I have worked with a lot of clinicians in the past, and some of these lessons are starting to sink into my skull. I am becoming much calmer in handling cattle and my dogs, however, I am still sort of in the way. So the entire goal of this clinic was to be far enough off the stock to give my dogs confidence in their driving and fetching, while I was out of the way (in the middle of the field).
I worked Mazikeen and Chunky. Mazikeen was working on advanced level driving, and can get the stock off on the away direction very easily. I also learned that if I follow Mazie behind her, it actually peels her toward me and off the fence in front of the stock. She struggles with that level of pressure. If I back off and give her the command, and set myself up more in the center, she is better at reaching through the stock and getting them to me. We were successful at doing fetches up the center to the cone, as well as negotiating the field and cross driving. Still have a lot of work to go.
Chunky is actually the opposite of Mazikeen, if I follow her, she is able to get into the corner and peel the stock out. We had to work at keeping them off the draw fence, but we were actually successful working toward our more intermediate level skills, like driving with me far enough off and having her hold the line.
I am very very pleased with both of my girls! On a side note, Fiddle got to sort the cows, and Rory got to work some ducks
Clarjo Farms 