Page 55 - Demo

The Next Step: Continuing
Training with Livestock by Elsie Rhodes, Guest Herding Editor
Two months have passed since we began training our Aussies on livestock. If during this period you have practiced between ten to fifteen hours, your dog should be ready for the next steps.
At this point, when you give the command “follow,” your dog is walking along behind you, on lead. At all gates both while you open and close them, your dog is “staying,” allowing you to perform these tasks with- out requiring your supervision. Once in the field with sheep, your dog is staying for short periods while you position yourself to send him. The command to change what you are doing, “tut-tut,” is eliciting an immediate response. Each time your dog flanks, you are seeing at least his profile—or if he has turned to let more pres- sure off the stock, you are seeing some of his rear end and none of his face. When you move backward, giving ground, your dog is bringing sheep to you. At this time, your dog is stopping consistently in either a down or a stand (either is acceptable). Your dog should be able to do these foundation movements in several locations and on various groups of sheep.
Repetition is the element in training that builds a desired reaction, a good habit, or the behavior we are developing or wanting to enhance. It follows that your dog will develop poor skills when you repeatedly accept a less-than-adequate performance. Generally, be it good or bad, you can establish a reliable response to a word command with approximately 100 repetitions. Keep reasonable track of the repetitious activities as you train. The quality of your dog’s performance will be deter- mined as much by how well you guide your dog into good herding skills as by its genetic makeup.
The foundation has been put into place. It is time to add and build on it. We will continue practicing the square flanks, stops, and controlled movement of the stock, and add new dimensions.
As the dog is performing a given action we will put a name to it. If you are learning the flanking commands yourself, it is easiest to name them one at a time. This allows you to learn each flanking command with your dog. We will use traditional words. When the dog circles the stock in a clockwise direction, it is “go by.” Think of “go by the clock” to help you remember the direction. The counter-clockwise circle is named “away to me,” away from the direction of the clock.
At this point, the dog knows to circle the stock. So have him circle, and name the way he is going. Then give the command tut-tut, and block the side you don’t want him to travel with the training tool. As the dog circles, softly say the word for the direction he is cir- cling. Repeat it often, with your praise word following. An example of this is simply, “away to me ... good ... away to me ... good.”
Now change direction with tut-tut. If you know the directions, you can give the “go by” command, “go by .... good .... go by ... good.”
If you are learning the directions yourself, don’t say anything until you change direction again. On aver- age, a dog will begin to relate the word to the action within 50 to 75 repetitions. At this point does he know the command under all circumstances? No. Most dogs will need more practice. You can begin to tell him the words (instead of the command tut-tut) following at least a hundred repetitions of him hearing the word as he is performing the action. That is, of course, if you are always giving him the correct information. It does take longer when you confuse the words for the directions yourself. As a matter of fact, especially in the beginning,
May/June 2005 The Australian Shepherd Journal 53