Week 123 - Steamboat Springs Trial

Steamboat Springs, CO is one of the 3 most beautiful places I've ever been to a dog trial. Wooler, England and Carbondale are in that group. With the famous ski hill, Mt. Werner, looming over us, the trial field was set against the equally famous Yampa River right square in the middle of a just-harvested hay meadow. In fact, the last of the big round bales were just being carried off when I arrived 2 days before the trial began. Lucky me, I have dear friends who summer there, and I came early to hang with them.

I entered 3 dogs here, with Mirk getting the call both days, because it is with him that I have the most trouble earning points. This trial counts toward the 2012 National Finals in Klamath, OR. Star and in-training dog, Buff, got one run each. Buff on Saturday, Star on Sunday.

In one way this entry system worked in Star's favor. I made all my handling mistakes with Mirk and Buff on Saturday, and knew just what to, and what not to do with Star on Sunday. It didn't matter, but I didn't know that when I walked to the post with him. Because he needs so much more experience on big, strong, range ewes, like we were presented at this trial, only having one run worked against him. I truly wish I could have done it differently.

Nights here are cold, and I ran the heater in my RV for 15 minutes before leaving my warm bed in the morning. Once outside the door, I was greeted by hard frost that is quickly dispatched after the sun clears Sleeping Giant Mountain. Temperatures climbed steadily throughout the day, topping out around 80. The skies were cloudless, and there was only the softest breath of wind in our faces. A little warm for the dogs, but I absolutely reveled in that spectacular weather.

The field at this trial is small, but it's no push over, that's for sure. The layout of exhaust to set-out with irrigation channels spread across the field, and the sheer width of it caused problems for more than a few, Mirk included. A left-hand outrun started the dogs straight towards a steep embankment that turned most upfield towards their sheep and the mounted set-out crew, about 400 yards away. Off to the right is a vast expanse of open meadow with a lot of room to go wrong if your dog is wide, like Mirk on Saturday. On that side an out of bounds was declared at a low berm on our side of the river. I'm sure Mirk's nose crossed over even though he was never called for it. The bloodletting of outrun points and time, however, took him out of contention.

I felt the embankment to our left would cause Star to run tight if sent to that side. I trust his outrun and his ability to spot sheep, he is brilliant at it, so a right hand outrun didn't bother me at all, even after the mess Mirk made. He didn't dissappoint. Fresh from a couple days off, and keen to work, he took off flying, which really is a beautiful thing to watch. The dog also has something close to perfect balance, and he came screaming around at the top dead on, for a clean lift.

The sheep were heavy all weekend long, getting heavier when it got hotter, and Star ran in the heat of the day. After the beautiful outrun and lift, I was optomistic, but soon enough, he began to struggle on the fetch even though we sliced the panels in two. By the time we turned the post, the sheep were finished, and drove like slugs. My dog was beginning to lose his cha-cha, and I was beginning to lose hope of a winning run. Time was running out. We struggled, we worked, we coersced, bullied and doube-teamed the sheep, but after the turn at the drive-away, I considered my options.

Meeker next week, if I get really lucky, then the finals. I thought to myself; Better to call it good and go help my dog? Or, muddle along on a losing run? You see my point. I hadn't placed yet this weekend, but I still had Mirk to run, so I walked. I turned, waved and said thank you to the judge, Thad Buckler, then went and encouraged my dog to exhaust his sheep with confidence. A few hands said I should have continued, but they were wrong. With my just 3 year old dog going into the Nursery Finals in two weeks, I was right to retire. And I still have an outside chance at getting into Meeker. At this point, I am bubble girl. I am next to get in.




Mirk had an outstanding run on Sunday that was good enough for 6th place, and I am really pleased with him. I am spending the night at the trial field Sunday still undecided whether to take my chances and head out for Meeker on the hope of getting in. I double-checked my wait-list status, and with just 1 day left for anyone to cancel, I'll leave for Carbondale, where I can at least be useful.

Week 122 - Free to Be Ranch Trial




5th Overall

 Always breed for the outrun. I've been told that, and have believed it since the beginning. There are 50 points available on a sheepdog trial field with sheep to you feet. In other words, 20 points for the outrun, 10 for the lift and 20 for the fetch. If you can accomplish a clean outrun, no matter the distance, terrain, or weather, you are head and shoulders above the rest of the field. Far too many hands, it seems, don't understand this tenet of sheepdog training and trialing.

I don't breed, I buy, and I always buy for the outrun. Proving himself over long distance, and challenging terrain this weekend at the Free to Be Ranch in New Mexico, I know I acheived my goal with Star. Where many failed, he added the bonus of a successful lift and completed course during all 3 days of open as well, on hungry, long-yearling lambs that were set on hay, and pulled toward a strong draw during the 3rd trial. It wasn't easy pickings, and my not-yet-3-year-old boy handled it all with maturity and good nature beyond his years. He took it all in stride.

Day 1 brought us what was rumored to be between a 550 and 600 yd outrun. Coming from dought, the lambs were poor and hungry, and just as happy to ignore the dogs all together for a good meal. More than half the dogs that day were either disqualified or retired when they gripped, couldn't find sheep, or could not lift them. I admit that I was surprised when Star's outwork was perfect. He ran out confidently, and took my blast of a walk up as encouragement to bring them on. The finish was an any-two shed/pen, and we completed that by taking 2 off the back on the nose, because we could. Star flew through and held them to the judge's immediate satisfaction. No gimme considering we were running under Dennis Birchell, an Irishman who knows a thing ot two about a good run.

Day 2 was more of the same, but the drive was reversed, and, oh did I mention that it was big? I don't know how big, but every bit of 300 yards, I would wager. It was a long way on the cross-drive, and nearly impossible to hit a panel in that flat expanse of prarie with no more for landmarks than a bit of scrub here and there. Star ran wider on day 2 even though I sent him in the same direction, but made another quick lift. The lambs pulled to the left, and so far from me, Star was reluctant at the top to take my whistles and hold the line. The whole top of our fetch was off line, and the fetch panels slid by unbroken. That mammoth drive brought the same consequences, missed panels, zig-zag lines, and lots of encouragement necessary to shove leaden lambs around the course. They were heavy on day 2. At 6,000' feet elevation, I was breathless upon completion of that run, especially after having to lift the pen gate to open and close. It was not hung, and with no wheel underneath, rested heavily on the ground. It was a relief to finish, and I kept joking that I wasn't getting paid enough to work that hard.

One of the best things about the trial this year was the weather. After being frozen at Zamora, CA in February, soaked through at Sonoma in March, it was so nice to have the weather man smile of us. July is monsoon season in the Southwest and huge thunder stroms swirled all around us, only occasionally pelting us lightly with the warmest rain. The rest of the time was spent under high, dark clouds that kept temperatures, dogs and hands cool and happy.

We moved to the South side of the ranch on day 3, and things got tricky. The course was shorter, but plenty big enough at about 450-500 yards. 2 difficult elements were added; a rolling dip through the middle of the fetch that obscured dogs on the outrun, dogs and sheep on the fetch, and a powerful draw. It was a clinching 45 seconds waiting to see where dogs fetched sheep on the near side, and there was very little time to recover to make the panel that was set quite far back. Star drifted way right, and was again reluctant to take my come-bye flank. We brought the sheep back on line, but just slid past the panel.

The 1st leg of the drive was almost directly toward the pen where the sheep overnighted. It was a mighty draw requiring the dog to hold sheep from bolting all the way across. Some groups were nicer about it than others, and Star listened intently to do his best just losing them short of the panel. Again we missed, and the shoving began. With their overnight pen behind them, the lambs were not happy on the cross drive, and we were agonizingly slow...but successful. Unfortunately, our single was messy, taking it off the front with a little uncertainty, but the judge called it and we went to the pen. This one had a wheel and rolled easily. The lambs are well tended, and penning was a gimme all weekend. So, why did I let them get around it? Because I faded. I got to that point, decided it was going to be easy, and lost concentration. That is not how trials are won, which we weren't in contention for anyway, but that's no excuse. Those lost pen points cost us, and we won't find consistent success at this level with work like that. Lesson learned.

