Water Cress Trial and a Celebratory Weekend

Last Friday I was fortunate to be able to run in Jan Thompson's lovely trial in Limestone, TN. It was a short and easy drive compared to trips I've made for North East Border Collie Association trials, so I had no trouble making it a day trip so I could be back for work Saturday. The farm was located in a beautiful spot, we had great weather Friday (minus the brief threat of rain as a direct result of me putting on sunglasses), and I got to visit with some of my new friends!

Rae and I ran last, which meant that there was plenty of time for me to sit there and get nervous. My plan was to run her slowly since the sheep were fairly light, and since I need to work on handling her in a way other than balls to the walls. I sent her left into the pressure, because the lay of the field to the right would've shot her back into Virginia, I'm sure. She's generally a bomb-proof outrunner, but for whatever reason, she actually pulled up short *in front* of her sheep. There was a strong draw behind her to the holding pens (which Laura's Nick was stoically protecting), so I think she just got locked up and couldn't give up the pressure. I hollered "you get out of that" and she did...She kicked out and went around behind them, only to stop short again. I flanked her, she stopped, I whistled her on again and she got around to lift them properly. Looking back I maybe should have corrected her instead of directing her since she ought to know better, but I wasn't really mentally prepared for this to happen. Good lift and the fetch was nice and controlled and straight, but I'm an idiot and never got her to flank off the pressure enough to get her back on line after a bobble at the top. I fell back into the bad habit of not correcting her for stickiness and just kept blowing flanks. I'm frustrated that I can't get over that. We came down the field and around the post as slowly as we've ever done. Drive-away was very nice, good turn, good cross-drive line with nice pace...I have no idea how I managed to blow the panel high. The pen was at a tricky spot, you had to bring them around to the back side, with the gate opening the "hard" way (that I've never done before)...ie you had to pass the exhaust and then wrap them around the gate, instead of the gate opening so as to catch them as they were coming back from the cross-drive panel. We worked very methodically and slowly and got them right in.

In summary:

Good things = finally handled in a new way...sheep weren't upset from being pushed too hard. First time I didn't blow a wrong flank. Clean turn to set-up the cross-drive, where we've had trouble before.

Bad things = maybe ran her too slowly. She eyed up on me a little, especially by the time we got to the pen. I had to sternly tell her to "get up" a couple times. It was painful for me to run her so slowly, the "other" me would've made it around the course twice in that amount of time :) So I need to find a happy medium in the pace department. And I'm so mad at myself for accepting an off-line fetch, I see it happening, don't know why I don't do enough to fix it.

Saturday was Ella's birthday, but I spent a good portion of the day at the clinic. That afternoon I took her over to our agility field where she got to play around a little, and then we had some frisbee time.

Ready!

Whee!

Then we paid a visit to the Suffolk breeding ewes owned by my boss.

Rae bravely marches into battle.

That didn't go so well. The area was cross-fenced into 4 square lots, about 2 acres each. These ewes had never seen a dog before. They moved off me just fine, so together Rae and I could drive them anywhere. But anytime she got to their heads, they either stood her down or chased her off. She tried hard for me but they were very intimidating to her. I tried splitting a couple off the group and pushing them away to set up a draw back to the flock, and this half-worked. She could lift a few of them and get them going, but each little packet I pulled off had at least one who would challenge her. Then I tried sorting a few into one lot and setting up a draw across the gate to the flock in the other lot. This had no effect on the group we were working so I eventually gave up and went home.

Sunday we had a nice hike at Gambetta on a perfect fall afternoon.

Chestnut River

Bridge, 3 miles in

Typical: Rae coming, Ella going

Pretty

The New River

I like to take photos of the dogs, but Ella is always ahead of us playing stalking games and Rae is pretty much glued to my side hoping I might get out the ball or maybe a treat.

Watch out behind you, Rae!

You gonna get that ball out anytime soon?

Taking a break from being the Energizer Bunny to bask in the sun.

Monday the celebration continued as the dogs got to work sheep. My instructor wasn't available so I had to work Ella, and we did our best *ever*! Not that it's near the quality of work that she gets out of her, but I was very happy. Rae and I have some things to work on but in light of recent events (being chased off by Suffolks and by LGDs twice on lesson days), I put them on the back-burner and instead made sure she was working happily and with confidence. She took that freedom to run sheep at MACH 5, so once I saw her enthusiasm I went back to a little drilling.

Oh, and what birthday would be complete without cake?! Homemade *gizzard cake* at that!

Did you say cake??

So.wrong.

I'm not quite sure how to play this...I thought food on the floor was fair game.

Polite dog

Possessed dog

Happy Birthday, Best Friend!