Hindsight is 2020

Spring training and trialing thoughts

Paso Robles Fun-trial

     Spring training and trialing.  I am learning things, like I need to research and find trials... and enter on the very first day, and drive entry to Carson City to mail.  I have had trials cancel.  I have several times, not had my entry accepted, for various reasons.  I have entered events that I should have done my homework on better, because I should probably have not entered.  There is no manual for all this, is there?  I am trying really hard to not make the same mistake twice.

     I take lessons with the elite handlers when I can.  I mostly train with Dianne Deal and Patrick Shannahan.  I did take a brief lesson from Suzy Applegate prior to her Hoof and Paw trial.  And several times I have taken informal lessons with Bill Slaven, who I absolutely adore!!!  At SheepCamp in Idaho, we also had  lessons from Don Helsley.  I have watched some video's.  In my opinion, some good and some not-so-good.  Every weekend I can possibly manage it, my friend Ann and I haul out to the big fields on our family ranch and practice.  I try to practice in my meager arena at my home place when it is reasonable  to do so during the week.

Tic and I taking corrections from DD

     During one lesson with DD, I asked her "why have you never told me that before???"  And her forthright answer was, "you weren't ready for that yet."  Which at the time made me shake my head a little. But the more I'm in this sport, the more that I realize the magnitude of material, learning, and skills that you must assimilate prior to considering stepping to the post.  I am finally stepping up to the post, but often times I wonder if I should wait yet another year.  Would training another year be appropriate?  Give the dogs a year more to mature?  I think that in the learning curve, some of it comes from stepping up to the post.  When your turn is coming up, you tend to pay a little bit better attention.  I try to jot down nerdy notes on situations and things that have never crossed my mind before.  When reviewing my nerdy notes, I often times see that PS has already told me that very same thing....twice before.  These professionals are not only amazingly patient with the canines, they are also tolerant and patient with their human clients as well.  I am hesitant to actually admit, but I think I am finally getting it.  Until DD give me the next set of learning issues, and asks me "do I need to get the dry-erase board?"

     I love the analogy of sheepdogging paralleling your life "journey".  NONE of the trainers really speak to this directly.  It is kind of an undertone that we all toss back and forth to each other.

     Helsley said to me, "we are ALL type-A personality control freaks, or we would not be here doing this.  This is where you need to let loose of your control, and let Val figure it out."  I didn't realize how hard that was for me to do.  I like holding the reins on her.  In her passive-aggressive way she loves it to, but really hates it!  Just as clear to me as the several friends/family/staff members who are also passive-aggressive.  I need to not be the enabler, but allow them to make their own mistakes and suffer the consequences so they will have a chance to learn and evolve.  And who knows, as my trust for Val grows, her confidence grows and she is already making good decisions on her own.  "On her own", means with my support, but not nagging control.

Val thinking about slicing

     This week with Val, I have been working on loosening her up on her inside flanks.  Trying to square things up a bit, and installing some flexibility.  Today and Wednesday we worked on stretching out her outruns a bit.  We have a big trial on Memorial Day weekend, and as a team we might be a bit over our heads.  But this week on the home court, she seems to be doing really fairly well.  Next weekend we will go practice at an away court, will forthright advise.

     Tic is also going to be running on Memorial Day weekend.  My little twitchy handful.  Several things I am working on with Mr Tic.  First and foremost, I am trying to get him into better heat condition.  During the week, if I get a lunch break, I try to work him in the heat of the day.  Small goes, and as many times as I deem reasonable.  He has the appropriate working dog haircut.  And in the evenings we (all) go for a nice several mile run, behind the 4 wheeler.  His personality is so intense/keen, that in the presence of sheep he just vibrates.  I bet without working he pushes his own temp to 105.  So this week, I have started having him help me do a slow one hour graze with the sheep, in my yard, on the weeds.  He just holds a lie down at the appropriate spot until they mosey on forward.  In the smaller arena, Tic is going back to doing flexible "walk-a-bouts", just to remind him that he can feel the sheep instead of just boss and push them.  In the big field, he is working on the top of his outrun/lift and we are doing inside flanks up and down the field.  He hates that!!!!  Especially to the come-by side.

     My whistling is coming along. It still does not sound melodic like I had dreamed that it would.  But the dogs, bless their hearts, seem to know what I mean.  With Tic, I have to be really quiet for him to move a little.  He likes full throttle, and it does not take much to get him there.  Val, likes a combo of whistles and verbal.  While Ben is still trying to figure out the consistency.

     Ben is not in this upcoming trial, but we are still practicing very hard.  He is the happiest and dorkiest of them all.  Innately being a tidy balance freak, we are working on off balance flanks and downing where I want him, not where he thinks he should be.  He still needs many many days of practice on his outruns.  He has a beautiful one in there, as soon as he gets his confidence to finish it on out.   When sorting in the pens or arena, I am trying to mostly use Ben.  We are also working on inside flanks where he has to come in between the sheep and I.  He doesn't even like that much because of the pressure. This weekend  Ben and I took the sheep for a nice walk in the trees around downfall along the river. I don't think I could invent more pressure.  He just looked at me as if saying" ewwwww do I really have to?" I am seeing improvement!!!