Leaving the ranch, I was consumed by Mirk's shoddy performance in the double lift. That's another story, but I lost sight of little Star man. It wasn't until I saw the overall scores posted that I realized how strong he had run. I did not enter him in the double lift, and without the double lift scores, Star finished 3rd overall, and even with them, he was 5th. He was only 1 of 5 dogs that scored in all 3 open trials. In a field of only 31 dogs that may not seem like much, but on those huge courses, he is a Gold Star in my book, and I'm looking more confidently towards the finals in a few weeks.

Week 121 - Nicomodes Gulch 2011

Ready...Set...

Had I known what to expect at this trial, I would have gone anyway. The conditions are difficult, and the sheep were the biggest obstacle. They didn't want to line out, they didn't like the turn at the post, they were happy to run off in any direction, and to Star's chagrin, they were not overly impressed by the dogs.

On Friday, they gave us 4 head and 9 minutes, I think. The sheep were set about 450 yards out and deep in between 2 sets of trees. So deep, in fact, that the dogs running in the morning had the additional challenge of spotting sheep that were set in the shade making them all but impossible to see, even for the hands. I watched the first dog of the day, and when it was sent, had to make a concerted effort to find the sheep.

I wasn't worried. Star is a sheep-finding jesse, and just in case, has a tremendous re-direct. As it worked out, both skills were needed, but my little doggie did not disappoint. To send left meant he had to run around trees close to the sheep that would make them disappear to him, even if at some point he spotted them, and then him to me. An away-to-me outrun meant I could see my dog all the way, but he would have to go past the set-out pen.

Deciding that away was the lesser of 2 evils, that's what I chose. Star left my feet wide and fast heading for the farthest reaches of the field. About mid-way he seemed to pull in a bit, and I heard the words "trust your dog," then didn't.  I knew he would kick himself out if he spotted his sheep, but many older, wiser dogs had not, and I decided sheep to my feet was better than a few points lost on the outrun. I blew the re-direct, and he took it so precisely that I had to cut it short so that he did not run out too wide. The instant I stopped the whistle, he stopped widening and together we were on the perfect path to sheep.

He did not stop short, but he did slow, which I am attributing to the 2 mounted set-out riders. I can't remember whether Star has ever seen horses at the top, but he persevered and came on to the lift. I blew a big walk-up,  because I could see he was tentative, and it was just what he needed to boost his confidence. His lift was slightly off-line but a flank whistle or 2 had them coming straight to me. A little slow to react near the fetch panel caused us to miss it, but the running had been so erratic all day that Star was having one of the best fetches I had seen even without the panel.

All day the sheep had fought to avoid turning the post, and it was that spot that had me worried. There was a tight squeeze between the post, the judges trailer, and waiting handlers. The big, aged ewes had never been dogged, but successfully fought off coyotes and whatever else they have in the mountains of Utah all their lives. Star was not match for them, and they stalled around the post. To his credit, Star never quit trying, but after much shushing, here-here-ing, and watch-'em, watch-'ems, he was unable to shift them, and I retired, not all that gracefully. The scores had been dismal, a 58 was leading at that point, and I was reluctant to give up on what had been a stellar beginning.

I felt better about Sunday. The course was changed and they gave us 8 head of sheep to help them feel better about moving along, I imagine. They were happier in this bigger group. The drive was reversed to mitigate the sucking chest wound that was the draw to exhaust, and that worked well also. With 12 generous minutes to run, I thought we just might have a chance.

Earlier in the year at Zamora, Star had remembered perfectly the 550 yard, technically difficult outrun, and had navigated the entire uphill jaunt without losing so much as a point. On Sunday I trusted my dog, and was rewarded with a big, booming outrun of the kind I have come to expect. No hesitancy at the top this time, he was comfortable with the horses. A slight bobble on the lift, but nothing to get upset about, and Star brought his sheep straight through the heart of the fetch panel. OK, now I was having fun.

The turn at the post was a bit wide with some hesitation, but we made it and the drive started well. Unfortunately, it didn't go or end well, and we missed both panels, made ungainly, wide turns at both, and lost a lot of time with one ewe hanging back, one ewe leading the pack, and the rest of them taking their own sweet time about it. Star's drive was ragged, and I knew at the end of it that were would not be collecting a check.

The finish of this trial was split 4 and 4, put them through a Y-chute, re-gather and single. Star got as far as a stellar split, holding 4 away from 4 to the immediate satisfaction of the judge. Where many dogs struggled even to hold sheep in the ring, Star had calmly and decisively convinced them to go their separate ways, and it was been lovely to watch.

Once again, I have to remember what we did right with no more than that to hold me over until New Mexico, and the Free to Be Trial coming up. Nicomodes was a great test of the dogs, and I was pleased to see that my 2 year old nursery dog could stand his own in good company. Just a little more maturity please.

Week 120-Kelly Creek 2011



Staying Cool at Kelly Creek

Day 231os
We had one last practice before leaving home for the summer, and for Kelly Creek, the 1st of 7 dog trials this summer. It was a hot day, so I didn't plan to put any pressure on the dogs. I wanted to simply remind them of a square flank, stretch them out as far as I could and tune up the finesse work of driving straight lines by taking whistles precisely. Star and Mirk worked beautifully, and Star had an epiphany. Timing is everything, right? We;re leaving for a dog trial, and Star passes a milestone. Sweet!

Star has always been reluctant to hold the shed or single if any sheep tries to break back. Until today, it always made him nervous, which resulted in his glancing to the cast off sheep, and so losing the sheep I mean to hold. It always frustrated me, but I know better than to correct a puppy in the shed ring when what you need more than anything in there is confidence. So, I made a decision early to stay the course, and just keep working at it. Today was pay off day.

As we practiced shedding, not only did Star hold the shed and the single, but he balanced the drive taking the shed off sheep away from the cast offs, and it was a simply gorgous site. I could  see the light go on today, and his confidence multiply. OK, now we're ready for the summer trials.

Kelly Creek Dog Trial
From my experience this year, if you don't like Kelly Creek, you don't like dog trialing. Developed by an architect, and his now widowed wife, Patsy, the place is a virtual sheepdog wonderland. Patsy and her husband created it for sheepdog and agility dog training on acreage with huge specimen trees, meandering pathways, gurgling brooks, diverted waterways, 2 huge ponds stocked with cutthroat trout, and a small, but oh-so-treacherous trial field.

Star was 3rd on Saturday, and I retired with him on Sunday. From local Forest Service grazing leases, the fine wool ewes really were range ewes such as you see at much bigger dog trials, but we are in sheep country after all. They were big, strong, and used to fending for themselves, so the dogs didn't provide much of a challenge compared to mountain lions and coyotes that they're used to. Star was overmatched and made his way around the course slowly and very cautiously. On Saturday, his outrun and lift were perfect, and we sliced the fetch panel in two. Space was tight between the post and the fence and the turn was made more difficult by a poorly placed pen obstructing the first drive leg, but my dog was strong there on much "shush, shush" from me. All weekend long these bad girls refused to line out, and precious few runs occurred where all 3 panels were made, but it was the cross drive that laid us bare.

Set on the lip of 1 of 2 terraces running horizontally across the field, if you were high on the cross drive you lost sight of both sheep and dog. If low, the points were slashed, and in either case the unpredictable ewes made the panels almost impossible for most of us. In addition, it was a long way across, and Star had to hold untractable sheep while using every ounce of power he could muster to keep things moving forward. His work was halting and careful, but he never quit trying, never quit listening, and never lost his precarious nerve. He was slow, but he made it to the shed ring with a clean, fast, 2 - 2 split off the back on the nose, and we timed out at the pen for 3rd place on a dismal score of 67. I hate to  place well by being the best of the worst, but we could just as easily been at the other end of that spectrum.

