# This is the tale of an "old" sheep man and his dogs.



## The Old Ram-Australia (Feb 28, 2020)

MEG and ME: Our journey begins.

Meg is a Kelpie mix, in spite of the fact she was bred from our “straight bred” kelpie dogs.

She shows a recessive gene from her past of Border Collie, but she is her mother’s daughter and would run through the “fires of hell” if i were to ask her too. She is now about 2 & 1/2 years old and is mentally and emotionally mature enough to take on the challenge of working sheep.

Now I have 4 Kelpies, 1 male and 3 females. I have found the key to this many dogs is that you have to make each one “feel special in your eyes”.



Now I know there are those of you out there who would say she should have started a couple of years ago and when starting males this can be the case and there are lots of studs that have the pups on sheep very young, but the problem with this is you can ruin the natural working instincts of a dog by “over controlling” it in the early days.

A young dog will always make “mistakes” in the early days, try not to scold it but simply call it back to the “heel” and let it observe what you are trying to get the sheep to do.

The first step was to bring her over to the house and kennel her there where she could see me first thing in the morning and get fed last thing in the afternoon. Prior to this she had learned all of the basics like she sat and waited till I told her she could eat her food .She would sit and wait till she was told it was OK to run once the clip on her lead was released .She would sit and wait at a gate until she was told to go through .She would come to “heel” immediately she was called.

Her training started with her staying beside me when it was time for the sheep to leave the house paddock in the afternoon. ”timing is of utmost importance”, the same time each day, it also means the sheep know in advance what is going on as well .After about 3 days  I brought over Max to speed up the process and I let Meg run with Max as he went about the job .After 3 days Max stayed home and it was up to Meg .Now because I always work the sheep from behind taking up a position in the middle of the mob ,it is the dogs job to “work the wings” and to guide the sheep towards the objective .On the first day I would move toward the wing and point and call to Meg to “Go back”, at first she would move some way and stop and look back to me .I would then call her “to heel” and praise her for her effort (this is of utmost importance as it instills confidence in the dog).By the 4 th day she is working right to the edge of the wing and getting the sheep to “hurry along” without getting excited herself ,if she makes a little mistake with the path out I call on her to “STOP”, and “heel” and send her out again .As  the handler  you need to look and point accurately as she is watching my moves to determine her next move.

The story will continue as we move to open paddock work.

P.S. I forgot to take a new photo of the 4 dogs we will correct this next time.


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2020)

Your post shows the patience and wisdom that you handle your dogs with. Many of us have LGD's which can be a trial on one's patience and make one question the wisdom of ever getting such a hardheaded independent animal. LOL I look forward to more posts on training Meg.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 28, 2020)

I’m thinking in the down the road, that I will be getting an LGD...so I’ll be reading this thread for tips!


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## thistlebloom (Feb 28, 2020)

Thanks for starting this thread on how you work your dogs. Watching herding dogs do their job has always fascinated me, it's nice to learn how a shepherd trains up a good dog.


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## WyoLiving (Feb 28, 2020)

I can't wait to see pictures!


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## Finnie (Mar 8, 2020)

Watching. Can’t wait to read more about Meg’s training. 🤗


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## Mini Horses (Mar 8, 2020)

I LOVE to see the herding dogs move sheep.  Someone posted a video many moons back, showing hundreds of sheep being moved meticulously by a few herding dogs.  What a beautiful sight!   

Obviously, they are different from LGDs but, both have their "jobs".   At a TX farm once, I watched the herd dog pull out THE animals wanted, from among a large group.  Awesome!   The actually had LGDs & herders but, had to carefully contain one or the other to allow the process to happen, or the herder was interpreted as a predator by the LGD.   A little dicey.   

I also love to watch a great cattle horse working.   If you watch they teach YOU...both dogs, horses and the animals being moved!


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## High Desert Cowboy (Mar 8, 2020)

I’ll be following with great interest as I’m working on my own dog.  I really like the presence and ability I’ve seen in kelpies.  The first time I got to see one work first hand we were gathering cow calf pairs in the spring.  One guy had brought his two border collies and an old kelpie bitch with scars and missing teeth.  A cow turned back on them and the border collies backed away and that old girl didn’t give an inch.  She gave that old cow some instruction and  we never had another problem from her.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Mar 12, 2020)

G'day folks, took this photo today.The dogs are from left to right,Max,Ruby,Tina and Meg.They all went today to "muster about 80 ewes from a new paddock,back to the one in use....As you can see they all look "pretty happy".


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Mar 13, 2020)

G'day folks,today was Megs first lesson in the paddock environment.You can judge for yourself just how she performed.

