Gracie

Gracie....what a very nice name....it is my husband's Grandma's name and brings back fond memories of a Gma's love for her grandson! Gracie...that is the name that my new llama came with!

I don't believe Gracie has ever been off the fiber llama ranch she was born on......so this could have been her first trailer ride. Thank goodness I am just a few miles down the road from her previous home.

She unloaded easily and I led her down to her flock.....deciding to put her directly in with the ewes with lambs. A little nervous, yet taking it all in....Gracie had never met sheep before nor has she been away from her llama family.

The sheep were very curious about their new llama.....and Gracie wanted to be curious about them as well. She took a liking to my two young twin lambs and seemed to settle in. I kept them all in a smaller field with shelter over night just to have them get to know each other. The following day, the flock took Gracie down into the orchard pasture where they spent the day grazing and lazing about. Gracie seems to be settling in nicely......accepting her new sheepy friends and yet still coming up to get her daily grain!

Gracie is a bit smaller than Gingerbread was. Her coat is shorter as well.....but very soft for llama fiber! I'll shear her if the weather ever gets warm.....which is greeted by much enthusiasm from my fiber loving friend! She seems like she is going to be a great fit.Welcome, Gracie. It is so nice to have a llama back at Rocking Dog Ranch!

Seize the Day!!!!!

Hmmm, I Think My Ram Got Out....

Seize the day!!!!

Welcome Home, Bella

Last month, Bella went to Dianne Deal's from some polishing. Her inside flanks were tight and she had a bit of tension in her at times. Bella and I have come so far in such a short amount of time....instead of me putting more training pressure on her......I wanted to see if a change in hands would add clarity. Diane was the perfect person....I value her opinions, she is honest, and I like how she trains and runs her dogs.

When I picked Bella up, Dianne did a great job explaining to me where Bella was and how she handled tightness. Thankfully......because I took Bella out for a test drive yesterday. Right out of the chute....she was leaning on me! She was very full of herself, which I like.....yet settled with correction....which I like more! Just a tiny amount of corrective support and she was giving me nice, soft, feely inside flanks. Not perfect but she was taking the correction with understanding and thought. YEA!!!!!

Dianne also put her on whistles for me.....I thought I knew Dianne's whistles but I sure don't seem to blow them like her. Bella took every one as a walk on......just like my other dogs do with my finger whistles. So a whistle tape is on its way from Diane.....I don't want to get after Bella if my whistles don't resemble what she knows.The next leg of the journey starts.......putting it all together for a good relationship. At 2 1/2 I am very proud of this young girl. She is blossoming into such a nice sheepdog. Thank you, Dianne Deal for helping us become a better team!

Looks like it is time for me to mow the fields.....

Seize the day!

The Dirt Blowing Trial...with a little mud

I just got home from the Dirt Blowing Trial. The 2010 version of the trial where, last year, Nell sliced an inside away flank to make Art for Vickie Close (check out Handhills Border Collie News). This is one trial I make sure to pack my big girl panties for......it certainly sorts the neonatal infant baby girls from the women!

The sheep were range Targhees......long legged, big bodied young ewes that could be described as "twitchy". I overheard many a top hand say...."man it is hard to get a feel on these sheep!". The open day started out slow as the girls were nearly impossible to set! A mix of already-run sheep and moving to setting from trailers saved the day....which ended around 7 from a 6:15 start time. It was one loooonnnnnnggggg day!

The judge was from Idaho.....a fellow very familiar with running on this type of sheep.....and spoiled by the luxurious judge's tent.

Sally ran second the first go....something new to me. With only one run ahead of us to spot the sheep and no scent path laid down for the sheep to settle into.....I was anxious to see how this all played out for us. How exciting to see our time together this past year paid off with a very nice outrun and lift! We ended up stalled out...and I immediately left the post...not wasting a second to go help her sort them...and was very glad I did. All the way back to exhaust, I celebrated how far we have come......brown field....dirty sheep....and certainly a good sized outrun....and Sally nailed it! What could I have done different? "A control style of handling hinders feel".....my new Jack Kn*x mantra.......did I stop her too much having her lean back wanting me to direct her every move? Should I have used my "there" instead of my stop....too worried that she would over flank on these fine wool sheep that she loves to catch their eye on...the ending kiss of death to a run. I watched a few runs with some of my favorite peeps....and then went off to set nursery runs on the other field.13 nursery runs......not too bad of a set out assignment.....Right! 3 1/2 hours later.......I was one beat pup......learned a ton and Sally had a good lesson on these sheep.....but it was a near impossibly difficult task. There were three of us.....two top open handlers and their dogs plus me and Sally. The sheep were.....well ,twitchy! And certainly made mincemeat out of a few nursery dogs!