Sunday was a different story, Star and I both were wrong from the minute we set foot on the field. At this trial I had 3 dogs running, Star, Mirk, and a student's dog named Buff. What I discovered through the process is that you don't try as hard to win with each dog individually when you have more chances. In the short time I've been running Star, I have come to take him for granted, especially on the outrun, but I forgot to factor in the size of the field. It is small,  the outrun only about 250 yards, and it is fenced, which can often make solid outrunning dogs run tight. I learned that lesson the hard way, and completely forgot it at Kelly Creek.

Star was looking to my right while I set him up on my left, which is always a recipe for disaster, and he was wrong from his very first step, and then he pulled in even more. He ran tight to the extent that he required a stop and re-direct to prevent a cross over, and we were off to a bad start. Star was slow to lift sheep which were far more comfortable standing up to the dogs on day two. The sheep immediately drifted off line to the  side of the field which was home to the exhaust, and my usually precise nursery dog wouldn't take the come-bye flank. We barely made the fetch panel, but the entire top half of the fetch was way off line.

His  best work on Sunday came at the turn. Over 2 days of trialing, our sheep hated the tight space between the post and the fence, but Star had them dead to rights here. To keep them moving forward I  flanked him come-bye on a clockwise turn, then back away-to-me to keep the sheep moving forward, and then allowed him to drift on his own to cover and hold  them tight to me. He handled it like a seasoned pro, and had a clean, tight turn that started us a dead-straight drive away. I can't remember whether we made the drive away panel, because all I can think about is the tortuous cross-drive. We were high, we were low, we disappeared below the terrace, and popped back up with sheep coming straight toward us. I couldn't really blame Star for just wanting to give them back to me. He was struggling.

In front of the cross-drive panel, and at the last minute, the sheep zigged torwards the exhaust pen low of the panel, and Star had to make a run for it to block them. Just accomplishing the block, it became a stand off between him and sheep, and I walked away from the post deciding to help my dog, give him a shot in the arm, and promote confidence in my good, young dog. Some said I should have continued on, but with the finals just around the corner, no one will ever convince me that fighting recalcitrant sheep for a probable finish out of  the  points and money is better than retaining and promoting precious confidence. I was right to retire, I just know it.

Week 119

So, here's our trialing schedule for July, August and September.


Kelly Creek - Huntsville, UT 7/2-4
Nicomodes Gulch - Monte Vista, CO 7/15-17

Free to Be, Mountainair, NM 7/27-31

Kemmer - Kemmer, WY 8/26-28

Steamboat - Steamboat, CO 9/3-5

Meeker Championship - Meeker, CO 9/7-11 I'm wait-listed for this one and may not get in

National Finals - Carbondale, CO 9/13-18

In between these dog trials I will be on the Strang Ranch giving lessons and helping the Strang's prepare for the finals. And I'll be enjoying uncommonly good company, riding with Bridget, if she'll have me, and training my dogs every chance I get. I am truly blessed.

Day 228os
It's been bloody hot here all week, but I'm training, training anyway. Kelly Creek is just right around the corner, and the dogs aren't in shape as much as I would like. They are running well, all things considered though, and we are prepared for heat, if not for altitude.

Star man faltered in the heat today, and it seemed to zap his strength most of all. The sheep were hot, and heavy, and Star was sluggish, and slow. Not a good combination. After a few outruns, and the drudgery of shoving stubborn sheep down the fetch line, I fell back on work that's fun and fast. After some simple flanking drills, we reverted to shedding. Still running out in front of the shed off sheep, Star was gliding through the holes easily enough, and wearing with intention under my quiet "shush, shush, here, here" to hold his sheep.

I made it a short day for both dogs. There was little shade, the drinking water was hot, and the sheep were unhappy.

Day 229os
I loaded the dogs, and went to Coto de Caza in Orange County again to give lessons to some really nice people who are just learning. The area they have to work in is an arena made from PVC post and rail fencing. The sheep were quick to find a way out, making it difficult to keep them in afterward. Star took turns with Mirk doing sheep retrieval today, and made some new friends whom he impressed mightily.

Star has a tremendous personality and he makes friends easily. Today he made his retrieval and then would run to everybody there in turn for a pet and some love. It is as if he said, "I was wonderful, wasn't I? Did you see me? I was wonderful." And, of course everyone agreed. He exhibits the same behavior when we are anywhere working where there are other handlers. He runs back when I call him off, wagging his whole body and looking for praise, which is always quick to come his way.

Day 230os
Short and sweet again today. I have so much to do before I leave in 3 days that I don't have a lot of time for the dogs. But I squeezed them in today, then went home and worked on the trailer until 8:30pm.

We were in the big field with Buff's owner, who came for a lesson. Buff is going with me trialing this summer, and I have him entered in every one that would allow me 3 dogs. Because of cancellations at Nicodomes in Colorado, he's entered in all of them, except the Meeker Championship, but I'm wait-listed there anyway.

Just a few short outruns, some fetching and driving, and we were finished. On the first outrun, I set Star up in front of me, and he ran tight. Again, I'll not complain about that, because of his tendency to run wide. However, the next time, I stepped off to his side with him beside me, and got the most beautifully made outrun that he has given me since the dog trial at Zamora. I thought, "OK, now we're ready for the summer," and called it a day.

Next week's post will be from the Kelly Creek Trial in Huntsville, UT.   Check back!

Week 118

I am counting the days now. My first upcoming dog trial is July 2, 3, 4, so I will be leaving home for my 3 month sojourn around the 30th, and I simply can. not. wait. I am taking Buff, a dog belonging to one of my students, on this trip and she dropped him off today for a 2 week tune up before our very first trial together. We are cracking out as a team at the Kelley Creek Trial in Huntsville, UT over the 4th of July weekend. Such a lovely dog, I really don't have my hopes set too high for our first outing, because we have so little time together beforehand. His owner expects he will win. No pressure, I expect we will learn and get better together as the summer wears on. The worst part about leaving for a trip like this is that you are one day closer to coming home. I nevah want to come home.

Hot and Dry

Day 225os
I am telling you, I just love to watch this dog run out. Star is a heavy-bodied dog who floats like a butterfly when stretched into a searing outrun, and it is a thing or beauty. With his thick tail trailing behind, his footfalls are heavy to point that you can hear them, but he is so athletic and strong that he resembles a thoroughbred on the back stretch making it look easy.

Of all my dogs, Star is the heaviest, around 48 pounds. With that weight propelling great momentum, he is a force at top speed. He knocked me flat one day when he was playing, and I went sprawling from his strength. Like a football halfback, Star is a bit heavier, but agile and strong, and it hurts when he hits you.

Last winter I was struggling with Star's outrun a bit when he became over-wide on the come-by side after a senseless correction from me that he took to heart. Now, he seems a bit tight on that side. OK, so come-bye remains the weaker of his 2 directions. I have been setting him up a bit in front of me before I send him left, and his first gather is usually blind by design. I like to make him think, and look, and think some more. Remembering back to over-wide, I have been trying to compensate by setting him up this way, and it is not working. Now he is tight. I plan to go back to a more traditional start with Star beside me, and we will see how that works for us.

I practiced keeping him loose today by flanking him from side to side on the fetch. This is an exercise I replay often to make sure all my dogs are free-flanking. I flank them between 9 and 3 o'clock while fetching, the same while driving, and sometimes from the fetch, all the way around to 6 o'clock to drive sheep away. After the hiatus, Star was a bit slow to release, but not bad, and I loosened him up today. Unlike Mirk, that I felt I was chipping out of concrete to break him loose on the fetch, Star is pretty happy to be placed exactly where I need him. For some reason, though, he is slower to come around from a fetch to the come-bye side, and I can't help wonder whether it is left over residue from that poor correction all these months ago. He is so sensitive!

