Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[CntryBoy777]

That is a pretty sizeable "Chunk" Mike...and I'm complaining about my little stretch. ....I know what ya mean about being cold hardy....it and the on&off sprinkles today ran me back inside to dry and warmth. When I woke up this morning was sore from the poles yesterday.
I would gladly pay those young guys to drive T posts too, gonna be a fair amount of them for sure.
Do ya really think ya will last a whole yr waiting to get a BC pup?...

 

[Mike CHS]

The plan is to get one BY next year but if we come across a decent pup tomorrow then we will grab it. We have the facilities to train now (or soon will have) so we can still go to our mentors every couple of weeks and reinforce that here. They have both gotten better in the last three months than the entire year before that.

The sooner we get one the better since they need to have some maturity before putting much pressure on them. They seem like tough hard dogs but they get their feelings hurt easy you can turn one off if you don't watch it.

 

[CntryBoy777]

It should be easier with a young one now, he will have "Leaders" to follow and will probably grasp it a bit sooner, than one from scratch. As the trainer gains experience and confidence a sensitive dog does sense that, and they "Aim to Please".....most of the time, anyway.
They, the BC, have that sense about them so much, it's like they "Read your Mind", but the sense of "Anticipation" of the Master is so great, that they are correct more times than they are wrong. They really are an amazing dog.

 

[Mike CHS]

We love both our Aussie and our BC. Sassy (the Aussie) was easier to train and she is already working but she will never be able to perform like Lance our BC.

 

[samssimonsays]

I know a farm in Michigan with mini Aussies available. They are using the parents for herding, dock diving and discing. But they haven't had any Border Collie litters yet (that is planned later on as they have a male and two females).

 

[CntryBoy777]

I haven't been around enough of the Aussies to be able to attempt to sound knowledgeable about them. I never rely on writings in books, cause they are always vague and general in nature...and I have come to realize that obviously my "Dictionary" has different definitions in it for the same words...so, it is actual experience that "Counts" for me. I certainly Like them, but I have been around many BCs.
I guess I've become one of those ole "Fuddy Duddies" I used to talk about and laugh at when I was much younger.

 

[NH homesteader]

My DH loves Aussies. But we have no sheep. Apparently this means we need sheep? Lol! But really I am more fond of Aussies simply because BC's seem wilder. Which I guess isn't a bad thing for actual working dogs.

 

[Mike CHS]

@samssimonsays - the minis that I have seen are cool dogs but now that we have both an Aussie and a BC we like working the BC.

@NH homesteader - I can't imagine having a herding dog without something to herd.

@CntryBoy777 - We all have some of fudd duddy I think. When we were researching herding dogs we read a couple of times that Aussies are basically a Border Collie WITH an "OFF" switch. Our experience has shown that to be completely opposite. The BC is more obedient whereas I have to be harder on the Aussie since she is more hard headed. If I'm hard on the BC during a session we might as well quit because he is done. He is docile until he gets on sheep then he turns into a machine.

 

[NH homesteader]

I hate to say it but I think BC's are smarter

 

[Mike CHS]

They have a BC stronger instinct but all of the Aussies that I have seen where as strong for close up work as any dog. We have seen everything from Heelers, to Collies to even a German Shepherd and nothing performs like the BC.

I have a picture from a trial (if I can find it) we went to where there must have been 25 or more dogs tethered to the fence for the working field frozen in place and doing nothing but staring out at the while they waited their turn. We were there for most of the two days and never did see a single sheep approach that fence line.

And I agree I think the BC is smarter on sheep but the Aussie makes the better pet and she still loves to work only in a different way.