What a day. I worked today, and then headed out to work sheep. I went up to my friend's place to get some work in, because the forecast is calling for hot hotter and hottest over the next several days, and frankly, me and the dogs really don't "do" 90s ;)
So, I used Lucy to sort, and then worked Danny. Now, I don't talk much about Danny, because well, he is still a work in progress, and he's not doing anything that extremely special, but today he did do something special, I thought anyway...
We have been working on outruns. I sent him both ways full field length and they were "perfect". He's coming in at balance, slowing down to a nice gentle approach and walking in. It's cool.
Well, today we had some sheep that did not want to just leave the pressure they were drawn to, so Danny came up, and they split. One ran up the hill, Danny got it, then she returned to her friends, but then they still didn't want to come. So, Danny had to do some flanking etc., to keep them on track. I kept my mouth shut, and Danny just figured it out, and brought me my sheep calmly. Wow.
Then, later, we decided to use this attitude of the sheep as a training opportunity, so we left them up by the gate to where their friends were, and I sent Danny to the left. Well, he went up/out, and came in confident and those sheep never even hesitated. Danny really has no eye, that I can see, but that also allows him to really just motor in (not run). Then, I sent him on the away side, knowing he would have to go along the fence. I was instructed to have him stop almost there, so if the sheep would bolt, he wouldn't cross. Well, he took my stop, then I gave him another away, and around he went- the sheep tried to split, but he covered and brought them down no muss no fuss.
That's all pretty special, being that he has never experienced sheep like this, and didn't get flustered at all. He looks like this is all so easy for him. He doesn't seem to have lots of worries about walking in on sheep. I say either he's real dumb, or just REAL confident. ;)
So, later, I decided to work Lucy one more time. I had moved the not yet worked sheep into a holding area, so I could bring up the used sheep and keep them separated. I had Lucy bring them up, and was trying to figure out what I was going to do with them. Lucy was standing in front of me, looking at me. That's when one of the sheep came out and nailed Lucy in her rib cage, and as Lucy turned, she got butted again in the head. She yelped, but seemed okay. I then put that sheep and 2 others into the other holding area, and had Lucy go in the tight area where other sheep were and she was fine. Phew.
Later though, another group was out there, and didn't want to be driven away, and one ewe took a small run at her, and Lucy barked at her. So, I then went down the field and sent Lucy to fetch that group- not too far from me, but if a dog is weakened by a hit like that, they will demonstrate it on the fetch, more than anywhere else, because you are not there to back them up. So, I sent her, and she came up and one ewe who must have seen the action turned on Lucy, and she kept coming on, and then she nailed her in the nose, and the sheep didn't give her any more problems.
I was still a bit worried, so I my friend offered to help me with Lucy and the offending sheep. She held the leg of the rotten sheep, and I entered the smaller area with Lucy- before I could get the gate latched, Lucy had gone straight for her nose, and kept it up, until I called her off. There were no marks on the sheep, but I think it made an impression- let's hope. I am just glad it wasn't Danny who got hit like that.
So, that's the BOOF and the YEAH!
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