Day 226os
I ducked off and worked dogs by myself today, and it felt really good. With just enough room in the truck for everbody from Dexter to Price, it's always fun and the dogs love it. We started with Mirk unloading sheep, and I worked him first, as always. I have found that Price and Star will wait patiently for their turn, but Mirk is miserable if he doesn't have first go. It worked out to Star's advantage, because when finished, Mirk left sheep set for Star's first outrun, which I made blind for practice and confidence.

I sent him left first, and again he was tight. I flanked him off the fetch, into a drive, pushed the sheep back out, and tried it again. This time, I set him up to my left, but beside me, and he ran wide and deep, kicking himself out even further when he picked up his sheep. This outrun confusion of first tight, then wide is not troubling to me, because Star's senses are heightened from the pressure at a dog trial. Even if he starts wrong, which hasn't happened very often, he listens keenly, and will take any re-direct.

Fairly hot today, I was mindful of how tired he was getting. This day, I put him away after the first outrun giving him a rest while I worked Mirk again. Conditioning is becoming more and more important as the trials get closer, but it's easy to overheat a dog in Southern Calif weather, so I watch the dogs closely. I never miss an opportunity to practice shedding with Star, because he still has a way to go overcoming his trepedition when sheep try to break over him. Again today I had to quash my frustration as he stood flat-footed and watched a single return to the shed off sheep not confident enough to cover and hold her. Getting mad only exacerbates the problem. It is absolutely counter productive with Star to get mad. I made his shedding mistake a positive and set up another. The next time, after Star came flying into the hole we made together, I ran to the head of the sheep he was to hold, and I let him fetch them to me, instead of balance them away. He likes this much better, held them to me without any hesitation, and I will stay with it for a while, probably right up until trial time. Confidence is everything.

Day 227os
We started off today with a blind outrun, and Star pretty much ran straight up the middle. Of course he didn't know he was doing so, because the sheep were hidden, but he didn't take my 3 or 4 re-directs either, which was troublesome. I am still not worried about it, just aware of it. I will set him by my side at the dog trials to send on the outruns, and he will run out beautifully. I believe in him, and he's never let me down.

We worked on precision shedding today and with a mix of lambs, wethers and Dorpers, it was not always easy to take just the back two, and just what I wanted. I'll tell you one thing the dog does with spectacular skill; Star comes through the hole with intention and he always comes in behind me, which I just love. Asking Star through on the shed is like pulling the lever on a slot machine, and hitting the jackpot. And good news! Today a sheep tried to break back, and he ran to cover her, and he tried to grip! Now that might not seem like great shedding strategy to you, but it was a beautiful sight to me. It showed his burgeoning confidence, some latent courage, and some slow-growth maturity. He lost the sheep, but he tried. I was so pleased with. I set up another shed, and to shore up his new-found power, this time I made it easy for him. That-a-Boy Starman!

Week 117

Steady Star

My how time flies. It's been exactly 2 months since I've worked my dogs. Hard to believe, isn't it? And why would anyone who loves sheepdogs and trialing them as much as I do, who owns sheep, put it all away for such a very long time? Simple answer really...life. In particular, it was work that caused the hiatus. As much as I would like to, and as much as I believe it's possible, I haven't quite figured out how to make a living solely from the dogs. But, I'm working on it, and in the mean time, I have a day job. Or, more accurately in my case, a night job. I work nights to keep my days free for training dogs, and handlers, and tending my sheep. For the last 6 weeks, I've been taking a class relating to my job, and I simply haven't had the time, the energy, or the strength to work what amounted to 11 hour days, and rouse myself to the dogs. But we're back at it now.

Hardpan rodeo aftermath

Day 223os
I loaded up today and headed out to the big field. The foxtails are treacherous in the un-mowed portions, but the rodeo came and went over Memorial Day in that field, and about a third of the 40-acre portion was cleared for it, so we went there. The dogs were rusty, Mirk more so than Star. Mirk reverted to mediocre flanks that left the sheep wary, and I had to remind him where we left off. Star seemed a bit unsure of himself out there. Both were horribly winded in a short time, and it's not even hot yet!

Because the mowed area is so small, the outruns were short, but I sent Star blindly for his first, and he was actually a bit tight to the left, where he is normally too wide. Well, they're not remote control cars are they? Circumstance changes them, and apparently Star tightens up after time off. Not a bad thing, and I'll have to remember to let him have it for a while, and not do anything stupid like become frustrated, push him out, and get him too wide again. Really! That lesson should be learned by now. He ran out well, fast, looking the whole way. He was his usual focused self, and it was good to see.

I have quite a mish-mash of sheep right now, some fresh Cheviot lambs, 2 fresh Blue-faced Leicester lambs, last years "kittehs" (cheviots) and 3 Dorper ewes from last years lamb crop. A recent coyote attack has left me doctoring, doctoring, doctoring, I have a yearling Cheviot with a bad eye, and the lambs are too young, so today it was the healthy kittehs and 1 Dorper who thinks she's a Cheviot judging from how flighty she is.

After a few short and sweet outruns, we (figuratively) went to the shedding ring, which really wasn't much fun on this group who would rather run than shed. Star has such a cool demeanor, that he quiets the sheep and makes hard shedding pretty easy. He remembered the command "on your feet," which I have to use liberally on him, or he flops down to watch from his belly. Like a tennis player receiving the serve, it's easier to respond when your feet are moving, so I keep him on his, and either walking up quietly, or flanking calmly. He understands the job completely now, and has gotten really good at that part. He's not bad at coming through either, and did an outstanding job of holding a single today. She bobbed, and he weaved to keep her separate, and he did most of the work unaided by me. Good boy.

A bit of driving, flanking off balance, and we were headed for home. I kept the session short, so the dogs wouldn't get too sore , and because they tired easily today. 2 months is a long time to lay about just sucking up groceries. With just 3 short months until the National Finals, we'll be back at it hard now. That time will evaporate much too quickly.

Hay curing in the field

Day 224os
As a run-up to the National Finals this year, I have planned a trialing trip that will take me from Huntsville Utah, through Lacamas, Washington and all the way down to Mountainaire, New Mexico. As if that weren't enough good fortune, I will using the Strang Ranch, home of this year's finals, as my home base, and hanging out with some of my dearest friends in between these far-flung dog trials. But there's more... I am taking a student's new dog along to run in addition to my own, and the hits just keep right on coming! So, today was a day to work Buff, who is unfamiliar to me, but becoming less so all the time. What a lovely dog he is, so willing, such a keen listener, so kind to his sheep with flanks that are clean, clean, clean and a solid outrun. I am a very lucky girl.

More of the rust was removed today while working Star, and his confidence returned in good measure. There's more in there somewhere, and I will summon it up. That dog just loves to run out, and I just love to watch him. Today was no exception. Constrained by the mowed limits of the big field, the gathers were short, but Star man was his speedy, efficient self, and I was really pleased to see him remain on contact and avoid the pitfalls of too wide. I knew my hiatus would do the dog some good.

We practiced close work with things like turning the post, keeping the first leg of the drive straight from the beginning and cross-driving. I threw in some of the fresh, 3-month old kittehs to make things interesting, and driving a straight line was challenging with them in the mix. Then shedding and singling with Star's lack of confidence rearing it's ugly head on the single. Some dogs become more keen with a single to balance off the flock, but it makes Star nervous. Today, he started right through on my encouragement, but waffled when the single tried him all 3 times, looking back to the cast-offs, and lost her back to the others. I'm not concerned about it. Star's rusty, and typically rises to the occasion over time. He was singling confidently before the break, and I expect we'll return to that sooner than later. The sheds were no problem and I only needed to use encouragement when singling was not. Star wilts from the wrong type of human pressure, and thrives under an encouraging hand.

It was a bit hot today, and I again kept things short and sweet. I think I overdid it yesterday after such a long respite, so I was more careful today. All 3 dogs, Mirk, Star and Buff were very good for me, and I managed to quit on high notes them all, which I find to be so important in the scheme of things.

