Life without a flank

Have you ever gone to the grocery store and find that there is only one shopping cart left, when you go to push that cart down the aisle you find that one of the front wheels are stuck, it won't swivel, it's just stuck going straight, you can go forward, you can go back but you can't manuver very well to make the turn at the end of aisle. Well, that is what it is like to have a dog that does not flank properly.

I just came in from another good work out with Jay, that's when it came to me, he too was missing a proper flank. That is what I have been spending most of the last week and half acheiving, yeah along the way I had to get him to factor me and stress obedience with him. It was not until I got him to give me those two things, which add up to his mind, that I could show him the right place to flank. As I was able to help him find that correct pressure point, the place where he would have a working advantage with the sheep he suddenly discovered rate and pace.

Jay still easily falls into his old habits, but as I maintain a relentless spirit he is supplying me with more useful work. We still have a way to go before I can dial him and move the sheep around the course just by giving him simple directions, but it is coming. I actually hate to see him go home, I would so love to get him solid on these basics so all Sharon would have to do is worry about where she wants her sheep to go and which path she wants Jay to take them down. It is where Wayne is now with Jake, granted there are still glitches, there are times that Jake feels passionate about his idea of where he should be and wants to go, but for the most part he is quite simple to handle. Wayne and I were laughing yesterday as I described moving Jake around the sheep simular to driving a radio control car, my voice commands replacing the joy stick, Pete, his breeder refers to it as driving a cadillac. It is quite a feeling to behold, to know with almost 100% certainty that you are going to get result you expect as the command leaves your mouth.

I'll be going out to work more of the crew, more updates to follow. I might just have to crack out some of the back burner dogs and look a little closer at that flank or lack thereof....