The photos appear in the sequence that i took them in.
P 1.Her first attempt ,she turned back before she reached the edge of the wing,because she was "unsure" of what she should do.
P 2. Sent her out again,but as you can see she was not travelling right to the edge.When she stopped and turned i called her back to me and told her "How wonderful she was ".
P 3.Now this is more like what you want .This group were on the opposite wing and she is "outside" of the way she wants them to move.
P 4. Having got the lambs moving back to the rest of the group,she is "distracted" by a strange smell.Gave her a moment and called her "to heel".
P 5.This is great,she is heading right to the edge of the "wing",and the lambs have seen her coming and are hurrying back to the main group.
P 6.  SUCCESS.once they were on the move she "came off them"and returned to me on the call.
P 7. Out to the other wing to keep them all moving towards the gate.Stopped for another "smell.

This paddock was about 5 acs,and the mob was about 80 strong ,made up of ewes,rams and mostly lambs.

I am well pleased with this first outing. Hope you all enjoy.T.O.R.


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## WyoLiving (Mar 13, 2020)

That looks so wonderful!  Sounds like she did good for a first-timer.  

Thanks for the pictures and the narrative.


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## Baymule (Mar 13, 2020)

Meg has a good teacher. She is off to a good start, she's a good  dog.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Apr 1, 2020)

G'day folks ,so a couple of things have happened on the dog front.Tina ( my youngest) got a bad knock while she was running about with the older ones,Her spine was not sitting square on her skull and i was able to manipulate in back to the center,but between the skull and the shoulder there was obviously a problem.She was carrying her head left of center and limping on one of her front legs....Over the years after several" bad and expensive " experiences with the veterinary establishment so i thought i would contact my Chiropractor and ask advice ,she recommended a practice and i contacted them but got no reply (due to the virus i think),anyway she said she would have a look at her for me today when she was in the village.Although she is "not" qualified for animals she does treat her own dogs and within a few minutes she had discovered the problems in her neck and shoulders,which she proceeded to "gently" manipulate with the aid of a instrument she actually uses on me but at a lower force element and after about 10 minutes had her "standing square "on her front legs.She showed me a massage treatment for me to use over the next week and suggested she see her again then...By the time we arrived home she was so much brighter and i think everything will be fine with time.

Meg has moved to the next stage now .Because of the dog attack the lambs are adjacent to the house and for the last 3 days we have let them in after lunch on the fresh pick.I must add that she is in the middle of her season cycle and so is a "little distracted",even so she has been called upon to round up a mix of ewes (about 60) and half grown lambs in a paddock (half wooded) of about 3 acs. Day 1 she was very unsure of what was required ,so i kept her close and encouraged her to move to the wing whenever i asked,she made the odd mistake but that did not matter......Today was day 3,and she has a firm grip on what i need her to do,she will "speak up" to let the sheep know she is there and where they need to head for,She will move to the wing when i ask,and return on my call.Many doggers will say that i have left it way too long to start her ,but for me time is not an issue, its about allowing her to use her Natural Instincts and control rather than over controlling a pup and making it a "robot" with no mind of its own ....Video is difficult,but at some point i will endeavor to get some to show what i mean with her......T.O.R.


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## Baymule (Apr 1, 2020)

That is awesome about Tina. What a blessing that your chiropractor was not only able, but willing to help. I am glad that Tina is on the road to recovery.

Meg is going to be one fine dog. Your years of experience along with your ability to "talk dog" is bringing her along at her pace. You know when she is ready to move up to the next step as she matures. 

Is the Covid-19 virus affecting you and Jenny? I do hope that you two are safe and do not catch the virus. Please stay safe.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Apr 1, 2020)

Thank you Bay,Their is still a lot for me to learn,EG. the old flock had be taught over the generations that when i appeared with or without the dogs one of two things were going to happen.1.i was there to just check on the state of things. or 2.they were going somewhere and they would"bunch" facing opposite to where i was standing and know that the dogs are going to "guide" them.

In the adult new flock there are remnants of the old flock and many of them that are new are yet to learn.The lamb group "have no idea",it is not too bad when Max is in charge,but as Meg is just a "learner" too i am going to try to teach both groups together.

