Dogs and ducks.

Look at our residents ducks. They alternate between the pond, the hen house and the Rushy Field which has a spring running through it. Sweet.

Yesterday when my back was turned, Moss went into the sheep field and started to round up the sheep. She knows not to do this of course but it is now 7 months since she did any work. Her absolute joy is to work, all day if she could. She spends most of the time "herding" Pip as a second best.

So, although she is in training for her first agility competition on Monday, she is now officially in training to round sheep again.

I put her on a long line because she is just too enthusiastic and very fast. This means that the sheep don't group and then of course they can't be herded. I haven't a small round pen which is used for a dog in training but a line does as well.

She did very well. She needs to learn an instant "down" which again has always been a problem for this young, keen dog. The rope worked really well for that and we grouped the sheep and "drove" them across the field nicely. When one ewe and lamb split from the group, we used "look back" command and after a short while she remembered it and brought them back.

We were both happy with her performance.

Pip will never be a sheep dog. She just goes for them and will bite a leg given the opportunity. She is a good hunter and has killed rabbits, mice and a grouse (which we ate but don't tell the shooters). She is also hard to train as she is too timid and Moss dominates her which doesn't help. But she loves people and children and is a good pet and very pretty. (see pick after her one dog show when she came second at Arthington Show This year's date is July 19th)