Cattle videos

GA workin

The dogs and I loaded up and headed to GA on Sat morning.  We finally got up to the Padgett's place late Sat afternoon.  While storms were building we did get a couple runs in on cattle Sat nite.  The dogs did well, we enjoyed a nice dinner with the Padgetts; they are lovely people and Tony was very helpful on the cattle.  I got some good pointers and the calves were great!
Sunday we got to work from morning until early afternoon.  Abby worked cows and ducks; Patsy worked all three stock.  They both did a great job really.  The calves were nice to work and very fair to the dogs, sheep were light but very sane and the ducks while a little ring sour were still good to work.  I didn't get any of the duck runs taped but got a couple of cattle runs and Patsy on sheep.   I'm trying to upload those now so will post when I am able.  I was very proud of both dogs; only sorry I didn't work Sally as well but I have to conserve money somewhere.  We will definitly be back again when we are able it was a great time, I'm looking forward to trialling several dogs this Fall/late Summer.

Flailing

Happily its me and not the dogs that are flailing about a bit.  I'm struggling to keep my drive and ambition alive. Beli was the definition of what I strive to create in my dogs.  Even though that memory is not dead I still am struggling to keep the desire to work the dogs.  For what reason do we push?  Is it the awards and ribbons, not for me its not.  I don't care what happens at a trial any more; I've had success there and it is short lived.  I won't disagree that it feels good while you are there but doesn't really have any staying power.  I want to strive for strong dogs that take control of stock and maintain that control to succeed at the job we've set out to do.  Trials are rarely that; it is usually a chess match to see who can outsmart whom.  Often it becomes a handlers game, who handles the dog through the course best?  That doesn't tell us anything about the dog but it looks good on paper.  We won X HIT and have X titles; what is that dog worth to you after the trialling is over?  What can he do when your sheep are on the road side running for the hills or need to be put on a trialer in the middle of a rainstorm?  Those are questions that are only answered when the need for them arrives, no judge can answer it for you.  Sometimes its difficult to keep your eye on the end game when there are so many temptations to sell out for the easy route.
So that being said I've not worked as much as I'd like the last couple weeks.  Often I'm frustrated and sad; the dogs pick up on it and act different each in their own way.  Patsy is worried, Sally is too just different and Abby well she just ignores me:-))  I've got to find the joy of training again.  This weekend we are headed to GA to work cattle/sheep/ducks with Abby and Patsy(who knows maybe Sally will get a shot).  I'm searching for something, sure hope I find it soon!

Well a couple got worked

I didn't get as much done today as planned BUT I did get Abby and Patsy worked today.  Patsy got to do chores this am, she just loves that!
Abby got to help bring up the lesson sheep.  She is so cute and jealous when I work someone else.  So I let her go get the goats/sheep from the bottom of the pasture.  She brought the goats did a look back for the sheep in the corner and brought them instead.  Thats who I needed anyway:-))  I worked the student dog and then worked her on the boys, called her off and she sat in the water a sec and went right back.  I think she would kill herself working!  So then I used Patsy to bring the 2 boys I left in the goat pasture.  She did a beautiful job bringing them up.  That was it, I let everyone off their tie-outs and next thing I know Abby is doing an outrun all the way to the bottom of the goat pasture and bringing all of the goats up the field.  I didn't say anything to her until she had worked them up to the top.  It was hard work and she did great!  So I praised her big time and told her how wonderful she is and that was it.  She is such a funny girl, pushy and all girl but funny!:-))

Also I'm so excited I got my very FIRST HC medallion for having bred Abby!!  I think I'll frame it:-))

Patsy video

Well I've gotten dogs worked on all of my days off this week.  Its been a good stress reliever:-))  Abby, Dory, Sally and Patsy have all been worked this week.  Patsy is getting the most work lately since she needs miles.  Most days she does pretty well.  We got some video of her working this afternoon on the two rams, they are a little light but great to work.
I put the music to it to drown out the talking:-))

More to work for!

Well no pics or anything really exciting.  I did get some dog work this weekend, Abby and Patsy only; Sally was used for a couple of early week lessons.
Abby did well I was mainly continuing her driving work.  I would like to trial her in ASCA this summer and B course this Fall, ducks would probably be fun for her too:-))  We'll see how it goes and whether or not my bank accounts hold up.
Patsy I worked this morning in prep for lessons.  She did some really nice work.  I am lengthening her outruns and working on further drives.  She needs to improve her drive flanks too though that will come with more drive work.  Her outruns have been ok, they are fast and the lift varies.  Sometimes they are better than others. I really like the speed of her outruns and the intent is always to bring sheep back, I've worked her in the trees a couple times and she is doing pretty well over there too.  Her scope needs improvement which will come with age and experience but its interesting to watch her grow!
I need to try and work Dory and Sally more this week, would really like to get Dory out this Fall with Rosy or Sally.

Video evidence!

Patsys second Q run on Sat.  I didn't get the difficult run Sunday taped it was much more exciting:-))


This is Abby's rerun, while the first one was exciting I didn't want to take the extra time to load it.  The issue at the pen was caused by the first run and the sheep escaping...

Oh well, what a wonderful weekend:-))