SageHill Ranch Journal

[SageHill]

Pictures.
Ya'll know that I had a photo biz before TSHTF -- Mostly dogs working, and 85% of that "working" was at herding trials. People loved the photos I did - because "they really show the dog working" -- In 95% of the herding dog ads in the national breed clubs' magazines (German shepherd, Belgians, Corgis, Bearded Collies, etc) breeders put in action photos of dogs they've bred herding. They want to show how "good" dogs they've bred are at herding. Well, thing is that most action shots of dogs herding are actually horrible herding photos. Dog is charging, sheep are fleeing, dog's head is turned for a bite on the rear of fleeing livestock (not a cow being turned or something useful). You know - dogs that you would never allow on your property let alone work your sheep or goats. Cattle ~maybe.
I guess my point is good action shots are usually horrible herding shots.
So today I caught this ....

This - good action shot. What makes it good?
1. dog is fast, but not lining in on any sheep
2. dog is outside of and ahead of the lamb
3. ewes on the right are not moving, not concerned about the dog
4. lambs on the left aren't concerned - they're eating grass.
5. that damn calico ewe lamb is cute.
I've got two shots immediately prior to that pic and they are these two (or the how it got to the jump):

Calico jumping up the bank on the side of the ranch road.
Obi was working the side, sees the lamb and adjusts so she
doesn't lamb race up the hill.

Obi's turn and pivot on the left front - which will make his turn
cast out on the lamb's left side and not either straight behind which
would be an accelerator pedal, or to the lamb's right side which would
separate her from the flock. She actually did make it to the top of the
bank/cliff and then jumped down after a couple strides.
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This morning the lambs decided that jumping up the bank and off was fun.
They've been practicing on the big boulders in the pasture .
Good herding, bad action shot....... I love this one because it shows the gentleness and
kind nature of the dog toward a lamb (not the first of the Obi and lamb shots - I seem to get a
few favorites with every crop of lambs).

I have to add that the calico lamb seems to like Obi. She will follow him, run up to him and then back to mama. He seems to enjoy it as well. He doesn't return the "play" but will do gentle nudges and check in on her as
they are all out grazing.

 

[Ridgetop]

Calico lamb is a ewe! She is a keeper! I was worried that it was a ram - sometimes it seems that the prettiest colors are all rams. LOL

Ya'll know that I had a photo biz before TSHTF -- Mostly dogs working, and 85% of that "working" was at herding trials. People loved the photos I did - because "they really show the dog working" --

Probsbly why ou have such great pix. My sheep and dog shots are terrible. Either the dog has just turned away so it looks headless, the sheep are hunched up instead of showing nice long bodies, or the LGDs are just laying stretched out asleep on the ground. Of course, LGDs don't have much working pix since when they work you cannot catch it with a camera! LOL Erick says that a sleeping LGD is actually what they look like when they are working - since they have warned off all predators. LOL

I love your action pix.

 

[SageHill]

Calico lamb is a ewe! She is a keeper! I was worried that it was a ram - sometimes it seems that the prettiest colors are all rams. LOL


Probsbly why ou have such great pix. My sheep and dog shots are terrible. Either the dog has just turned away so it looks headless, the sheep are hunched up instead of showing nice long bodies, or the LGDs are just laying stretched out asleep on the ground. Of course, LGDs don't have much working pix since when they work you cannot catch it with a camera! LOL Erick says that a sleeping LGD is actually what they look like when they are working - since they have warned off all predators. LOL

I love your action pix.

LOL -- I agree with Erick - and it's what I would've said even if he didn't -- a Good LGD pic is one with them sleeping, or laying on a hill surveying their flock. HA -- like herding good action shots are not good action shots! Pics - all about timing and the second nature of 'what comes next when..............". OH - and I've got the terrible shots too, they just get trashed .

 

[Baymule]

I snap tons of pictures and pic the best ones. Delete the rest. But now I have so many pictures on my phone, it’s ridiculous. LOL

You are right, that calico lamb is so darn cute! I hope when she grows up that she throws lots of pretty spotted lambs for you!

Obi is the best. That’s a perfect picture of him at work.

 

[Mini Horses]

It's obvious that Obi is "gently encouraging" those lambs to rejoin the flock. Beautiful!

 

[Ridgetop]

I think Obi's name should be "Fuzzy-Wuzzy"! I just love him - he is so darn cute! I know you said that he doesn't have the correct coat, but . . . .
and so good at his job.

 

[SageHill]

Out grazing this morning. We've got rain on the way again this afternoon. Lately when we've been out grazing I've left mama ewe and the triplets behind. Those three need to get out and graze in our style - learn while they are young. However - mama ewe is a force to contend with. From any place for no reason at all she will line in on any dog she sees, take aim and charge - for no good reason . Yeah I know, protect the young and all - and I have no problem with that. I get it. I also know when there is no reason for that extreme end of the behavior. It's been so bad - that while she has given me 6 beautiful even tempered lambs I made the decision that I'd take her to the auction. It's what I would have told anyone if they'd ask me what I thought. Needlessly endangering myself or my dogs is outa' here.
I've done that with 3 other sheep last year - the trial sour sheep that would not graze and would break for no reason heading outa' here as fast as their legs would go (and having Obi to collect the errand idiots over hill and dale on his own out of sight while I stood with the rest of the flock). I've digressed. Oops.
So - this morning an ah ha moment. Totally unconventional. Some may not like me for this - but well, that's life.
I put an electric collar (from my parents dog things when they passed on) on that ewe. Power level low. I "nicked" her every time she gave the look of lining in on Obi. A nick is just that - a nick and not a continuous zap. She could look at him and no nick, but look with intent and nick. It worked! I guess it's really no different than an electric fence or cattle prod. So maybe I'm not that far out of line. I needed to do something so I could get the triplets out - thought "outside the box" and it worked. Mama ewe grazed well. I'll see how things go, perhaps I'll keep her provided this "training" works. Could Obi have bit her to put her in line, sure. But in the process either he, or the ewe could have been hurt - Obi will be <cough> 9 in a few days, the ewe could've ended up with a torn lip or worse. Yeah - it could've worked ok - but why because that would be an ongoing battle.
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Mama Ewe sporting the latest in sheep necklace fashion.

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Lots of green out there. Some very tasty, and some not tasty at all. So say the sheep.

The cutest of the triplets - she's a keeper.

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Break time is over - time to get back out before the rain comes in. I see a lot of weed whacking and mowing in the near future.

 

[Baymule]

I’m not in favor of shock collars on LGDs except in extreme cases, but even then, I don’t like them. Training. Training. Training.

Now how the heck are you going to “train” a cranky ewe? YOU JUST DID!

 

[farmerjan]

The worst that could have happened is it didn't work... so I applaud you for thinking outside the box... might be what she needs to get through her thick skull.... you and the dogs are not her enemy....and she needs to distinguish between Obie and coyotes...

 

[SageHill]

I’m not in favor of shock collars on LGDs except in extreme cases, but even then, I don’t like them. Training. Training. Training.

Now how the heck are you going to “train” a cranky ewe? YOU JUST DID!

Not a fan either. Collar is from my parents. Mom wanted a Newfoundland - my Mom weight all of 95 lbs. They worked with a trainer where they lived in NC. When they died all the small dog equipment that fit in a car made it to CA. Finally found a good use for it! At this point it was either not graze the littles (dry lot them for the most part) or give this a shot. Still considering taking the ewe to auction - if she and curb her 'kill the dog' tendancy I'll keep her.