When it all falls into place

I had one of those great, every-great-once-in-awhile lessons on Thursday that had me beaming all day long.

We've been working so hard on driving and on this day, Soda wore her big girl pants and really showed me that she could do it. She really just listened and paid attention and trusted me and it was a beautiful thing. It wasn't a far drive but it's start. We drove to one chute, through the chute and to another chute and through that chute and she even did alright on the assisted cross-drive. This was all in an arena. I was just beaming! I also got one of those rare compliments from my trainer and it just made my day!

We also worked on outruns and she LOVES that so it's always easy to work on. She ran farther than she's run before and was actually running pretty wide. She needs to be pushed out at the top so we'll be shortening it up and pushing her out but she has all the toys and she's keen enough now (as opposed to 6 months ago) that I can push pretty hard without her shutting down. She understands that she's not in trouble, she just needs to fix it. We had a small breakdown on her outruns on the away side, though. She ran out, out of the pasture to get nice and wide (you'd have to see the set up to really know what I'm talking about...) and outside of the fence line is a lot of bushy tall grass and when she was coming in at the top for the lift she stopped and started critter hunting!!! Rage flew through my veins, LOL. I yelled and hollered and went up and got her then worked on wee tiny outruns and flanks through the tall grass. I then pulled her back for a longer but not as long as at first outrun and ran with her, verbally encouraging her to move through the grass. Then we ran the long outrun again and she slowed down at the top in the grass but didn't stop. I am sure we'll see this again, but we can work through it. The go by was fine.

I was really proud though, that she knew she needed to be out of the pasture to be wide enough. I felt very encouraged.

So, also, we were doing something or other with the sheep and she was fetching them to me and she paced herself. I almost died when I saw her wait and slowdown to not run them over me (which she LOVES doing). She's been getting doing that more lately. (She got lots of good girls). I experimented also with giving her an "easy" and that worked... I'll have to be consistent with it.

And lastly, I was setting out sheep for another student and that dog sliced her outrun badly and the sheep ran off the field, towards the other sheep (to be with their buds, natch) and I flanked Soda out to stop them (I was about 15 feet away) and then asked her to walk up on them to push them back out into the field and she did. Not only that, but one sheep didn't immediatley turn so I encouraged her without me moving and she kept walking up on her and the ewe turned and went back into the field. I had Soda drive them back out to their hay pile. I almost passed out and died when she walked up on that ewe and didn't back down. Now, let me say, the ewe wasn't being particularly stubborn or aggressive but also didn't turn right away and before, that was all it took to get Soda to back down but she's so much more confident now! I can see in her eyes when I ask her to walk up that she really enjoys it and ... I'm probably anthropomorphizing a lot, so stop reading right now if that sort of thing bothers you... but she seems to like the opportunity to be really bossy and pushy, and hard. She's starting to jump at the chance to put a sheep in their place. A while back, we were loading some sheep into a trailer, practicing for an HRD course and one ewe wouldn't load up and Soda did not back down. She stayed after her, gripped her nose--she still couldn't do it, so I called her off and praised her but she wasn't ready to quit. I wonder what she'd do now with real big britches that she's gotten from driving.

She's quite a different dog from the one I brought out to Terry's that was scared of the sheep and wouldn't work for more than 2 minutes! We have setbacks but really, seriously, every week I'm so impressed by her trying and how far she's come. Really.

Question for any sheepdog folks that care to answer: Does driving tend to bring out more eye in your dog? Soda's pretty loose eyed but lately I've noticed her utilizing more eye on sheep... coincidence or related?

Sort of sad news: My trainer is selling one of her dogs -- he's my favorite, personality wise, anyway. I wouldn't hesitate to buy him if I had the room. He's such a joy to be around! He's a good worker, but I can see his faults but he'd be a great dog for a beginner like me.

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Tuesday was shearing day and that's always great fun. I love learning about livestock handling and care so I always appreciate the opportunity to learn and watch and help with basic husbandry. My pants got so dirty with lanolin/dirt mixture that one washing on extended cycle didn't get them clean! I'm going to have to rewash them.

I got to see my trainers young dog in action and I like her mom, and I've liked her working but I really got to see her really show her stuff. What grace under pressure! She was steady and calm but strong and forceful. I was really impressed!

Whew! LONG post!