Our lessons are going  very well. Fate lies down on command, stays erratically, is appropriate around the sheep. She works wide, doesn’t move straight in, can get around the flock and turn them. The big challenge now is directionals. I don’t have a training pen, and don’t run as fast as she does. I need to give her the chance to do her “come byes” and “aways,” so I hit on a new idea yesterday and it looks good.

Normally, Red is in the farmhouse and out of sight when Fate works, he would be a distraction. But he is calm and steady and can be used to advantage. So I brought him out of the house and into the pasture and brought Fate with him. I had Red do his outruns in the pasture, that is where we practice. I said “away” and he turned off in the counter clock-wise direction, Fate right alongside of him.

She is getting bigger, growing stronger. I told Red to lie down, and he did and so did Fate. Then I reversed the command, and told Red to “come bye,” and Fate joined in while I shouted “good, come bye,” or “good, away.” I think she is getting that. Necessity is the m other of invention, for sure, and I will have to be creative if I am to give this dog  her due. I love thinking out of the box when it comes to training dogs, the process is so individualistic.

The proof is in how the dog does, not what other people say.