Load up please

Day 225os
Today was lovely, a gentle, cool breeze, bright blue skies and 3 talented dogs to work. An enthusiastic sheepdog trainer really can't ask for more than that. I can complain about the foxtails if I want, but I'd rather focus on the beauty of the dogs, the land and the day. The land is not at it's pretties just now with the soil packed to hard pan from the rodeo traffic, but it's still better than the foxtails. Hay is curing across the creek, raked into neat rows across 100 acres or so, and that's where we'll be headed after it's bailed. You have to make hay when the sun shines, and we haven't had enough of it yet to really cure that hay, but I'm looking forward to the day.

With Buff's owner, Mandy, in attendance for a lesson, she and I took turns working our dogs. Buff got a go, then Mirk, then Star until we had given them each 2 sessions. Star looked even less rusty than the 2 previous days, and began to show the polish and confidence he demonstrated over the winter. A couple short outruns, a bit of driving, then back to shedding practice. I had a plan for strengthening his ability to single, and was anxious to give it a go today.

Star is such a keen shedder. He completely understands the what and the why, even while he sometimes stumbles on the how, so today I figured a way to help him. Essentially, I went back to basics. After singling off a sheep, instead of asking Star to balance the drive and move her away, I ran to the head, and let him balance the single to me. Understanding the fetch better than he does driving a single, he balanced her beautifully, stopping more than one attempt to break back, and I was gratified to watch his success. I repeated the exercise to make sure, and he did a great job. More of the same in store tomorrow until Star becomes sure of himself.

With all these trials upcoming, I hope Star will be able to use his new-found singling talents. You are never asked to single until the end of any given course, and at the finals, the single usually doesn't come until the semi-finals of the open. So, if Star has to rely on this training, it means he's gotten around in good form. Always the optimist, I'm thinking positively.

Week 116

After all our hard work and practice leading up to Zamora and Sonoma, I gave the dogs, and young Star man in particular, some time off. In my opinion, a break now and then does them good. It gives them a chance to refresh, reflect on the lessons learned, rejuvenate, just be dogs, and find their joy. That is the way I see it, but I am not sure the dogs concur. Left to their own devices, I believe they would simply work, work and work some more, but rest they did, and we are back at it now.

Nice tongue, Star

Day 221os
Reflecting back on Star’s melt down at the pen in Sonoma on the flat field, I was taking steps today to eliminate the problem going forward. We were working against the fence. With my back to the fence and the sheep between me and my dog, I shushed and choused the sheep to keep them moving away, which caused the dog to flank back and forth of his own accord to hold sheep to me that were attempting to flee in either direction. It is a fun exercise that most dogs like and Star was no exception today. The idea is to create excitement and keen the dog up, then allow him to teach himself how to stop fleeing sheep, and enjoy the process.

It worked for Star to a certain degree. He was definitely having fun, but I would like to have seen him come forward more towards his sheep whenever he successfully stopped them. In other words, he would flank quickly enough without direction from me to keep his sheep from getting away, but gave ground, moving away from them on his flank, which caused the sheep to stop incrementally farther and farther away from me, instead of continually closer as you need at the pen.

Watch it!

At the pen, it is critical for the dog to boldly come forward and move sheep into the small enclosure they would rather avoid. If the dog simply flanks and stops any escape, but fails to push them forward into the pen, tougher sheep will size up the dog’s lack of resolve quickly enough. They might stand in the gate, or even worse, become more determined to escape and simply walk right over the dog on their way out, al la Star on the flat field.

Even on the days we didn’t actually work this week, I used Star to put out the sheep and took a few minutes to repeat this exercise against the fence. With much “shush, shush,” and lot’s of happy “walk up” and “come on’s,” I was finally able to encourage him enough that he was able to hold sheep tighter to my body.

Day 222os
The unexpected residual benefit of all Star’s work against the fence was in his shedding. He internalized his lessons about putting more pressure on the stock, and today when I practiced shedding, he came through with more intensity, and more determination to keep them apart. He surprised me, and it was surely nice to see.

Hot two-beat trot

We were back in the big field today with Mirk and a new dog I have in for training named Buff. I wore a wind jacket, but the sun was shining, and after all the rain we’ve had, everything was bright and emerald green, even though the grass is just a shade below too tall to work. I am attempting to put together a plan whereby I will utilize the feed available on the big field, and keep it useable on a year-round basis. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Today involved a couple of bigger outruns, which left my dogs panting and showing me just how quickly stamina dissipates in the absence of conditioning. It has only been 2 weeks after all, and it was certainly not hot. With now 2 other dogs to work, I was able to rest Star liberally in between his turns, but decided to practice close work after just 2 outruns so as not to overdo it. That is where the stellar shedding became apparent, and Star’s driving, as always was precise, smooth and efficient.

A most unexpected event came when I sent, Buff, my in-training dog on little gather. I had worked him in a small pen at home 1 time previously and understood immediately that he was exceptionally well trained. He had only been in my possession for few hours before we went to the big field, and that time was spent in the company of all the dogs together, so we could establish our pecking order, and get to know each other. Buff fit like a pair of favorite jeans, intuitive, unafraid, attentive to me, and willing, so we headed out.

I walked him up until he could clearly see his sheep about 50 yards away. I knew by his speed and body position, creeping forward, low to the ground, that he saw his sheep, so gave a quiet “away-to-me,” taken brilliantly at great speed. Wonderful, I thought, then he widened. Then he widened more, then he widened alarmingly, was completely out of contact and heading to God-knew-where 500 yards away before I could react. My heart rate and my pace picked up immediately as I tried to at least stay in visual contact with him, calling his name, and blowing his stop whistle with as little panic in it as possible. Now down at the very bottom of the field, he was becoming obscured in the knee-high grass, and then he popped up…on the other side of the creek! Remember this is a 140 acre field and he was a good 500 yards away, ignoring me, heading away. I started running, never my strong suit, and continued to blow a stop. Well, at least I thought it was his stop, but it seemed to have no effect. I had listened to his whistles once on a tape recorder, but all of a sudden, I was beginning to doubt my powers of recollection.

Look back

I lost him in the deep grass on the back side of a hill, and by the time I got to where he had last been seen, it seemed eerily quiet to me. The creek flowed, the birds chirped, grass riffled in the wind, but no Buff. How am I ever going to be able to explain this one? I kept calling, and whistling, and walking. Nothing. More of the same. Nothing. Who can I get to come help me? No Buff. Which neighboring houses will I check first? Wait a minute. This is a sheepdog extraordinaire, right? So where are the sheep? When I looked over my shoulder and saw movement, I knew where to find him. Bringing me sheep at a pretty good clip, there was Buff, driving them straight as an arrow towards me. OK, let’s try that again, only shorter for a while!

Week 115 - Sonoma 2011

Planning ahead

Day 220os
A week out from the Sonoma Wine Country Sheepdog Trial, a big, important trial for us, I am thinking about fine-tuning the dogs and instilling as much confidence as I possibly can. I had just the kittehs with me today, because they are light, light, light and good for the confidence part. They are also very touchy, so good for the fine-tuning part as well.

I started with bigger outruns for Star, 1 to each side, then shortened them up to a couple hundred yards. The shorter outruns keen up my dog measurably and, because it is so easy for him, they create the confidence I need going onto an unfamiliar field and fresh wool sheep. After the outrun, we practiced shedding and taking a single. On the hill field the finish is shed, pen single, and Star needs the practice. The kittehs don't split well, and so with an eye towards confidence, I made it as easy as possible, calling my dog through no matter where they split. As long as I got an easy shed, I called him through. Right now I don't need any mis-steps, only work I can praise, praise, praise.

Day 221os
With only 2 days left for practice, I kept things short and sweet today. I wanted to start, remain and finish on a good note, and that is just what happened. I had the kittehs, and 2 Dorper lambs to keep things interesting. I set them at the bottom of the hill shaded up under the big eucalyptus tree where they were impossible to spot. Guiding Star by taking steps in the necessary direction of travel, I told him to "look," then sent with a shush. In both directions today, Star started well, picking up pace along the way to finish spot on. From correcting him on the come-bye side weeks ago, he is still a little unsure that way, but much improved today, which was good to see.
 
