First, not to bury the lead--the book Considerations for the City Dog is a great book. I'll explain more about that later in this post, but let me start by describing how I learned about the book: In October 2015 my office got a call from the local post office. "You have to get down here right away. There is a package for you that is NOT media mail, although that is how it was sent. $2.61 is due before you can take possession of this package.” These words were said, through pursed lips by the postmistress in the Black Earth Post Office. They were followed by a lecture about the definition of media mail, that only books can be sent as media mail (which is less expensive than regular mail), and that we were to cease and desist engaging in such processes. Except, uh, we didn’t send the Read More
Archives for August 2017
Always End on Good Note? (Please Don’t, Not Always.)
How many times have you heard or said "Always end a training session on a good note?" I heard it repeatedly when I first went into the field and said it myself, until I saw how much trouble it could cause a dog and his handler. I got to thinking about this training aphorism when I was working sheepdog Maggie this weekend, and she and I weren't able to drive the sheep in the "practice course" I'd set up for her. It was just too difficult a task for her and me on the particular day with those particular sheep. Years ago I would have switched tasks and set her up to do something easy before I said "That'll Do". But I didn't. I just called her back, said "All Done, that's a girl Maggie" and walked her back to the car. It got me to wondering about why I made that choice, rather than "ending Read More
Tree Frogs, Baby Spiders & Sheep Dog Trials
Those things go together, right? Well, they did this weekend. Lucky me to discover this Gray Tree Frog hiding out in the day lilies. They are small, can take on the color of the substrate they're on, and are only noticed if you are looking closely. Every time I find one in the garden it's like finding a jewel buried in the sand. I am assuming that not everyone will be as thrilled as I was to find a nest of baby spiders on a bud of my lipstick plants. But I was. I first thought it was a tent caterpillar nest, whose machete-like mouths can strip a plant of leaves in a day. I went to clear it off and when I touched the web the babies streamed out of the egg case. Three days later they were all gone. I wish them well. The best part of the weekend was the Cedar Stone Farm Read More
Does Your Dog Come When Called? Every Time?
When Willie starting working sheep as a youngster, he didn't want to quit. This is a high quality problem with a young sheepdog, but it's still a problem. At some point you just have to end the session. It's a common problem too--I've seen scores of adolescent Border Collies zoom around and around the flock while the owner attempts to call them back and snap on a leash before the dog over heats. Or the sun sets. This isn't a challenge restricted to sheepdog owners. Who doesn't need a dog to stop what it's doing and come when called? When I asked blog readers what they'd like to talk about, this was one of the topics that came up regularly. I think that's great, given my belief that all dogs need some freedom in their lives in order to be healthy and happy. Granted, that freedom might be Read More