She CAN Walk!!! But, she really likes to go fast!

I wanted a little proof that my dog can walk. Walk up on sheep. Walk. Patrick, I'll take your advice: wwwaaalllkk, Jane. I hardly ever say WALKWALKWALK, in the Spanish bathroom style you discussed at the clinic.

It's hard to imagine, looking at these photos, that she's capable. (I LOVE this one ^ above.)

Look at that tongue. It takes some miles to make a tongue that big.

The dog is built for speed and who are we to deny her of her true nature. She needs to go fast.

But, Carolynn (major thanks and gratitude to Carolynn of BCxFour for taking these pictures! I've never had so many fantastic pics of my dogs), my friend who is a wonderful photographer. . .I asked her, would you please, please take a picture of my little Jane dog and make it look like she can walk.

I don't know how she did it, but LOOK AT JANE WALKING!!! TWO, count them, two feet on the ground --AT THE SAME TIME in some of these pictures. I don't remember this from the clinic, but I'm taking these photos as evidence!


Look!!!!! Even a nice lift off the set out person. It's because Patrick is there, right? Jane is savy to the ways of the shaken visor.

I've got to go. I'm about to cry, I'm so happy! Thanks Carolynn!

PS Will she show this ability to walk at the trial next weekend? Carolynn, can you come down to photograph? :)

A beautiful blue sky and Loch Ness Janie

We went down to the Carson Valley today to work at the ranch where we are entered in a trial next weekend. This has to be one of the most beautiful views in the state. Time for a photo op.

The drive leg on our trial course is along the back of this shed row. I set it up to have Jane right behind the sheep on that side of the ditch. She was pushing too much and popped them over the ditch and back to the draw, which she covered quite happily, but not good for a trial.

Then I brought her over to have her push from across the ditch, where I was walking. It worked, but not the best. Finally, Jane's dream came true! She got to drive the length of the shed row from the ditch!

Now, she just has to push them over the bridge. No problem, with a little Come Bye.


Jane loves herding sheep more than anything else in this world. The first thing she loves the most is EVERYTHING about moving sheep. After that, the second thing she loves most is cooling off in an irrigation ditch or stock tank. This drive leg combined everything into one. She was in heaven!

The Revolution Is Just A T-Shirt Away

So join the struggle while you may
The revolution is only a T-shirt away
Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards ~Billy Bragg

http://store.theonion.com/product/che-wearing-che-tshirt-tshirt,115/

Patrick Shannahan and Dianne Deal sure know how to put on a clinic!

We went up to Caldwell last weekend for Patrick Shannahan and Dianne Deal's Novice Trial Preparation Clinic. It was a fantastic clinic and I learned so much!

Carolynn Harwell of BCX4 took some amazing photos. All photos in this post were taken by Carolynn. THANK YOU!!!

Here Dianne and I are setting up a drive. Jane is coming too fast.

Doesn't this naughty little sheepdog look pleased with herself?

Jane is all about speed. She loves to go fast. So far, she doesn't appreciate my efforts to slow her down. Maybe when she is older she'll realize that not everything needs to be done at 90 mph. Maybe.

She does have a very nice down.

We had lecture from Patrick and Dianne, then we ran, or attempted to run a Novice course. Dianne went to the post with us to help with our run. During the runs, Patrick sat with the audience and everyone judged the run and talked about where points were lost and why. Then, we had a one on one lesson with Patrick and Dianne.

For the first time in her life, Jane lost her sheep. Many of the dogs did during the first work of the clinic, and Jane was one of those. She did get them put back together and brought them back to me. She never gave up, in spite of my yelling, and she brought them back, so I guess that's a good thing. I don't think she'll ever lose them on Patrick's field again! It really made an impression on her.


Patrick and I worked on making her outrun bigger. Wider and longer. Looked lovely by the end of the day and her lift was really nice. Funny how when she was deep enough at the top the lift was just smooth and beautiful. I, for one, had a big smile on my face watching her. I think the guy standing next to me did, too.

Many thanks to everyone who made the clinic happen. I had a wonderful time and will be back for more!

Ah Haaa!

Things You Might Find In My Car

We're going on a big trip Friday, so it was time for an oil change and car wash. I've been so disgusted at the interior of my car lately, so I asked them to detail the interior, too. Got my headlight replaced. In preparation for the big event, I took almost everything out of my car this morning. The only things I left in were the crate platform and the two crates it holds.

My husband has long said that my car resembles the floor of the bedroom of your average 14 year old boy. Thanks, Chris.