Sonoma Wine Country Sheepdog Trial
I can safely report that my dog is completely unaffected by inclement weather. At Sonoma, he was tested absolutely. Throughout the dog trial, on either field, and both days, Star stayed true to form remaining steady, compliant and precise. The only hiccup to the entire trial experience for us occurred when I let him down Saturday at the pen during the first running on what is called "the flat field."

To be perfectly honest with you, I thought this trial might be a bit over little Star man's head. Both fields are small, but treacherous, and the trial always provides sheep that are fit and testing.  Add to that the fact that  water was to be found everywhere on both fields from puddles to muddy bogs, to rivulets to rushing streams, and you've got quite a challenge for a nursery dog.

On Saturday, Star ran towards the end of the run order on "the flat field," named that way, because compared to "the hill field," it is. The gather is short, maybe 200 yards, and my dog managed it with no trouble at all coming around at the top fence line to gather himself up and make a nice lift. The sheep would rather not breach strong rain run-off flowing across the fetch and drive lines, and I was liberal with encouragement, both voice and "walk-up" whistle to keep him coming forward. The post is set beside and a little behind the pen, so to make a nice turn there, you must be between the two. After a competent fetch that cost only 5 points, Star easily kept his sheep where they needed to be, and the most difficult part of the course was begun without any fuss at all. The instant the sheep were pointed towards the drive-away panel, I said "there," and Star stopped dead allowing the sheep to comfortably toddle up the drive line. After that it was just a matter of quiet flank and walk-up whistles with some soft voice encouragement all around the drive for tight turns, straight lines and a completed drive worth 26 points. That's when the wheels came off, at least for me.

On deck on the "flat field"

As you well know, Star-man is so sensitive to my pressure. All it takes to curb his enthusiasm is my least bit of frustration, a careless tone of voice, or too many decibels. I knew our run had been a good one up to that point. I was worried about penning to begin with, because we have not practiced it much, and it hasn't been a factor at recent dog trials where I could have developed confidence. The sheep were penning well, but still required convincing, some more than others, and there had been the errant ewe who ran off on previous runs. It happens. Where I should have used "here, here, watch 'em, shush, shush," I used "come on," in a growly voice, and Star slowed to a crawl giving ground to my demeanor on flanks necessary to stop ewes who were sizing up my dog. One ewe in particular knew when she had the upper hand, and after stopping a break or two, Star lost to her when she simply strutted right past him. We timed out leaving 20 precious points on the field and I was reminded yet again of a valuble lesson. No dog is perfect. Every, single dog, no matter how talented has bits and pieces that must be handled around. Going forward I will only encourage my dog, and not do anything to reduce his cha-cha especially where I need it most. It was a very expensive lesson that I should not have needed.

From 60-some dogs, Star finished somewhere in the top 20. The breakdown of points off looked like this:
OR 1 - Lift 1 - Fetch 5 - Drive 4 - Pen 10 - Shed 10 for a total score of 69 out of 100. Just for the record, a score of 89 would have put him 2nd. Argh!

The "flat field"

Star ran 2nd on Sunday on the "hill field," after 2 hours spent just outside the host farm's entrance watching a massive live oak being removed with chain saws and a tractor. Mighty winds had toppled the giant moments before we got there directly across the driveway, and it took 2 men with help from many volunteers to clear the entry and allow us to begin.

The "hill field" slopes up gently, then angles up sharply to level off again at the top where sheep are set just where you can see them, but not where you can see the dog's approach. There is really only one way to send, and that is right, either inside or outside a now-rushing stream that bisects the field from top to bottom. Star went the long way around, crossing the stream in a big, awkward leap after which he got confused and lost his way. A re-direct whistle put him right, but he was reluctant to cross back over the stream, choosing instead to run all the way to the top fence-line of the field where a huge culvert was gushing big water from under a road, and down the rock-faced incline. It's a pretty waterfall, but impossible to jump, and I was really impressed to see my smart dog wisely back-track of his own accord to a narrower place where he jumped across and headed up the hill to his waiting sheep. It is a good thing he is a clever fellow, because I never could have whistled that maneuver.

The blustery "hill field"

After all that excitement the lift was made on my repeated walk-up whistles. Remember, I can't see the dog's approach because of the hill, but the sheep came off straight and quiet with Star smoothly on contact just behind. The fetch was on a string to my feet where we avoided the pit falls of a muddy, slippery hillside by remaining true to the line where the ground was steeper, but drier. After an efficient turn around the post, our drive was underway. The sheep were soggy and as a result were working brilliantly. Willing to move, but slowly without rancor, they behaved like 4H lambs in front of Star's quiet resolve. After a clean drive-away panel, there is a sharp left turn after which you go up and through 2 oak trees marked appropriately with bright orange tape. After gaining the trees, we climbed again to level off for the cross drive, which panel was made without any fuss. Another tight turn and were were headed to the shedding ring.

The finish on this field has always been shed, pen, single, and without a complete finish of some sort, there will be no wine for you. Sandy gives wine and money as prizes. Frank Cashen, our Irish judge, had declared a split of any 2, a single of any 1, which I knew would help my young dog where he needed it most and the split came easily enough even if it was on the butts of sheep that were happily moving away. Remembering my bitter lesson from the day before, I shushed and "here-here'd" my now happy dog and the pen was made with quite a bit of handler help. Not wanting to put him off as I had done the day before, I left him alone after flanking him into position, and did the work myself with lots of cooperation from willing ewes that for the most part walked straight in. I have been involved in some very exciting penning in my time, and this was not that way, but it was good for 9 points, and on to the single.

We had a missed attempt, and I suspect the reason the judge did not call it was because while Star came through on the correct sheep, he never fully committed to her. It was hard to hear under all those clothes and weather, so the judge kindly spoke his request for us to re-single. Running out of a very generous 12 minute time clock, I chose to help my dog here as well, running a ewe off the front and calling him in to follow her off. Follow her he did, and this time with intention, so the single was called and we were off.

It had been a decent run, placing us 8th out of over 60 dogs, which was good for an excellent bottle of 1994 Clos du Bois merlot and $125. The points were deducted as follows:

OR 8 - Lift 1 - Fetch 3 - Drive 3 - Split 2 - Pen 1 - Single 8 for a total score of 84 out of 110.

Week 114

Happy

Star's arena was dark this week as Mirk and I trained and prepared for a small, local trial where Star was not entered. With an eye towards the finals and my wallet, I only entered one dog, because Mirk needs the points and Star does not. With a lot of trialing ahead of us, Star already has 35 points, in 34th place in the standings, and is already quailfied for the open and the nursery finals. After Zamora and with Sonoma Wine Country trial coming up in a week, I thought it best just to let him cool his jets and relax. Plus it gave me more time to tune on Mirk.

Random Notes:
Next week is the Sonoma Wine Country Sheepdog Trial at Sandy and Arthur Milberg's farm in Santa Rosa, CA. Both Mirk and Star will be running on the small, but treacherous fields in the open. Sandy runs 2 fields and somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 dogs. Half on each field on Saturday, then you switch and run the other. Scores are totaled Sunday after the 2 trials and winners announced. This is one of my favorite trials of the year, because of the beauty, hospitality and, of course...THE WINE!

Check back Monday or Tuesday next week for a full report with pictures.

Week 113

Welcome all! And I mean that literally as this is the very first RTC created not just for subscribers, but for all. It is a pleasure to have everyone with us, and I hope reading this will help you half as much with your dogs as writing it does for mine.

Spotting Sheep

Day 218os
After all their hard work preparing for Zamora, I thought it best to give the boys a break. I did not work my dogs at all the first week after the trial. Our Spring season is heating up, though, so it is time to get back to work with a small, local trial in a week, and the Sonoma Wine Country trial at month's end. With typically 80 dogs to run, there are a lot of points available at Sonoma, and we have to be ready. Last year Mirk was 10th there on the hill field, and I would like to improve on that significantly this year.

