Wanna Be Partners?
Many people ask, how is it that you don't have to struggle to get your dogs to do something while they are working stock - they don't eat sheep poop, they obey without resisting, they down when you tell them - I tell them it isn't about practicing a down, it isn't about repitively training recalls with distractions - it isn't about that. It pure and simply is about having an established partnership.
Dogs straining on the end of a lesah dragging handlers is a pet peeve of mine, it is one of the biggest things you can allow your dog to do - that eats away at any form of leadership between you. What also saddens me, is the lack of acknowledgement the dogs have for their handlers. The handlers are doing ALL the work to keep the dog with them. Having to physically restrain them - with a lead - constantly asking for attention or in many cases not bothering to at all, having to physically manhandle them with the lead or hands - simply to move over. The dog learns that you really only control them within a 6' radius. When a dog is so used to this type of relationship - how do you expect the dog to work livestock with you and obey without resisting?
I see many people working and interacting with their dogs that do not encouarge a good working relationship. Lack of control is another big issue. How many times are dogs just sounding off in their vehicles - seeing another dog moving and they bark - bark at this, can't sit still - all lack of control.. Herding is all about HAVING CONTROL. When you or your dog is out of control, while herding, livestock can die. You or your dog can get seriously injured, too.
I see teams where the dog is dragging their handler from here to there. When they stop, the dog is paying attention to everything BUT the handler. They are looking at the other dogs, people, and birds - they are focused on everything BUT the most important piece of the partnership - the HANDLER. Never once do the dog's check in, or interact with their handler. But, also, neither does the handler do anything to try and become apart of the dog's world. The handler remains apart, just outside the dog's world - only coming into the dog's realm when the handler needs something accomplished. Usually when the dog lunges at another dog, or jumps up on someone, or they have to move and the handler is dragging them off with the lead. When the dog is off lead - the dog is usually hard to bring back - the handler usually has to work for it.
This is all before they try to interact with each other in pen, with livestock.
These dogs may be excellent agility or competitive obedience dogs - but outside those venues, there is no daily partnership. I believe it is the difference between play and work. And work doesn't have to be a dictatorship or something that isn't FUN. Work should be FUN. How ever do you think work becomes a motivation to do more - with the dog's attitude, enthusiasim, intensity and desire to work is full of excitement and explosive performance? When it is that kind of work - that no one wants to do - you see lack of enthusiasm, lack of intensity and drive - and lack of the dog trying.
Partnership is what really is needed when you become invovled with herding. It shows exactly what kind of relationship you have with your dog or not. The first few seconds in the pen will show you exactly what you've been encouraging. Many people say "obedience goes out the window when you start herding" ... poppycock! GRIN The language, the communication and partnership wasn't there to begin with.
How do you expect a true working relationship with your dog, when the relationship I described above is in place?
Handler's effectively encourage a relationship with their dog - either to encourage working with them without resistance or the other way - inadvertently making the handler not important - when you see a dog that doesn't really have to check in or be a partner or have any need of it's handler. Working with livestock - it is all about having a strong partnership.
Partnerships are what makes a team. Neither one working harder than the other to accomplish a task. The handler asks and the dog willing performs the request without resistance. That is a good working partnership. Like a good dance team, one has to be the leader, but everything flowing smoothly together. That's what herding should be about, too.
When a handler finds themselves in a position to have to establish control - usually when they start herding lessons - you are changing the relationship you have with your dog. When that happens, the dog loses confidence - feels unsafe and starts to exhibit stress type displacement behaviors - ever see a dog eat sheep poop - how about rolling on the ground - roaming about the pen?
Too many people think that the dogs are not interested in herding when they exhibit displacement behaviors - especially when lesson after lesson the displacement behaviors happen. The dogs exhibit displacement behavior because the handler has drastically changed a part of the relationship. The dog went from not having the handler interact with them to now, all of a sudden - you will stop doing what YOU want, you will obey, you will not impinge on the flight zone of the livestock, you will move when told too, you will not come into my space - etc. No wonder the dogs start becoming unconfident and unsafe - they are confined and trapped in a pen with someone starting to take control - what is left for the dog to do is displacement behaviors. They can't get away from the situation, so they eat poop or do other things.
To get a dog feeling confident again, the handler needs to shift the relationship, to be more balanced. Change the way the dog views you, and things will go much better. Fellow herding instructor Kelly Malone oftens talks about the three aspects of a dog - the emotional, physical and mental components. All three have to be equal and centered to have a balanced dog. When a dog is eating poop - the emotional, mental and physical traits of a dog are out of balance. Working on your relationship and partnership will help get your dog to see you as a partner, rather than a dictator. Dictators bring up visions of fear, physical and mental abuse. How does your dog view you - do you make your dog a prisoner by physically restraining movement - keeping a death grip on the leash while walking - or is your dog a partner with freedom to interact with you - no leash on, but stays by you and not interact with other dogs or people. Without constant reminders or interactions from you? Most importantly, the dog has the WANT to interact with you and do what YOU want.
Think of the times you have had to raise your voice, walk at your dog to physically get them to do something, repeat commands, bribe them, lure them, grasp at them, confine them, lunge at them, snatch them up, chase them, dog wants to leave you when loose- somewhere along the way - you started to do all the work to maintain a partnership. Partners need to be aware of each other - not one side struggling and doing all the work.
Do I have problems with my dogs...certainly, but I do not do all the work to maintain a relationship. I don't have to remind them to be aware of me, there is no chasing them to come to me, no leash pulling, no out of control barking, they respond when asked. But the dogs are centered enough to not get stressed when something is asked of them.
Herding is easier when a partnership is there to begin with. Herding should be fun work. It's when it becomes normal to yell, be frustrated and emotional that it becomes the sort of work everyone will eventually hate to do. If you've found yourself yelling and being emotional, in the end, the dogs that have a high drive to herd, will either start ignoring you more or take over the relationship.