KAT did not mind me today… I told her to stay at the gate while Drover and I went to check on a lamb. She waited till I was out of site and then scaled the gate and came running!
I told her to go back . She did.
When our work with the sheep was over I went to the gate expecting to see her waiting there. She was! But on the other side of the gate! (A smart dog but one that was not listening)
I knew I had to take her into the field so she would understand 1. I was not mad 2. She has to do as she is told. 3 being in the field is a good thing.
I called her to me and the look she gave me was “See ya ! I do not have to listen to you!”
In her defense she has been playing with puppies for the last 4 weeks and she is only 8 months old. But never ever …EVER… do I allow a dog to not come when called (If they have been taught by me to come and I know they know to come) not coming to me when called is not a option ever!
She flew to the carport and slid under the car. I called to her to come again. She just said “come get me!” Really! So I took hold of her and pulled her out. (Never ever was I mad nor had I lost my temper) I calmly walked over with her by the collar and hooked the leash on. I said Come. And we went back to the gate.
We practiced sitting and waiting at the gate on leash and going thru the gate on leash and waiting on the other side. (a few times ) When I knew she was willing …
We did all this off leash and practiced a few times. Plus we went down into the field…and filled the sheep water tank.
Then back thru the gate , sit wait , open the gate wait to be told to come thru and then on the other side sit wait and release! Go do as you please!
The lesson here:
If I had let her by with this I would be fixing it for a long time.
We did the lesson calmly , correctly, and with purpose.
This would have become a huge problem had I not took the time to fix it right when I had the correct timing!
KAT is very biddable and smart, a real thinker…and I have to be thinking ahead of her.
(Yes I knew I was setting her up for this by not putting her up before I went to the sheep field) But what a teachable moment it turned out to be. Besides…I needed to see what she would do on her own…and the lamb needed help and one cannot all ways take time to put dogs up. You have to be able to trust that the dogs will do as you tell them.
Here are some recent photos of KAT Ballou
KAT and 4 of her Puppy Buddies
PUPPY Checking out the KAT’s mouth
KAT coming like she is suppose to 🙂