Step 1.Call meg to heel and move to a position roughly behind the grazing flock.Sit Meg and let her observe the scene so she can focus on the job required.Call"SHEEP,SHEEP" to get the attention of the grazing flock,move to a position opposite to where i want the flock to move to,instruct Meg to "go back" to the widest wing to encourage the flock to "bunch up". Call Meg to "heel" and move towards the flock who will respond by moving away (hopefully in the direction i want).To tighten the bunch send Meg to the other wing to close the group up and call her to "heel" and move forward at a pace which does not frighten the flock into a stampede .With luck they will see the gate and move through in a quiet and calm manner....Anyway that is the plan ,i will of course let you all know how it works.....T.O.R.


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## Baymule (Apr 1, 2020)

Mine work just the opposite. Our place is small, only 8 acres and I have pastures I move them to. I call SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP and they run to me. I move them by shaking a feed can, calling SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP in a high voice, letting them see that I am opening a gate to a pasture, there are two across the driveway that are not connected to their barn. They start yelling, I open their gate and they run to the pasture I just left them a feed treat in. I follow and shut the gate. To put them up for the night, I shake the can, put feed out for them, call SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP and open the gate of the pasture they are in. They run back to their barn and I close their gate. They are so funny.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Apr 1, 2020)

Oh Bay, you make me smile,your description is not that unusual, their are 000's of small sheep farmer s just like you the world over.....The difference on our farm is that some of our paddocks are 50 acs in size with areas of woodland and  the dogs need to work"out of sight" in some cases.Its also worth noting that our farm is a "very small one" compared to the norm in Australia.

I forgot to answer the Q on the virus.We are both good,our daughter is shopping for us and we just travel to her place to pick them up..Last week we were "chatting" to our GP and he remarked that we had gone from being the most vulnerable (threatened by bush-fires) to the most secure ,out on the farm away from society at large....T.O.R.


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Apr 10, 2020)

G'day folks,update on Tina.She went again to see my chiro this week and as a lot of her swelling has gone down she was able to re-set her spine below the shoulder ,hip and tail.Today 2 days later she is "so" much brighter,i had had her over near the house with one of Jenny's dogs (she did not enjoy it, it seems) as soon as i let her out to go back she ran to the trailer .I had had to use her pen as i had to drench 80 lambs today and needed her pen to do the job .Can't wait for my new set of yards to get erected,Nicole is coming over next week to stay and help Jenny and I put them up (photos to follow).

Meg has continued her lessons and now seems to know the difference between "go back" and a "wave" of the hand on the side i need just a little cast to tighten up the mob.Ruby got so excited today as i had her in the yards moving the lambs about,because she is quite"deaf" paddock work is getting beyond her as she has to look for "hand signals" now to see what i want done,still she was good in the yards and "warmed" to the task as she was the only one working,working with lambs is always difficult as they don't yet understand what its all about.

How are you all getting on with the virus.I have been "chatting" to various people not connected to the group and it seems we are a lot "safer" down here when it comes to testing and the like...T.O.R.


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## Baymule (Apr 10, 2020)

I love hearing about your dogs. I am glad that Tina is showing improvement and feeling better. And Meg, it is good that you can find jobs for her to do, she feels like she is needed and the work brings her happiness. 

Virus wise we are fine, we pretty much stay here on our little farm. When we venture to town, we have those stupid masks on that you can't breathe through. We only go to the post office, maybe run in the grocery store for bread and that is about it. Our daughter will pick up things for us when she goes to the store, she is trying to keep us out of the mix of people. LOL

We have plenty to do here, working on the garden, getting it ready to plant. Have a few things planted already, behind by a week or so, but getting there. I can't wait for a fresh tomato!

I am glad that you two are safe, in your own little world. Life goes on, on the farm. Shelter at home is pretty easy when you are on a farm. LOL


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## The Old Ram-Australia (Apr 22, 2020)

G'day folks, update om Tina,we feel she has progressed enough to not visit my chiro this week.She now jumps up into the trailer with the tailgate down,much like "old" Ruby does,today we let have a good stretch of all those injured muscles and she had a good stretch on flat ground for over a km with the big dogs..She is now eating normally and today was carrying her head straight and even at one stage turned her head to the left (something she has been unwilling to do up until now).She will also now "jump down" from the trailer if the tailgate is lowered so all the signs are good for a total recovery...T.O.R.


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## Baymule (Apr 22, 2020)

That is good news!


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## The Old Ram-Australia (May 24, 2020)

TINA update.She seems to have finally recovered completely,is back on her "tucker" and moving freely.It is such a relief to have her back to normal.She "shed" a lot of condition, but now she should pick-up pretty quick from here .She is moving freely in the field ,although she keeps an eye out for Max as he gallops around when off of the lead...T.O.R.


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## Baymule (May 25, 2020)

I know you are relieved to have Tina back in good health. We get our hearts wrapped around our dogs.


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