never enough time in the day

Yesterday was spent driving for the most part. Dropped off Thai for his neuter in the morning, then back to pick up my now de balled kitty in the late afternoon.

I was able to work both young dogs in between. I worked out in the 2 acre field yesterday . Both looked good and there were no wrecks . There must be some pressure to this field that I don't see or feel. I noticed both wanted to cast away more than come bye.

Flint really does have a nice way / feel for the sheep. We were doing little wears around the field and he kept just the right distance from them and we were able to go good distance on a straight away with him holding them well to me before turning direction. He still had his moments of casting off too wide and wanting to orbit on the away direction, but yesterday he was more willing to turn back and cast come bye or just correct himself and line out the sheep. I was able to get him to stop on his feet several times. I am leaving a lie down for the moment as I suspect that caused the wide away avoidance the other time I had him out there. All in all he looked pretty good.

Again, though I CAN'T seem to figure out how to get them off the sheep! After five minutes of trying to end his session and feeling my temper starting thankfully I had common sense creep into the back of the mind. I just had the dog bring the sheep over to the round pen and put them in, leaving the dog out. Stopped everything and was able to get the dog. Now I know this is not ideal but since they are not 9 months old yet I just don't want to be too hard on them .

Rush came out full of herself as always. Both have a nice cast around the sheep and have never gone straight at them like bowling balls to pins. She did quite well out there, though she is very keen and wants things moving at a fast pace. Wearing the sheep with the clunkers was too slow for her. On several occassion she bore into the rear to bop them forward. Just not moving fast enough for her. I made no comment to her because at this stage I sure do not want to make her think coming forward is a BAD thing. I was able to get her to lie down several times on balance or for a few she would sit. Had some nice  moments of straight line wearing as well, though I need to turn more with her to keep it active. I just don't see her relaxed enough as Flint to ask her to wear a  straight line for more than a  few yards at a time... It is interesting to me in that while Rush is more fast and a bit less focused , she is more biddable. Flint is more relaxed and natural but is less able to take a lie down command or if set to go his comfortable direction more likely to attempt to beat me  than to change direction. I feel he is not as interested in me other than moving off me to the correct position across the sheep. Again this is just my initial feeling to them and surely will not be any indication of the finished dog . Just things to keep an eye on.

I had to bring the sheep back to the round pen to end Rush's session as well . From an early get go with these two I have found them to be horrible about recalls in any situation with outside distraction.  Is it Nature or Nurture ? My guess a little of both, yet it really does piss me off. I have not had dogs who do not come when asked reliably before these two.  I will keep at the basic training of manners off sheep and hope at some point it clicks , though I just think it will be something that may always be an issue .

I was thrilled the waterline was not frozen out at the barn so only had to bring one length of hose out for watering . Paul helped with chores last night and we must have mis communicated with the tank heaters. Neither was plugged in overnight so there was a good layer of ice on the tubs this morning. Other than that all went without event. This is good. 

Seems I got my toes exposed to the cold this last snap so and dealing with some issues. A few years ago I had some minor frostbite to them and if I am not careful I have issues with them. I looked at them last night and a few are a little white  and purple at the ends. They were very sore yesterday to even my socks touching, let alone my shoes touching them.To add insult to injury I stubbed my pinky toe on the recliner last night . OUCH !  

Not much planned for today. I hope to get down to Nola's and do something with Diamond. Maybe work the older dogs a bit if I can. I just don't have any real good sorting system and now have sheep getting heavy with lambs that I don't want to train dogs with. Of course they always seem to be the first ones to the gate when wanting to do training. Then moving them off and sorting out ends up being more work than training. Stop that initial flow out the gate and then NO ONE wants to go through. By the time I get them sorted off and have used up one dog to do it I usually am so discusted with the annoyance of the situation I don''t feel like training. I just have to make a sorting area and also need to have an area for bred sheep and another seperate one for open ewes / wethers. It will come in time. We have only been here a year and eventually it will be set up correctly. But right now what a pain in the ass. This spring it hopefully will be addressed. Why oh why can't I seem to hit those perfect numbers when the state lottery is drawn. My life would be so much more simple for it with a few extra 000's in the "kitty" !