Another day another graze. This youngster Zo is showing me so many good things that I find myself thinking and saying to myself things like wow, holy cow, damn that was nice. When I had him out on Sunday he was good. His road work was rough, but we got the job done nicely even though it was stop walk up stop repeat. Today the boy actually worked the sides. Brushing past them going back to front and front to back without disturbing the sheep keeping everything going smoothly. Wow. He has limited experience and little training, damn that’s nice.
I do have to say in the very beginning today in the corral - at the start of taking them out Zo charged through the middle and took a cheap shot. God bless the sheep - they looked at me as if to say WTH, while I gave Zo a “STOP” command which he took with a holy s#*% I’m in trouble look and I gave him a growly talking to. Left that correction where I made it (didn’t carry a grudge) and we started on our way. Zo figured that sheep are not a yahoo moment thing
and was darned good after that.
Worked down the ranch road partway to the meadow and grazed some. Zo picked up where he wanted to be a “fence” and worked tirelessly- and very wide/far off.
In the bc and trial world turning away/ out from the sheep is a big no-no. Major point deductions. Over the years of doing this I’ve come to the conclusion that turning away or out from the sheep when the dog changes directions is a way the dog can take pressure off of the stock. Turn in/towards them adds pressure, and out/away releases pressure. Perfectly logical. The things one learns when standing and watching and thinking “why” or “what did that do”. The point of this is I watched Zo both turn in and turn out. Hmmm. Was there a pattern always in the same spot or turning going on way or not the other? No. But watching the sheep there is a hint of this pressure thing. Very subtle but it was there. Damn - not something you can train a dog to do - they either have it or not. Damn that was nice.
Murphy was watching again, though from his house yard and of course gave his opinion. He gave his two-cents worth and then was quiet. Zo and the sheep both looked over and then went back to their jobs. Eat and be a fence.
Moved down into the meadow and grazed there. A different place for Zo to find where to “be a fence”. He did it. We came back up the ranch road the way the sheep know we’re going home. They can be a bit speedy the closer we get. And yet another oh wow for the boy - worked the side and far off - had he been close they would have sped up. WTG Zo.
He's not Obi, he's Zo
.
Got them into graze #1
Zo being a fence
hard to see - he's just under the oak on the top left
Zo on the other side of the graze...giving the sheep lots of room....
Zo guarding the pasture gate so I can open it w/o a sheep stampede.........
you'll have 2 sets of "fencing" now 
. Obi still gets a turn, both can have a day off.
Oh no! Did I say that in print? Thank goodness Obi can't read - yet. LOL
We were blest with weeks of sweet new greens thanks to the tropical storm (can we please have another??). When it's cool enough in the mornings we'll be back at it - if it's warm the slithery creatures could be an issue - not happening on my watch if I can help it. Being smart about things - bales of alfalfa are cheaper than anti-venom or worse.
