SageHill Ranch Journal

[SageHill]

Another gorgeous morning out and grazing.
A video of going down one of the ranch roads -- Obi staying in the back to keep the two woolie girls from moseying about on their own and Zo working the front to put the brakes on the rest of the ewes and lambs.

The California Red ewe....

The boys Obi (behind) and Zo ---- told them to "stay" but even then they are working.... .........

Trying to decide who to put in with the St Croix boy. Decisions decisions - they will be his first lambs I should probably pick some ewes whose lambs are not carbon copies so I can have a feel for what the boy will produce.

 

[murphysranch]

My Gosh I love those dogs. It was so neat to meet them.

Oh, and you too!!

 

[Baymule]

Your dogs know their job and don’t require you constantly telling them what to do. How much of that is training and how much is what they’ve been bred for?

With my Anatolians, they know, but they need corrections and encouragement. It’s training, but it’s really more of fine tuning what they are born with, after a few thousand years of guarding livestock.

 

[SageHill]

Your dogs know their job and don’t require you constantly telling them what to do. How much of that is training and how much is what they’ve been bred for?

With my Anatolians, they know, but they need corrections and encouragement. It’s training, but it’s really more of fine tuning what they are born with, after a few thousand years of guarding livestock.

It's actually both. Obi has a ton of training - different situation - me teaching herding lessons to others and he was my demon dog. Though I have to say of the training he he had the only thing that I use from that are his directions (left/right - Away/Go Bye). The rest of his is all on the job here at the ranch. Zo - he's all on the job training. I'm guessing that it's a bit similar to what you all do with your LGDs.
Even when I taught lessons before sheep were here all those years I always held the premise that farmers and ranchers don't have the time to devote to training like those folks who do all the herding trials. Still believe that, and in that light I think it's how choosing breeding dogs should be done vs the show or herding trial only dogs.

 

[Mini Horses]

Agree!! Farmer dogs use instincts but, learn from day to day working. Yeah, teaching on the job

 

[Baymule]

Show Anatolians are chosen for looks, not working abilities. Most show people don’t have any work for the dogs to do.

 

[SageHill]

Show Anatolians are chosen for looks, not working abilities. Most show people don’t have any work for the dogs to do.

So true. In the world of herding breeds, breeders with show dogs always say the wildest most hard to handle are "good herding prospects" -- and that frosts me to no end because it is the furthest from the truth. Unmanageable is unmanageable in any situation - they're just pawning off the trouble makers on someone else. GRRRRR

 

[SageHill]

We had a great Christmas day dinner at DS & DDIL's - prime rib -- oh so yummmm. And of course time with DGS

Checking out the prime rib!

OMG selfie!
"Gramma what are you doing?!"

and of course Obi

 

[fuzzi]

We had a great Christmas day dinner at DS & DDIL's - prime rib -- oh so yummmm. And of course time with DGS

Checking out the prime rib!
View attachment 124322


OMG selfie!
"Gramma what are you doing?!"
View attachment 124323

and of course Obi
View attachment 124324

 

[drstratton]

We had a great Christmas day dinner at DS & DDIL's - prime rib -- oh so yummmm. And of course time with DGS

Checking out the prime rib!
View attachment 124322


OMG selfie!
"Gramma what are you doing?!"
View attachment 124323

and of course Obi
View attachment 124324

What a sweet boy!