Welcome to The Real Time Canine


My name is Amelia Smith of BorderSmith Kennel and with The Real Time Canine, I am providing training technique for Border Collie Sheepdogs. Beginning with 10 week old Kensmuir Star, I will document his daily lessons in words and pictures every Sunday. Previously subscription based, the complete working journal is now available here every Sunday.
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From the moment I collected Star, his training began and you will be with us every step of the way. Good manners, willingness & confidence are necessary for him to attain my goal to become a useful working sheepdog and successful trial competitor. From the first lessons on manners & socialization to his first exposure to sheep, you will be a part of Star's journey to success.
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After a lifetime with animals, dogs, horses and livestock, I am happy to share my expertise with you. I have found success in sheepdog trials at home and abroad and have trained dogs that went on to find success with others. To learn more about me and my dogs, please visit my BorderSmith website and my BorderSmith Blog! Cheers and thank you very much.

Mar 30, 2010

Week 71

Photo credit, Amanda Milliken
This is the last of my Sonoma series, but in as much as I am still recovering from the trip, I did not get much dog training in this week. I have chosen instead to write about tips to maximize the dog trialing experience for you and everyone else.

Here's an excerpt:

There is a finite amount of daylight on any given day, and I prefer to be as efficient as I can with the amount I have to run my dogs. I am always ready when the sheep are, and no matter how near or far I am to the post before my run, I am sending my dog the instant the sheep are set and settled. I have practiced this timing over the years, but I am good at it, because I am aware of it. I desire not to waste another competitior's, or the trial host's time. At Sonoma, with more than 40 dogs to run on each field each day, in early Spring, and with a lunch break lasting a good hour, there's no time to waste fiddling around at the truck, comparing notes with other hands, setting up your photo-op, or glad-handing the judge on the way to the post. There are folks behind me who are just as excited to run as I am, and I owe it to them to use my time, and theirs, wisely.

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