Relationship.......

I just got home from LaCamas Valley Sheepdog Trial.....four days of the "best of times" and " the hottest I think I have ever been in my entire life" of times.  My fours days of trialing..yes four because Miss Nell gave me the honor of running on Sunday, but more of that later.....will provide me with enough fodder for blogging and overthinking to last me well into next week.

RELATIONSHIP:

Dictionary.com really let me down as I searched for a tangible definition of the word relationship.

the mutual dealings, connections, or feelings that exist between two parties

it is most certainly a start....

Nell came in 11th out of 90 dogs in the second go.....here is a brief look at the beginning of her run.
We'll pick this after her lift.......which she did with only a walk up for input. 

Me: thinking...hmm lets see if we can make this tidy "way"

Nell: "NO"

Me:  darn it you little quick footed flea bag "way"

Nell: "you asked for it....." give a tiny away to me and......let's go of the pressure causing the sheep to dart hard to the right....

Me: "come bye, come bye"...oh dear, I am so sorry for blowing that wrong flanks.  Please forgive me...darn it anyway. 

Nell:  "told you so!" in small letters because I believe she felt bad for my lack......

That only cost us time and three points.....she got them right back on line and well, she has become quite forgiving of me. She is also holding me accountable for my end of this "relationship".  If I were my own dog, I would be giving myself a good schooling right about now.  I think Buck Brannaman called it being particular.  I best be getting particular with my own program! I am learing to trust Nell....she is often right. 

Next dog.  So Bella came in 15th on her second time on the open field at LaCamas. The first time, being the day before, which ended in a handy little grip of a take down when we were attempting to get things settled for a shed.  This time we will pick this up as she comes to the top......after we had a little mind meld of me telling her "Bella you have to lie down at the top today" and she agreed whole-heartedly as she sort of looked like she might be ignoring me and spotting sheep on the runs prior. 

As Bella rounds the top....

Me:  "lie down"

Bella: hitch..."I got this!"

Me:  "Lie Down"

Bella: hitch..."I Got This!"

Me:  "YOU BETTER LIE DOWN"

Bella:  hitch "I GOT THIS"

Me: "YOU YOU YOU.....BETTER LIE DOWN"

Bella:  I am about 300 yards now from the gal who wants to run the show....about the distance where she has been known to hoof it up the field.....hmmmmm "sit down, back up on the feet hitched"

To be very honest here, I would love to run Bella with just steadies.  But at this point....if I give a steady...she takes a mile.  It's funny, I watched a top hand walk sheep around the course with two of his dogs at LaCamas. Oh and quietly without hardly a stop to be heard or seen.   I told him how much that spoke to me and that was my goal.  There were glimmers of walking sheep with Bella's second run....but she most definitely tried to run with her bit clenched between her teeth.  However, she did hold the line...pretty darn straight, hitting the fetch panels...and allowing me to get ahold of her and settle the sheep before doing so.  I really do not want to run sheep.....I'd like to have the run that comes from treating the sheep right from the first introduction.

These two dogs are so different in personality, work styles, biddability....Nell being not quite a year older than Bella, I always wonder about time and miles. I also ponder lambs and what they do to dogs.  And handlers and what their stops look like.  Really.  What their stops really look like.  And me, I know what I want my relationship to mean for each of my dogs.......I know they will be different in unique and wonderful ways.  The how's on getting there.....working without taking away.....getting without making.......the give and take of it all...can't be defined in a dictionary.....that I do know. And so now I look in the mirror....making a list of work for myself.  And wondering....what does one wear to a double lift?? 

Seize the Day!