Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Mike CHS]

We are having fun doing whatever it is.

Everything is rewarding but getting Maisy to quit acting up was the best thing that could happen this season. She tugged on our heart strings the day we brought her home and we were determined to let her be the LGD that we knew (actually hoped) she could be.

She doesn't even come galloping up to me anymore because the flock queen got her again for acting like she was going to jump on me. She does learn.

I'm starting to think this ewe has a crush on me. She butted Wild Thing the other day when she started to jump toward me when she got startled.

 

[CntryBoy777]

It's a good feeling to be Loved by so many, isn't it?....and much better than nothing wanting to be around ya..

 

[Baymule]

It really is sweet when the sheep want to be close to the LGD. I felt like popping open a bottle of champagne the first time the sheep were all laying around Trip. It shows that they are trusting "their" dog.

 

[Mike CHS]

Weather made everything muddy again so after we finished the next to last 100' section of fence yesterday we spent the rest of the day cleaning out all manner of junk out of a drainage ditch the previous owner used as their dump.

So today we decided fence, cleanup and sheep had us ignoring our reason for getting sheep in the first place - our dogs. We spent quite a bit of time introducing Lance to the sheep without stressing them out too bad. They have gotten used to seeing both the Border Collie and the Aussie but the sheep fence had been off limits until today. We got some work in the pen with a long lead but we kept it under control because of the trees that could hurt the sheep if they bolted. Their flight zone with Lance is probably 4 times what it is with Sassy. She can get within 5-10 feet of the sheep before they move. If I let Lance get closer than 20' without putting him in a Lay Down, the sheep are out of there at full speed.

We watched pretty carefully and there are 3 of the ewes that don't show a lot of fear as well as two of the ram lambs so they will be our training herd.

I'm posting some pictures of the intro at the fence. Various positions where he is wanting to stalk are trying to decide how to get through that fence in front of him. Maisy had to be chained of course but she likes Lance but will no doubt kill Sassy if given the chance.

I was just trying to capture his body intensity but wanted the Border Collie stare more in the pictures. I couldn't get that without going in the pen and then I couldn't be sure if he would hold or not (which is the point of today's passive training).

 

[CntryBoy777]

Just amazing!....tho, I'm sitting here trying to watch a video in my head of the session....
That was sure worth the break today. I have tomorrow to get thru and then back to fencing for me...Joyce keeps adding to the list and changing priorities, but I won't budge past tomorrow. In a couple of those pics Maisy is watching closely...so she has come along too. This reveals the hard work that you have invested has been worth the while.

 

[Bruce]

The last picture is just because. Just because they are still cute even though they are quickly losing the lamb look.

Makes them easier to eat

 

[Mike CHS]

Maisy likes Lance but she will still have to be confined when the dogs are working. I'm not sure what caused the bad blood between Maisy and Sassy. Maisy just wanted to play with Sassy when we first brought them together but Sassy has some fear aggression with Maisy because of her size. Either way they can't be together even supervised.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Could be a female/female thing for the Alpha position, but hard to say, some just don't get along. It is just good you know it, without having to find it out with bad results.

 

[Mike CHS]

We got the braces for the catch pen finished today and the T-Post driven in for the 100' that will join the chicken pen. We are still working the rocky area so most of the T-post were driven through small slab rock and was a pain.

We are still Top Dead Center with Maisy. We have been letting her run without a tether for an hour or so at a time while we are working outside without issue. Today, Teresa got a lawn chair and took her tablet out to do some paper work while letting Maisy be totally free. It took over an hour but she got an impulse to play with the smallest lamb. She took an aggressive stance and just stared at the lamb until she bolted. Maisy immediately pounced on it and batted it down and forced it to lay on the ground. This lambs momma is unfortunately afraid of Maisy. Teresa intervened and got her away from the lamb with no problem and the lamb wasn't hurt. We haven't given up on her yet but we aren't real optimistic either. What is a bummer is that we have been spending a couple of hours every day working with her and the lambs and she has been fine. We have probably added several weeks to the fencing time trying to work with her instead.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Still has some pup tendencies in her, it sounds like. Isn't sh still less than 1yr old?....or is my memory wrong?
She has come a ways with y'alls hard work, getiing close tho it seems.