One of the biggest mistakes I see is rushing a young dog onto sheep before they've learned some simple foundation skills.

While working with 9 month old Gael this week, I was reminded that some of the most important training happens long before we ever ask a dog to work livestock.

Before I expect a young dog to think clearly around sheep, I want them to understand three basic skills:

• A reliable recall

• A clear stop command

• Walking calmly on a loose leash

These aren't about obedience for the sake of obedience. They're about communication, safety, and building a dog that chooses to stay connected with you, even when livestock are nearby.

Start Where Your Dog Can Succeed

One of the most important parts of teaching these skills is where you begin.

I always start in a low-distraction environment, well away from the sheep. This gives the dog a chance to understand each command without competing against the excitement of livestock.

Once they're responding consistently, I gradually move closer to the sheep. As the level of distraction increases, the dog learns that the same expectations still apply.

There's no rush.

Taking the time to build understanding away from livestock usually makes the transition to sheep much smoother.

You're Building More Than Commands

It's easy to think that recall, stop, and leash work are simply commands your dog needs to know.

What you're really building is a relationship.

Every time your dog chooses to come back to you, stop when asked, or walk calmly beside you, they're learning that paying attention to you is worthwhile—even when sheep are close by.

Those small moments build trust, communication, and confidence that carry through every stage of stock dog training.

A Question for Your Next Training Session

The next time you're out working with your dog, ask yourself this:

Does my dog understand these commands only when there are no distractions, or can they still stay connected with me when sheep are nearby?

If the answer is "not yet," that's perfectly okay. Simply move back to a level where your dog can succeed, reward those good choices, and build from there.

Progress doesn't come from rushing. It comes from giving your dog repeated opportunities to make good decisions.

Watch the Full Training Session

In this video, I'll show you how I'm beginning this process with Gael, including how I teach recall, the stop command, and leash work both away from sheep and as we gradually work closer to livestock.

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