My second open go was much better. I tried to keep my commands to a minimum with limited stops only when I needed them. It is such a dance......too much command.....not enough dog.....to little command.....sheep pushed dog around. Sally gave me her all....never quit me once....we got the sheep around the course.....and they were pushing on Sally so very hard from a lack of team work on the beginning of the fetch. But again, I am proud of my dog. We are getting to be a team......what more could I ask for? We finished mid-pack.....better than the two RTs of last year. I pulled Nell from pro novice. She is close to being in standing heat....plus we have been working on our "relationship" and I was not sure these sheep would do anything for improvement on that journey at this point. I do believe I made a good decision. I did stick around and exhausted a few runs on the hill field with Sally.....and what a blessing that was. Sally was amazing.....even running out to pull the sheep off the set-out trailer and bring them down the field at a nice pace. A very good friend pointed out how really nice Sally can be when we work together with trust and I am not nervous and over-handling....note to good friend: I love you....and I heard you! Now how to keep that in my heart as I walk to the post on my next run.

With support from friends and mentors, books and tapes....this journey is becoming one of steps in improving relationship and understanding and less about winning. It feels good to settle into the comfort of that mission. Sounds like life to me.......

Seize the day!

Jack......

Training dogs for Jack is like breathing to the rest of us. It just is! I could write a book but it would be just one page....one sentence....."correct the wrong, leave the right". That's it. And to think I have gone to three 3-day clinics and still am seeking out all the meanings to this so elusive method!

I took away little tid bits.....one liners that I swallowed and then have brought back and chewed on....."it s the difference between the dog giving you something and you making it".

"A control style of handing hinders feel"
Since attending a judging clinic in April....I have been looking at my journey with Nell. Our relationship away from home was not developing in the direction I wanted......so Nell was my main focus as I worked with Jack at my place, at the Border Collie Training Center, and during the three days of clinic. I've learned so very much....it is not a big deal that Nell is not taking my command but rather she is not understanding the correction. I admire my dog when she is right....which should be no big deal....and get very frustrated when she won't take a command.....which should be no big deal. It just is.....and then work with it. And lastly, or maybe a momentary lastly......when I put in my head to run a course, I panic and over handle. I need to run her like I train her....train her like I want to run her.....instead of fretting about hitting panels or holding lines, or reading sheep, or.......being perfect. I think perfect should be a four letter word......it frustrates me to no end!

I feel blessed.....blessed to have been allowed to transport Jack around Oregon and Northern California.....hours on end to listen and learn. Nuggets were taken from even the funniest stories....and he can certainly tell a few! I feel blessed to have my never ending list of questions answered....even when threatened with being put on a quota! I feel blessed to be allowed to see that there is no formula to training dogs....each dog will let us know what it needs if we watch and listen. The journey of learning about working sheepdogs is never ending....and made so much sweeter with people like Jack to share it with!

Seize the day!

Gyp's First Clinic!

I am a wee bit tired! Can you tell I have been hanging out with a Scotsman? I had the distinct privilege of being Jack Kn*x's private chauffeur this past week....picking him up at the airport, having him to Rocking Dog Ranch for private lessons and then transporting him to and from Tulelake for a three day clinic! More on that tomorrow....but it was Gyp's very first ever clinic and she did marvelous. She is starting to get better about long, road-warrior marathon car rides. No whining or fussing from her!

She LOVED the long walks we took.....exploring the big rocky outcroppings in search of treasures. We walked and walked.....and then.....we put her on sheep! Time will tell....but for now.....she is a fine traveler, has good respect, and slowly, slowly we will start this journey of working sheep.More about the clinic tomorrow......until then.....

Seize the Day!

Lions and Tigers and Bears.....

Okay, just TigersLast weekend, I got invited to see a local tiger couple. The male is a white Siberian tiger......The female, a smaller but still huge to me, Bengal tiger.

While the male tiger seemed to have a crush on my husband and youngest son......chuffing and appearing to want to be scratched.....or luring for an afternoon snack.....not sure just yet what was really going on......

"Come a little closer, my precious......"

The female was younger and full of herself......stalking the nearby grazing horses....who did not give a fig's leaf about her by the way.It was all good and fun....until she decided to stalk me.....I could not control the primal instinct to run as she pounced at the fence.....giggling her tiger giggle, I'm sure! The ranch had the largest collection of Peacocks I have ever seen....not that I am an authority on Peacocks. They put on awesome display for those of us invading their territory.Now, I am sure this blog post has left more questions than it has answered. All I know is, the owners of the tigers take splendid care of them and have a license to do so. They believe in preserving the genetics of these two tigers and know that if conservation efforts fail to keep the tiger living in the wild.....there will be tigers in the world for us to admire and respect.

However, this makes me scratch my head and say "what?" They also have the training and license to rehabilitate SKUNKS! All that to be said, it was great meeting people who are living their dream. Filled with passion about what they are doing! May we embrace each and every day the same way.....

Seize the Day!!!!!