Soft Start

Our work on 'get out' over the last couple of weeks held up in the presence of sheep with lovely soft starts. On cue, Dusty moved wide around the sheep in a relatively calm manner, instead of running straight at them.

Not too much was asked of us the clinic last weekend. I worked on trying to read Dusty and the sheep, anticipating what they were going to do, and her response to them, trying to get myself in the best place to let her do what she knew she had to do.

I know trust is a big part of it - trusting that she has good instincts and has been taught well and then just giving her freedom to do her job. I was about to give up herding, I was worried about my inability to be in control at all times but I think I now understand that I don't have to be.

If you get a chance to go to a Robert Cox clinic, do yourself a favour. He is as good at reading people as he is at reading dogs and sheep.