At 11 years old I have decided to retire Rae. She is in good health and her hearing seems fine, but she's lost a step. Her flanks have become a little slicey, especially at the pen (fatigue?), and her outrun is occasionally not as big as it used to be. She asks for more input from me, which is a little strange since we've gotten to the point where I could either shush her or say her name to get most jobs done around the farm. So, with these subtle signs popping up in the last several months, I decided to retire her from competition and let her do whatever she wants to on the farm. It will be strange to not run her at a trial. The one big thing she gave me was confidence. I knew we wouldn't get into trouble out there, I knew she'd pick up my slack and carry me around the course, and the two of us knew how to work with each other. It was comfortable running her, and I will miss that immensely. But I want her to retire with dignity and not be seen as an old dog struggling to get around. At first I was conflicted with the decision, but now I am comfortable and even somewhat relieved by it.
Rae spots sheep at the handler's meeting, Shoofly Farm SDT; photo by M. Dobbs
I got Spain last Spring as a loaner dog in hopes of being able to run her in Open. She was a seasoned Open Ranch dog who hadn't been moved up in part because of her Achilles' heel: the shed. (Her owner also has 2 very successful Open dogs he is running). Historically, she had a lot of tension at the shed and was very grippy. The two of us took some time to figure each other out, and we spent a lot of time and patience trying to re-teach the shed. I had been pleased with our progress, but what really turned a corner for us was a lesson with Lyle. She showed me a whole new approach to shedding, and Spain took to it like a fish to water! So we've put some more time in practicing the shed and I'm really excited about what she's showing me! Spain's main strength on the field is that she is a very obedient dog and a good listener. Though she's been around many courses, she's not experienced some of the big outruns that Open can offer. And of course, competition shedding.
Spain at Pipedream Farm SDT; photo by L. Roberts
Gabe is about as opposite from Spain as you can get. I've put a lot of work into him and he is definitely maturing with age, but he is still a handful! He is his father's son (Christine Koval's late Tweed). Gabe is a very talented dog, but he is NOT easy to run around a course! He's like a bull in a china shop when he's on light sheep (ie, most of the trials around here). He is a big, fast dog and even when he is doing nothing wrong, taking every down, flanking cleanly, and walking, he has so much presence and forward motion that he scares the crap out of the sheep. In the past I've tried keeping him way back off the sheep, but that makes it ridiculously hard to steer around a course. I now have him working closer to his sheep (though mentally he is often bullying them), but he still needs to be run stop and go because he is so hyper-focused on the sheep that he will miss a flank and keep marching forward. He may mature into a dog I can keep on his feet, but that's not where we're at right now. He has been trying very hard to be a good boy and not running over me like he once did. I don't think he was ever being dishonest, he has just been so wound up and SO KEEN that he couldn't help himself. There is plenty of enthusiasm in his lines, so it shouldn't be surprising to me. Most of last year was outrun-lift-grip (or outrun-no lie down-retire), so we haven't had much trial experience at all. He is a very task-oriented dog who wants to do what he thinks we are trying to accomplish, which still equates to wrong flanks on his whistles. But he is trying to do what I want and not free-lancing with a bad attitude, so I don't mind the wrong flanks for now.
I've found that although Gabe is an excellent shedder at home, we run into trouble away from home because of his presence. He needs to stay off of them to keep them settled, but then is very far away when I need to call him in. Additionally, after scaring them around the course, they stick like glue to each other and it can be hard to create a hole. I'm trying to figure out how best to deal with this. All in all, he's a heavy sheep kind of dog, whereas Spain is a light sheep girl.
Gabe at Keepstone Farm SDT; photo by L. Roberts
Livy is becoming quite the sheepdog! Due to a number of situations beyond my control, I didn't get to work her much at all after she returned home from Lyle's. Talk about frustrating! When I did get back to working her, we suffered the inevitable back-slide that I feared, but with a few trips to OH, KY, and MD, I think we are back on the right track. She is still very excited to work and as a result, oftentimes that first outrun is too tight. She has tremendous balance and stock sense, and is a great listener. She really wants to please. Livy is great at settling wild sheep as well as convincing heavy sheep. I've changed her away whistle a little and we are still getting our teamwork back together (mostly me getting my timing right), but I am quite excited about her. I will start running her this fall in the novice classes. She's got the training, we just need to team up.
Liv from last year; photo by D. Wall
It's taken me all summer to figure out that none of my dogs are like Rae and I need to stop trying to make them INTO Rae. I need to learn to handle them as individuals, so that's where I'm trying to improve. This fall will be quite the learning experience for all of us!
And Ella is still here keeping the household in check!
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