As I was going through the pile of crap in the garage tonight, reloading the car, here are some of the things I found:

• Borrowed agility video I need to give back to Kim
• Paperback book or two
• two half full bottles of water
• one full bottle of water
• travel mug with liquid still in it, 1/2" of dust coated on top (too skeerrrid to look inside)
  
• two tubes of sunscreen
• roll of paper towels
• 100 +/- reusable Whole Foods bags
• tote bag full of dog toys
• three of Jane's collars and three leashes
• four dog beds
• one Costco dog blanket
• two ice scrapers
• gallon jug of water
• road side hazard kit
• tire chains
• wiper washer fluid
• box of poop pick up bags
• couple of flash lights
• various electronic device chargers
• Kent Kuykendal's CD on whistling for sheep dog handlers
• various shepherd's whistles
• tote bag full of cold weather clothing for me
• warm winter coat for Jane (Lisa calls it "Jane's Pink Dress" even though it is not pink!)
• small bag of dog food
• Chuck-it and various balls
• rain pants for me
• camera
• video camera
• tote bag full of papers and stuff I should really probably look at

I don't know, probably a lot more stuff than that, too, especially if you count the dirt. The guys who cleaned my car did a GREAT job!!!! Even if they did put on my invoice, "Very Dirty."

See you in Idaho!

SNBCC Herding Fun Match

The Sierra Nevada Border Collie Club had it's AKC "A" Match yesterday. I had Jane and Panda entered in Started.

Panda was the second dog in. He's really been working well for me lately, although he still gets a thrill out of buzzing the sheep. His outrun was a little tight, but he took his stop at the top and the sheep settled into a nice easy walk. Panda was really eyed up, so he was slow and powerful. I haven't worked a lot on little flanking with him, but when we got to the obstacles and I needed small movements from him, he did just what I needed. The sheep wanted to break to the draw in two places, he read it and covered. When we got to the repen, I didn't ask him to hold the sheep off the gate because he looked like he was about to explode, so we repenned quickly and were done. We ended with a score of 93 and third place. I could not have been more happy with my loaner Border Collie.


Jane was the second to the last started dog. She gave me reason to doubt that she was listening to me as we walked into the arena. I had to set her up more than once because she was creeping forward. I haven't read the rule book, although I know that AKC is pretty picky and has lots of little rules. So, I didn't know that when I set her up and half of her body was on the wrong side of the centerline we got hit with an eight point deduction for a cross over. Live and learn, and if I ever trial in AKC, it would probably be a good idea to read the rules!

And so started our run. Jane had a hard time keeping her feet slow and also had a hard time with her downs. . .I don't think she held a down for more than a second through the whole run. She pushed the sheep past me, she actually bit one in the butt . . .the judge missed that one, she split them, she covered and covered and covered and covered. While I thought it was a pretty awful run, the deductions were pretty small and if we hadn't lost that eight points right off the top, Jane would have beaten Panda by a half point for third. As it was we finished with an 85.5.

The judge was complimentary of both my dogs and my handling. I have to give credit to my friend and teacher, Lisa Edwards of Bitterbrush Stockdogs. I sure didn't know anything about sheep when I met her.

Rest In Peace, My Friend.

Stockhandler For A Day

Jane and I packed up early and headed down to the ASCA trial this morning. Actually, trials. There were AM and PM sheep, duck and cattle trials. We weren't entered, but went down to watch our friends, hang out, and help out if needed.

On the way down, I was thinking it would be cool if they needed stock handlers and asked Jane and I to help in that way. I was thinking it would be good for both of us for many reasons. As I pulled up to the last stopsign, a half a block from the turn into the ranch, my BlackBerry started baaah-ing like a sheep. That can mean only one thing. Lisa is calling.

She asked if I was coming to the trial today. Yes, I'm almost there. Good, I need you to stock handle. Cool!!!!

I went out with her while she and Rena did the Advanced and Open runs. We called in the help of Sylvia. Sylvia ran the gate and Jane and I took the sheep out of the pens, pushed them down the alley and out into the arena. This was great self control work for Jane and great fine tuning on little movements for me. I'm happy to say that for the most part, when we settled the sheep in the alley and then pushed them out, they just walked very quietly. We didn't send anything out busting through and banging fences.

I put Jane up and thought we were done for the day. Lisa called me up and taught me what was needed to push the cattle through for those runs. There were three holding pens. . .maybe four. So sets of three head of cattle had to be put into each one, and then pushed to the next pen when one set was put out for the run. This was done without a dog, although Jane watched from the car and gave me the evil eye all day for doing it without her.

I had a ball doing this. . .and it was a great opportunity for me to learn about pressure and the "thirds" of the eye. I had three heifers we didn't want to use, so I had to watch for their ear tags and not let them in, but then had to sort off three that we did want into the empty pen, after pushing everyone through to the front pens.

Most of my friends had great runs. I think Gloria and Nick might be looking at a new belt buckle by the end of the weekend. Tomorrow, Kathy and I (husbands? maybe?) are going to Bullys to watch the Chihuahua races. I owe her a Happy Birthday lunch, and my company is sponsoring the event, so we should have a good table. . . and maybe she'll put one of her Chihuahuas in the race next year.