We are back for the third instalment of the “What is the perfect approach to training your stock dog?”

For a quick review, here are three key strategies I keep in mind when training:

1. plan training sessions, so that the dog steadily progresses.

2. decrease confusion so your dog's experience is positive.

3. embrace the variability in herding, so that tension is decreased.

Last week, we dove into Strategy #2. Decreasing confusion for both yourself and your dog will help you both to see the desired outcome more clearly.

And I am hoping you had a chance to take some action and choose one of the goals you noted last week. Carefully analyze what will be needed to make this goal a reality and how you can make this happen.

Let’s take a look at the third ingredient, embracing the variability in herding, so that tension is decreased.

Variable circumstances is an inherent part herding. Because we are dealing with three species, the human, the dog, and the stock, not to mention the environment, variable circumstances. There are many moving parts!

I always try to stack the cards in my favour, by considering five key points (more on this later), but for now here is what I think about when going to train:

• The training venue

• The type of stock

• The dog’s physical & mental ability

• The handler’s physical & emotional state

• Bringing all the key points together

Here’s where you’ll really start to improve your training program, as you create a holistic approach to training.

Of course, this will take some time, and require getting in as much practice with your dog as possible. You can certainly decrease the time by following these guidelines and being prepared and being efficient with your training time.

This integrated approach helps decrease the variability; therefore, easing some of the tension within all three species!

To recap:

• Make a plan and set some goals. Base the goals on actual need. For example, before you enter your dog in any trial, the dog must be able to keep the stock together!

• Then, based on your goals, decide on some consistent methods. For example, a small, consistent habit that I do with young dogs is walk them on leash to the stock and try to get them around the stock as easily as I can, as opposed to blindly sending them on an outrun that they aren’t ready for.

• Then, in order to increase the dog’s progression and the likelihood for success, I try to decrease the variables by thinking about my training area, the stock, the dog, and myself!

Once you’re done strategizing, you’ll be well on your way to successfully training a working dog.

I share my experiences with you in the hopes that I can save you some time and struggle! I was once the handler that put all the sheep into the audience, newly arrived from the senior's home (bad dog, Rudy for not stopping). I was also the demo person that happily shared my knowledge for a group at the Cobble Hill Fair, all the while, my small group of sheep took off for the softball fields (yes, there were games in progress.)

Get My 5 Key Strategy Guide here or select the image below.