the other side of the blade is a bit of correction (where the dog is allowed to be wrong)....the hilt would be respect and so the balance of obedience vs. correction brings about respect. This whole balance is a place where I do struggle....I find myself over-correcting and also over-controlling. Over-correcting can put fear in a dog while over-controlling takes away thought or self initiative or possibly makes a dog a bit mechanical.
My dogs hang out with me, in the house, when I'm home. I allow them up on the couch for snuggling and they have free access to a huge yard to putz around in. My rules are not many....come when called, get out of my way, don't jump no me, kennel up, stop messing with the cat through the fence, and no fighting amongst the pack.... with these rules I work at being super consistent. I know I drive my "kennel keeping" friends nuts! I do agree with them though, I think it is more of a challenge to get dogs who are both pets/companions and sheep dogs to be respectful.
I believe respect is worthy of a look on a regular basis. I'm working on making my correction fit the crime right now. I'm also working on accepting try and allowing dogs to sort a few things on their own without me "making" them be correct. The flip side of all this work I am doing on myself is to not compromise on what I know they know. That dance of a balance is an amazing challenge...and I wonder if it challenges all those who work at training a sheep dog?
And so the journey continues and yet again it comes back to me. Fair, consistent, respect, progress, relationship.....all the little nuances that come together in training up and working a sheepdog.
Seize the Day!
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