These photos were taken by Amy Johnson of Great Dane Photos. They are from a herding trial in the summer of 2009 where I was doing a lot of training and some trialing with Score. The photo series was taken at the pen and then after a successful shed.
Now that I'm back working Score on stock after having to take the summer off (due to Lyme disease treatment and complications), the season is coming to an end. I can look at these photos and dream of doing it again next year. I so missed working Score, as I just love the way I can set a line when he is driving and he will hold the sheep on that line. It's something that was very natural in him and I just didn't screw it up.
Now that I'm back working Score on stock after having to take the summer off (due to Lyme disease treatment and complications), the season is coming to an end. I can look at these photos and dream of doing it again next year. I so missed working Score, as I just love the way I can set a line when he is driving and he will hold the sheep on that line. It's something that was very natural in him and I just didn't screw it up.
Images by GreatDanePhotos Copyright 2009 (www.greatdanephotos.com) used with permission.
Last weekend I was able to sneak an AKC A course trial in to see if he could handle some pressure (the arena courses really put pressure on the dogs because of the fence and the draws) and he handled himself really well up until he had to turn them across the field which is where he stopped listening. I was happy with his work up until then. The repen was really fun because the dog and handler had to work to get them into the pen.
Here is a video from that arena course:
Spring of 2011, I'll be back to regular herding training with Score and Schema. It's good for them and so challenging and enjoyable for me.
It looks like it was a very strong draw back to Polly's pens and Score felt a strong need to cover that draw and didn't want to listen. The rest of his run was beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteYep...pretty typical of that course with the extreme draw there. I was so happy with the rest of it and can't wait to get back to doing more.
ReplyDeleteI bet you can't wait to get back at with both of your dogs. When Polly had her A course on the other side I don't remember the draw being quite that strong, but I think that the course was set up differently too. You had to deal with a heck of hard draw in the opposite direction of where you needed to go with the cross drive.
ReplyDeleteYou both did a good job tho.