I had visitors from Italia, (I will never again refer to it as Italy,) come out today with a friend to watch the dogs work. The communication was spotty, but my Italian heritage was useful, as Antonella, Juno and I gesture wildly when we talk. We made due. My friend, Jan, interpreted, and explained that in as much as Star is so advanced for his age, that he is a very good student. I never looked at it quite that way, but Jan is right. He has learned his lessons quickly, and has, in essence, skipped grades along the way.

I had the Dorpers on site today, and noticed that Star is moving them along easier than ever before. He is definitely growing into his power, and even demonstrated an appropriate grip here and there. Unprovoked by me, it was his decision, executed perfectly with good timing and a very welcome sight. It tells me he is thinking on his own and has learned when and how to do the job at hand most efficiently. You gotta love a dog that thinks correctly for himself. Training was short and sweet today. Just a couple bigger gathers, a bit of driving and a few quiet sheds.

That'll do boys

Day 219os
Today was another light day. I asked Star for a couple big gathers and practiced off-balance flanks on the fetch. I finished up with a bit of shedding, and was happy to see this job is getting easier for Star. He definitely understands the purpose now, and comes through on the right ones every time. There is no hesitation in his work, and he is clearly starting to really like it.

I left the Dorpers at home, and brought their lambs and the kittehs, which made a nice mix of light and stupid. Always interesting. There is a wether in the mix, that would hang back. Good practice at keeping everything together. Not that Star needs the practice. He is determined at all costs to keep everything together, which is why it was so hard to teach him to shed in the beginning. But, when most of the group is toddling off, he had to take an off-balance flank to bring up the straggler when what he wanted to do was flank the other way and head the ones that were moving away. It was good practice for Star to listen carefully, and take my flanks anyway, even when he thought I was wrong. I am never wrong, after all. Or am I?

Day 220os
Today was a day of the biggest outruns I could set up. About 440 yards on the part of my training field that is not planted to rye grass hay. When I am working big like this, I use Mirk to move the sheep out where I want them, and Star is usually sent blind, not having seen where I put them. Since the field is almost as long as it is wide, he really has no idea where to look until I show him. His sheep could be anywhere. I start Star on the side I want him to go, then walk with him towards the sheep a few steps saying "walk up... look." Each time he is successfull finding his sheep, our trust in each other grows. Mine that Star will find them, and his that they are out there somewhere. I have been setting things up like this for Star almost since I first taught him an outrun, and he has become an excellent spotter, looker, and finder of sheep. In the beginning, I set up short blind outruns usually hiding the sheep behind a boulder or in a clump of tall grass. Today was a day for the big ones.

Star has been faltering at home, (certainly not at Zamora,) and has been running wide. Today I put sheep down by the creek so when I sent to his worst side for that, come-bye, a tree-line and the edge of the field kept him close. He went out unsure the first time, once slowing to look back, then over the opposite shoulder at me. A couple "shu-shus" and he was off like lightening. Good to see. I don't mind having to encourage him once in a while. It's all part of the process for a young dog.

Brat!

Random Notes:
There are a few unusual words and acronyms that I use in my writing, so here is a short glossary to help you understand what is going on.

RTC - Real Time Canine, which is the title of my journal, chosen because just like Harry Potter, it chronicles Star's life and training neither past or present, but in real time

Kittehs - I recently bought some Border Cheviots that a friend commented would work and flock like kittens. He was right, and I have referred to them as "kittehs" ever since. It is an appropriate nickname.

Day 218os - The number represents the number of days that Star has been in training since the very first day I put him on sheep. Since the day I got him at 10 weeks old Star has been learning, and I have chronicled all of that in previous posts. But the number represents actual training days on sheep which began when he was about 7 months of age.

Week 112 - Zamora 2011

It is with some regret and a little mixed emotion that I begin composing the last private RTC. We have been a good group, you and me, and the discipline of writing has helped me stay on track with Star. Thank you for that. Thank you for your patronage, attentiveness, friendship, support, and commentary. I have enjoyed every minute of it, and hope you have as well.

Exhaust sheep? What exhaust sheep?

Zamora - Open 1
I have made the trip many times to Zamora, and because it poses challenges like nowhere else, it is one of my favorite dog trials. The seemingly endless hills that we run on appear out of nowhere and jut out sharply from the otherwise flat, agricultural expanse of the Sacramento Delta Region. One minute you are sailing down I-5, the next you are a few miles away on a winding, 2-lane road looking for the old red barns at the base of the trial field. It was windy and cold when I arrived Thursday night, with just enough daylight to air out the dogs and remember why I love the place.
Friday morning dawned cloudy and oh-so-cold. The weather man said 30% chance of rain, so the fog caught me off guard. At the trial field, we were unable to see even the post from the nearby parking area, and the trial was delayed by hours. As a result, the shed was eliminated leaving us a 90 point course, and 9 minutes to run instead of 11. With more than 80 dogs to compete over a day and a half in open #1, something had to go. I applaud the organizers for not running to a standard, or shortening the course, neither the outrun or the drive. It is why we come to Zamora after all, and the gather remained somewhere in the neighborhood of 550 yards with a 200 yard drive. Standing there on soggy ground, in inclement weather staring at that huge hill, the thought occurred to me that it might be a bit much for little Starman. And that was before I found out we were running on only 3 head of yearlings. Oh my! What the weatherman should have said was 30% chance of rain all day, because it began shortly after the fog lifted and did not stop.

Perfect Start

The post was an elevated platform welded up by a handler, and named after long-time Border Collie supporter, Guido Lombardi, who just happens to be last year's inductee into the ABCA Hall of Fame. The Lombardi Tower was placed below a rushing stream which had to be crossed by the dogs running out, and after the drive, by dogs and sheep to get to the pen. The drive ended, and drive points awarded at the uphill creek bank on the way back. Very few made it that far, and they were the ones that won the day with scores in the low 60s. After a day and a half of running all those dogs, no one had gotten a pen, with most either getting lost on the outrun, or like me with both dogs, timing out around the drive.

I wasn't worried about Star's run, or the least bit nervous, because I looked at it as a training run, with absolutely no expectation of anything. Honestly, I was thrilled just to see him start in the correct direction and head uphill. He is such a marvelous spotter of sheep, even as far as they were set, I knew he had seen them, so I figured; "what the hell." Not only is the hill steep vertically, but it undulates greatly horizontally as the dogs run up. Almost from the minute you send them, they lose sight of their sheep. Because the dogs must travel up and down as well as out and around, I have no reason to believe that they can see their sheep again until they top out on the last rise just before the set out. If they cross over the highest ridgeline too soon, they won't see sheep again until they come around at the top, if then, and many overshot, crossed their course looking, came on flat and tight, or just plain got lost. There were a few that made a big circle to finish back at their handler's feet. It is a long walk up that hill to find your dog when there is no telling where they might have gone.

Fetch on a String

If your dog runs tight, you run the risk of them being sucked down into the gully by the terrain, and cross their course. At Zamora, that is quite common. What is uncommon is the 20 point outrun, which may have been accomplished by a few. Maybe not. Re-direct whistles were heard repeatedly throughout the weekend. Star ran perfectly, starting up and angling nicely. He dropped over the first hill, reappeared on the next running just below the ridgeline of the farthest hill. After another up and down, he was still right on the ridge, and I was starting to feel lucky...I mean hopeful. Then he dropped over and was lost to me. All I could hope was that the fence would turn him, and he would reappear behind his sheep. I waited...then I waited some more losing precious time off a short clock. I blew "walk-up." Nothing. More "walk-up" then his name. Calling his name again, I blew a recall just before he flew out from about 11 o'clock, and presumably the set out pen, onto his sheep. I could see he was sizing things up, so I encouraged with a whistle to shift sheep that were set on hay. After an instant's hesitation, he had them and down they came.

