I also closed the ranch for winter, though we have not been terribly wet, I like to keep the fields in good condition and give the ranch a much needed break of "off time". For me, though, I love winter.....it's the time where I get to answer the calls for "real work"; traipsing around the valley working and sorting with my girls.
This year, Dot and I have enough strength in our relationship that I feel comfortable putting her on the Sheep Boss' flocks. She is settling down and finding some tension free method; especially when I don't fall into getting mad at her. Oh the "Getting Mad at Dot, Knee Jerk reaction" that never, ever works!!!! As I've trained up Miss Dot, I know a few things....1) she HATES pressure from me 2) she really wants to please me 3) she has a bit of "mental unplug" in her that is going away with age, training and patience from me 4) when I get mad...she just tried harder...but she tries harder doing what she is doing and it goes very, very wrong. Dottie Jean is the PERFECT MIRROR...when she is wrong, or falls apart....if I am supportive with my corrections and remain calm....she figures it out and is a very nice dog. When she is wrong, or falls apart....if I get mad, or harsh with my correction....she falls apart and it goes very south.
Some of my flock work has me driving lambs across a huge field to graze portions where they don't want to visit. I've not quite figured out exactly why these lambs don't want to graze the lush grass on the "other side" of the field....maybe because we are still growing grass here in the valley and they prefer the tender shoots of newly grown blades, maybe because they are lambs and they like the comfort and routine of being in the same place, maybe the grass on that side of the field is bitter from runoff; whatever it is, they don't like going there. I've always known that working lambs is one of the hardest things I can do with my dogs. There is hardly a leader amongst the flock and they stand, not moving off the dog and then...bam..... take off running as if the devil himself were hot after each of their wooly souls. For a successful drive, taking these lambs into the pressure of where they are not wanting to go, it takes a dog that will push and sustain push, but then cover the sides without over doing it to keep that forward motion.
Dot has never seen nor done anything like the work of moving a little mob of lambs. She is very comfortable with sheep that will move off of her but has not developed a method for sheep that require sustained push. Like most young dogs, she will push but does not stay in the pressure of the push to get "commitment" from the sheep. Instead she will slide off to catch the sides, which stops the motion and makes getting them going again harder and harder each time they stop. She is also not sure what to do with the lambs that just won't move as she walks in, and finds herself uncomfortable in the closeness that can result. I love the days where I have hours on end to get the job done...no schedule pressure, instead the offering of giving time to allow Dot to learn. With the days of real work, Dot is gaining understanding of our job, my words, what is required to complete the task at hand. There are times where I struggle holding her in the pressure of, what looks to be, the lambs that are becoming the flock leaders. On my long drive home from my winter field of dreams, I think about all the things I can do to help Dot gain more confidence and understanding. Ideas include, counter flanking her when she flanks off, holding her in the pressure with a long line, moving in with her and creating the forward motion in the lambs who are not being cooperative, moving myself ahead and turning the task into a fetch vs. a drive, putting a more experienced dog in the mix and driving brace. Of course the more I do the job, the better Dot understands, the more comfortable the lambs are driving to the fresh grass, the easier the job gets.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Dot is sorting; as am I. I find myself falling back into "madness"; then things go to crap and I see how being mad does not serve anything with good end results. I'm staring to see my faults sooner, letting go quicker, getting back to what the dog needs from me and we get the job done. I'm working on letting go of the idea of "perfect work" to embrace the process of becoming a team. True enough, there are days where I'm not in the mood for patience, the clock presses me for the day, and I grab an experienced dog to allow the push across the field to be a different experience. Other days, I give Dot a break from push and work her at home on lighter, familiar sheep where she becomes shiny and we both celebrate the end results of her "real work" learnings and her blooming confidence. Good friends often listen to my sorting all the while reminding me....life is about the journey and not so much about the destination. Sorting is a good thing.....
Seize the Day!!!
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