Anyone on here train herding dogs?

I have an 11 month old longhaired Dutch Shepherd Dog named Slicker. I know he's only 11 months old but he's having some seriouse problems in the field. He has been working in the field since was 12 weeks old. Not really working just being out there with Ember and Ginger learning the trade around the cattle. So he should know by now what is proper manners in the field atleast alittle bit. We have started really training him for work with the cattle when he was 7 months old because he was doing well with commands with a few cattle in a pen. And he has been doing well up until a couple months ago. My husband or I will send him and the other two out in the field and get them in place to work the cattle this is while we are on horseback. And it seems like whenever our attention is on something else like anouther dog or doing our own job with herding the cattle and it seems like Slicker sees his chance and takes off for the house or into the woods!!! So one of us has to go and get him while the other and our hand works on getting the cattle with the two other dogs. Im usually the one sent to get Slicker and he comes once he sees i have found him and comes up to me with his belly to the ground.

My husband at first thought maybe Slicker just wasent meant to be a cattle dog so we spent a week in the pasture with out him and it drove him made. He loves to hard in the pens moving them into trailers he gets really excited over it. Im thinking he may have dog add or something or just see's his chance to go do something else for alittle while and figures Ginger and Ember have it handled :roll: . LAtely we have reverted back to keeping him on a long line when working the cattle so he can work but stays focused and doesent run off. He seems like he needs constant supervision and if not he will find something better to do like chasing the chickens. Anyone else who has a farm and has worked with training dogs for cattle or sheep herding i would love to hear your opinions or advice because my husband will not keep Slicker on the farm unless he learns to work.

 

Sam does and she isnt around much so I will send her a pm, and see if she can respond to you


honeybear

 

Some dogs just really aren't meant to work. He may Enjoy doing it and get excited, but his mind should ALWAYS be on the task at hand, well in his case paw...

He seems to be getting distracted and this can be very dangerous in the field.
A proper herding dog should never cease his last command nor stop focusing his attention on you and the livestock.

What I suggest to you is to work him one on one with yourself. Your running the risk of him attracting the other dogs attention and yours and that alone opens a HUGE window for you and your dogs to get hurt.

Any dog that shows the least ammount of intrest in his job is culled immediately. Bo was one of our greatest dogs but couldn't keep his attention after a few hours. SO light work was ok with him. But after just a few hours he thought his job was done and wouldn't work anymore. So he was culled and sold as a pet quality dog with light working abilities.

You can try to get professional training help with him. Work on his attention span. Clicker training is really good for it.

 

I also want to add. I start exposing my puppies to cattle when they turn 5 weeks old. ACDs learn from the get go, and by 12 weeks they should be self motivated to check out the herd. Puppies that back away, or stay close to you , or have other things on their mind just arent' cut out for the work.

The pup should have an instinct to go after the herd from the very begining.....

By 6 months we've got OB down, and by one year he/she knows the work...by 2 years, they know it like the back of their paw and shouldn't EVER not want to do their job....

 

I'm trying to imagine Nala being that focused about anything....

:m39:

 

Oh jami!!! your such a goober...

Get a bone, bet she can focus in on that!!!!

Nala is a smart dog....I like her alot.