It was rainy, windy and cold, and the yearlings tried the dog every which way but loose with Star taking every whistle as if on rails, first coming on then giving ground, trying to discover where to be and how to handle sheep that were completely unfamiliar to him. It was a young dog's fetch winning a few stand-offs, losing ground to the hills and time to the clock. A cone across the creek from the post designated the turn into the drive. Beaten by the sheep to that point, Star had to unwind about half way around the cone, but had his sheep settled beautifully thereafter. The turn was wide, but the first drive leg was relatively steady. Panel made, tight turn on precise response to my whistles, and I was really starting to like my dog. There is no part of this course that is level, but the cross-drive is somewhat flat and the sheep seem content to toddle across in full view of the hand when given sufficient personal space. If they run, you will lose them, they will split, they will disappear, they will dive into the creek where they will lie down and give up. All was lost to the dogs that lacked patience. Star flanked cleanly, but slowly, and it took a bit of doing to get them across. Another panel made, another tight turn, and we were home free...except for the clock.

One down, one to go

2010 National Champion, Patrick Shannahan was judging from inside an old rusty pickup, and I heard the door creak before I heard Patrick call time with Star about 20 feet short of his drive points. I hollered "NO!" and spat out my whistle, because I knew that Star's work had been good enough to place in the points if we completed our drive. We scored 31 points for the outrun, lift, and fetch with up to 30 more lost to the drive. I gave up the sheep to the exhaust dog, then trotted past Patrick's window, banging and said "that was my nursery dog!" It's supposed to be fun to run a dog, right? Yes...yes it is, and I have not had that much fun running a dog in years and years. Our run flowed smoothly, and it felt really good.

Zamora - Open II
The forecast for Saturday was cloudy with some showers, which was fairly accurate. I stopped at the Exxon station on my way in for a Mocha Coffee in a tall cup, and was glad for my layers upon layers of clothing, because it was cold with a bit of a breeze. There were a few dogs to run from the first day, then another 20 or so to finish up Open I before Open II could begin. Both my dogs had run Friday, with Star up around 24th in the afternoon on Saturday, and Mirk idle until Sunday, mid-day. I was hoping for clear skies during our run, and got them. Before the 2nd open, it was decided to move the post beyond the creek, eliminate the pen, and include a single leaving the time at 9 minutes. With everything moved to the far side of the even more rain-swollen creek to save time, the only thing that had to cross were the hands for the meeting and the hands and dogs for the running. It was a great decision, made up a lot of lost time, and worked well for everyone from judge to exhaust.

A long way across

Star is a calm sort of dog. He doesn't get his tail in a ringer before his run, and happily played beside the creek with random stops to look up the field when sheep were being set and fetched. I had told a friend that the good dogs would remember the way on the outrun, reflecting later that my statement may come back to haunt me. I had a good feeling about it on my way to the post, having made things easier by again refusing to have any expectations for my dog. I set him up near me, and sent him with a shush, figuring that the word "away" might start him too wide. He was off on a perfect path, neither too wide nor too tight, and it only got better as he ascended the hill. Running hard, Star Crossed over the first hill, and reappeared on the next just below the ridgeline traveling parallel to it. I had the thought that if he stayed on that path, he would be absolutely perfect, and that is just what he did. The outrun was now about 500 yards from hand to sheep, but much farther by the dog's route. It takes a long time for the dog to get to the top on an outrun like that, so I had plenty of time to watch Star run and run and run. Knowing he was on a perfect path removed all concern, and I simply stood there feeling nothing but pure enjoyment. Star is a good dog. He knew the way.

He flew around at the top, nicely off his sheep, overflanking to about the same spot from which he appeared the day before. I knew where the set out was, and knew that he was not lost, but covering the draw, which was proven absolutely when the sheep lifted smartly, quiet and straight as an arrow right at me. I never saw the breakdown of scores, but think it is possible that Star had no points off on the outrun or the lift. It was that pretty. Soft, soft whistles on the fetch brought wide, sweeping, open flanks that the sheep just loved, and there was no hesitation from Star at any point. He had schooled up on Friday, and looked like he knew what he was doing on Saturday. About mid-fetch, the sheep tried him uphill with intention and speed, causing Star to fall behind and lose the fetch line for an instant. A series of hurry-up flank whistles together with "here, here," put the sheep right back on line, then another bobble on the other side. A bit off line approaching the post made the sheep disappear behind a hill for a bit. All I could see were the tops of their ears and my dog disappearing to cover. Again, I said "here, here," to bring him in tighter, and everybody showed up for a turn at the post that was just wide. With things well in hand, and the sheep settling nicely, we began the drive.

Setting up the single

Unless you have seen Star work, you cannot appreciate how precise he is when I tell you that he took every whistle precisely. Not only is he immediately responsive, but he will bend, speed up, or slow down a flank, and he will stop exactly where I need him to. For these reasons and more, he is a driving machine, and this was no exception. Sheep love Star, he does not scare them, and they move off him like water in front of your hand on a swoosh. I can bend him, start him and stop him, or even reverse him mid-stride wherever necessary to hold the line exactly. Just about however the sheep jog in front of a panel, he can save it and is so happy to do so. He does not get rattled like some dogs do when you literally throw them a curve. The drive away uneventful, the turn tight and crisp. All the way along the cross drive, the sheep ambled quietly toward the panel, and Star moved easily behind watching intently every move they made. Another tight turn, and they were headed towards me walking easily.

It was determined that hands could leave the post after making or breaking the plane of the cross-drive panel. The shed was a single, and there was no pen. The ring was imagined between the cross-drive panel and the post, and the ground there was flat but sloping. Sheep love to run a hill. Either up or down, doesn't matter to them, just so long as they run. That fact made the single a bit tricky, but Star knew his job, stayed calm on his feet, just like I have taught him at home. With only 3 head of yearlings, we had to work a bit to get a gap. I lined the sheep out away from the exhaust hoping the slight draw would cause one to turn from the others, then commit making Star's job as easy as I could make it. Patrick allowed us any single, be it head or tail, and I was confident that Star would be up to either task. He did not dissappoint. The hole appeared quickly and I called Star through. To be honest, I didn't see him come through, because I was watching my sheep and poised to give a flank if necessary to help him hold her. It was simply not necessary. He must have flown through, because upon my "shu, shu, watch her," he materialized instantly from behind me, creeping forward with all eyes on the prize. It was a solid single.

On 77 points, Star and I placed 2nd behind Geri Byrne and Jim with a stellar run and 81 points. Another dog had tied our score, but my dog won the tie based on his Outrun, lift and fetch points. The breakdown looked like this: Outrun - 0, Lift - 0, Fetch - 5, Drive - 7, Single - 1

Happy Handler

Random notes:
Mirk deserves honorable mention. He was one of the unfortunates that did not finish his drive in the first go-round. In fairness, he was the last dog to run on Friday, and the light was fading fast. It was cold, raining, getting dark, and I hustled a dog that should never be handled that way. After getting lost on the outrun, the results of the hurry-up offense were dismal, and I left the trial field frustrated with my dog. Sunday was by far the best day of the trial weather-wise. It dawned clear and cold without a cloud in sight. We were all just so happy to see the sun, no one complained about the cold. Mirk ran mid-day in open II, and things warmed up to the extent that lawn chairs had sprung up all over the place. Again Mirk struggled on the outrun, with a friend later claiming she had 13 points off that phase alone. From the lift on, however, the dog ran like buttah, taking every whistle, using his abundant power sparingly to finish with a spectacular single that will stay with me a while. On 74 points out of 90, Mirk lost a 3-way tie to finish in 8th place, and just like that, I had both dogs in the top 10.

The pictures on this page were taken by dear friend, Larry Klingman, who together with his beautiful wife, Joella, made the trip to Zamora simply to serve as talisman and woman and bring me luck with loads of laughter. Thank you very much you two.