This is the tale of an "old" sheep man and his dogs.

WyoLiving

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That looks so wonderful! Sounds like she did good for a first-timer.

Thanks for the pictures and the narrative.
 

Baymule

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Meg has a good teacher. She is off to a good start, she's a good dog.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day folks ,so a couple of things have happened on the dog front.Tina ( my youngest) got a bad knock while she was running about with the older ones,Her spine was not sitting square on her skull and i was able to manipulate in back to the center,but between the skull and the shoulder there was obviously a problem.She was carrying her head left of center and limping on one of her front legs....Over the years after several" bad and expensive " experiences with the veterinary establishment so i thought i would contact my Chiropractor and ask advice ,she recommended a practice and i contacted them but got no reply (due to the virus i think),anyway she said she would have a look at her for me today when she was in the village.Although she is "not" qualified for animals she does treat her own dogs and within a few minutes she had discovered the problems in her neck and shoulders,which she proceeded to "gently" manipulate with the aid of a instrument she actually uses on me but at a lower force element and after about 10 minutes had her "standing square "on her front legs.She showed me a massage treatment for me to use over the next week and suggested she see her again then...By the time we arrived home she was so much brighter and i think everything will be fine with time.

Meg has moved to the next stage now .Because of the dog attack the lambs are adjacent to the house and for the last 3 days we have let them in after lunch on the fresh pick.I must add that she is in the middle of her season cycle and so is a "little distracted",even so she has been called upon to round up a mix of ewes (about 60) and half grown lambs in a paddock (half wooded) of about 3 acs. Day 1 she was very unsure of what was required ,so i kept her close and encouraged her to move to the wing whenever i asked,she made the odd mistake but that did not matter......Today was day 3,and she has a firm grip on what i need her to do,she will "speak up" to let the sheep know she is there and where they need to head for,She will move to the wing when i ask,and return on my call.Many doggers will say that i have left it way too long to start her ,but for me time is not an issue, its about allowing her to use her Natural Instincts and control rather than over controlling a pup and making it a "robot" with no mind of its own ....Video is difficult,but at some point i will endeavor to get some to show what i mean with her......T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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That is awesome about Tina. What a blessing that your chiropractor was not only able, but willing to help. I am glad that Tina is on the road to recovery.

Meg is going to be one fine dog. Your years of experience along with your ability to "talk dog" is bringing her along at her pace. You know when she is ready to move up to the next step as she matures.

Is the Covid-19 virus affecting you and Jenny? I do hope that you two are safe and do not catch the virus. Please stay safe.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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Thank you Bay,Their is still a lot for me to learn,EG. the old flock had be taught over the generations that when i appeared with or without the dogs one of two things were going to happen.1.i was there to just check on the state of things. or 2.they were going somewhere and they would"bunch" facing opposite to where i was standing and know that the dogs are going to "guide" them.

In the adult new flock there are remnants of the old flock and many of them that are new are yet to learn.The lamb group "have no idea",it is not too bad when Max is in charge,but as Meg is just a "learner" too i am going to try to teach both groups together.

Step 1.Call meg to heel and move to a position roughly behind the grazing flock.Sit Meg and let her observe the scene so she can focus on the job required.Call"SHEEP,SHEEP" to get the attention of the grazing flock,move to a position opposite to where i want the flock to move to,instruct Meg to "go back" to the widest wing to encourage the flock to "bunch up". Call Meg to "heel" and move towards the flock who will respond by moving away (hopefully in the direction i want).To tighten the bunch send Meg to the other wing to close the group up and call her to "heel" and move forward at a pace which does not frighten the flock into a stampede .With luck they will see the gate and move through in a quiet and calm manner....Anyway that is the plan ,i will of course let you all know how it works.....T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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Mine work just the opposite. Our place is small, only 8 acres and I have pastures I move them to. I call SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP and they run to me. I move them by shaking a feed can, calling SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP in a high voice, letting them see that I am opening a gate to a pasture, there are two across the driveway that are not connected to their barn. They start yelling, I open their gate and they run to the pasture I just left them a feed treat in. I follow and shut the gate. To put them up for the night, I shake the can, put feed out for them, call SHEEP SHEEP SHEEP and open the gate of the pasture they are in. They run back to their barn and I close their gate. They are so funny.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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Oh Bay, you make me smile,your description is not that unusual, their are 000's of small sheep farmer s just like you the world over.....The difference on our farm is that some of our paddocks are 50 acs in size with areas of woodland and the dogs need to work"out of sight" in some cases.Its also worth noting that our farm is a "very small one" compared to the norm in Australia.

I forgot to answer the Q on the virus.We are both good,our daughter is shopping for us and we just travel to her place to pick them up..Last week we were "chatting" to our GP and he remarked that we had gone from being the most vulnerable (threatened by bush-fires) to the most secure ,out on the farm away from society at large....T.O.R.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day folks,update on Tina.She went again to see my chiro this week and as a lot of her swelling has gone down she was able to re-set her spine below the shoulder ,hip and tail.Today 2 days later she is "so" much brighter,i had had her over near the house with one of Jenny's dogs (she did not enjoy it, it seems) as soon as i let her out to go back she ran to the trailer .I had had to use her pen as i had to drench 80 lambs today and needed her pen to do the job .Can't wait for my new set of yards to get erected,Nicole is coming over next week to stay and help Jenny and I put them up (photos to follow).

Meg has continued her lessons and now seems to know the difference between "go back" and a "wave" of the hand on the side i need just a little cast to tighten up the mob.Ruby got so excited today as i had her in the yards moving the lambs about,because she is quite"deaf" paddock work is getting beyond her as she has to look for "hand signals" now to see what i want done,still she was good in the yards and "warmed" to the task as she was the only one working,working with lambs is always difficult as they don't yet understand what its all about.

How are you all getting on with the virus.I have been "chatting" to various people not connected to the group and it seems we are a lot "safer" down here when it comes to testing and the like...T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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I love hearing about your dogs. I am glad that Tina is showing improvement and feeling better. And Meg, it is good that you can find jobs for her to do, she feels like she is needed and the work brings her happiness.

Virus wise we are fine, we pretty much stay here on our little farm. When we venture to town, we have those stupid masks on that you can't breathe through. We only go to the post office, maybe run in the grocery store for bread and that is about it. Our daughter will pick up things for us when she goes to the store, she is trying to keep us out of the mix of people. LOL

We have plenty to do here, working on the garden, getting it ready to plant. Have a few things planted already, behind by a week or so, but getting there. I can't wait for a fresh tomato!

I am glad that you two are safe, in your own little world. Life goes on, on the farm. Shelter at home is pretty easy when you are on a farm. LOL
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day folks, update om Tina,we feel she has progressed enough to not visit my chiro this week.She now jumps up into the trailer with the tailgate down,much like "old" Ruby does,today we let have a good stretch of all those injured muscles and she had a good stretch on flat ground for over a km with the big dogs..She is now eating normally and today was carrying her head straight and even at one stage turned her head to the left (something she has been unwilling to do up until now).She will also now "jump down" from the trailer if the tailgate is lowered so all the signs are good for a total recovery...T.O.R.
 
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