• Tony McCallum
  ”Introducing Pups”

l introduce my pups to stock from about 8 weeks, but l like it to be in a controlled manner. l actually use the time doing this to imprint some of the commands and recall etc. If they are learning it on stock there are no concerns of it carrying over to stock. There is no better way of bonding, than having a work bred pup, seeing you as the one that enables work, you will have their attention forever.

Other than poking about the farm, and exposing them to all the aspects of daily life , when l can give them my full attention only, l do not go overboard on socialization. If they are calm around people and all animals not to be worked, l don’t need them being all cuddly with strangers etc… Set out your limits and manners (everyone has a different set of these l find) from day one. If l do not want it to happen when they are 2 year old l do not allow it at 10 weeks. The dog does not come with a rule book of right and wrong in its back pocket, so you have to show them what your rules are, and be consistent. The biggest problem l see in dogs is confusion, always bought on by uncertainty and inconsistency in their handlers. Pups are soaking up associations like little sponges , so do not be wishy-washy and all over the place with your aims when they are little . Everything you encourage or let them do as a pup, that has to be undone later, will turn your relationship into an argument instead of a working partnership.

Most people that come to me with a dog and ask me "What do you do to the dog to stop it doing this " my common reply is "l don’t do anything to them, l have not let one even start to do that for at least 40 years." My main thought when working with pups is Prevention is better than Cure.

• Tony McCallum
  ”A Good Start with Pups”

A good start is to not let them do it when you are "just having a look at them" when they are youngsters. The pup will not be aware that it is not a training session. The first lesson, from day one, l try to instill in their little minds is: Go get everything and bring it to me!  You do this by your placement and stock managing, and it is easy when they are young, and have good basic instincts. Allowing them to run round and through, drive them into corners, chase one off etc… all sets a pattern that has to be broken. If managed from the start, you have nothing to undo. l really care about little else in the early stage, just encourage and assist a pup to go around all you can see and bring them back, working with instinct, not training commands to replace instinct.

• “What is a Good Dog?”

What is a “good” dog? Quiet, confident, slow and respectful. A dog with plenty of bite when needed but patient enough to give the cow a chance to do the right thing. A dog that will run 30 mph on an outrun or when flanked but moves 1 mph if need be once engaging the stock, no running around slashing and trashing. A dog that bites only to reinforce it's own respect never to create fear or because of fear.

McRae Stockdogs

If you listen, your dog will tell you,….

By observing your dogs actions, body language and demeanor he will tell you what he’s thinking and feeling.

If you watch closely, you can tell if he is happy or bored, enthusiastic or disinterested, intimidated or confident, stressed or relaxed, committed to working or just chasing for fun, to name a few.

Understanding what your dog is telling you, is key to fostering your partnership.This is true at every level, and especially for pups just starting.

For example, if you take a young dog to sheep and he starts running towards them with keenness, and you step in to try and keep him from splitting up the sheep or chasing, there are several possible outcomes. If he continues to go around with enthusiasm there’s a good chance he likes the exposure you're giving him. Some other reactions include:

1. He stands and looks at you—He could be telling you he’s confused or that he needs movement from the sheep to stay interested.

2. Comes to you to make sure you’re not upset with him—He might be worried he’s done something wrong, not confident or not enjoying the experience (could be his maturity, you or the sheep).

3. Sniffs the grass— He’s telling you he’s not yet committed to working and maybe titillated only by the chase, he's not ready for exposure or not enjoying it.

Dogs are just as communicative once they start going around sheep. For example, when you ask him to stop for the first time, if after he stops he goes back to the sheep slowly, he’s telling you he’s not yet ready for the lie down. It’s affecting his enjoyment and if you continue, it’s possible his interest will diminish and he may even turn off.

It’s important if this happens, that you don’t ask for another lie down until he’s more enthusiastic.With more quality exposure, your pup will go back to the sheep more quickly after being stopped. When he does, he’s telling you he understands what you’re asking and that he wants the sheep enough to accept a lie down. You might now try 2 stops in a session, always watching to evaluate how he goes back to work after each lie down and adjust accordingly.

Once your pup is accepting your direction with a stop, you might be able to step in and shape his width or push him off. For us at the beginning stage, cultivating enjoyment is most important. In fact, we like our dogs a bit tight and fast at the start. We’re willing to wait on shaping their development.

Some trainers make lots of corrections with very young dogs. They don’t allow them to be tight at all, and will chase them off, with the handler running through the sheep in a menacing fashion. They often have the dog circling way off the sheep or other form of pressure. They want to accelerate the training and the development of eye, feel and obedience.

This approach might work for dogs that have high drive at a young age but for many others, it’s too much pressure, too soon, and can have many unintended consequences.

If you try to shape or push your young dog off sheep, and he gets reluctant, sniffs, quits, is master conscience or comes back to you for reassurance, he’s telling you that you’re spoiling his enjoyment and he’s not ready for that pressure yet.

Those that chase off and slow down young dogs as a ‘go to’ approach, don’t consider the needs of the individual dog. Then when dogs don’t have success within their method, they often make the excuse “he was never keen enough to train” or “he was too immature”. They blame the dog rather than recognizing the approach has a bullying mindset rather than a teaching mindset.

While many dogs can’t accept the methods mentioned above at a young age, with patience in training, those same dogs can have great accomplishments and we've trained many dozens of dogs that were labeled 'not keen enough'.

Watch your dogs body language and demeanor. If he’s not enjoying what he’s doing, he’s probably not ready for the next step. Once he is enthusiastic and confident, try the next step and make adjustments based on his response—if you listen, your dog will tell you…

Patricia Alasdair MacRae

Dogs should enjoy working and be ‘hooked’ before we try to shape their behavior. This applies to dogs just starting, understanding when your dog is actually working sheep versus just chasing, and also in older dogs, making certain they are enjoying new concepts before making them difficult.

Problems often arise when trainers get lost distinguishing when this is, and they apply pressure or expectations before their dog is ready.

Pressure isn’t limited to a gruff voice or spending long durations training. It may also include, pushing your dog off the sheep, not allowing him to get to balance, insisting on a walk, drilling, and the list goes on.

For a young dog, not yet committed to working, any negative association that your dog may have with sheep, can have unintended consequences, such as over controlling or correcting your pup as they walk to the sheep, shouting at your dog when they are running a fence line with sheep on other side, or too much correction for nipping or running through the sheep.

Later in your dogs training pressure may include, asking for precision too soon, correcting him for something your dog doesn’t understand, and many other examples.

One the keys to successful training is instilling desire of the work, before asking for discipline from your dog.

You’ll find when your dog enjoys the work, you can shape his training more effectively. When your dog has enthusiasm, he’s quite happy to accept your control because he wants the ultimate reward, working sheep! An analogy is moulding clay, the more clay you start with, the more shaping you can do. The less clay you have, the more limited you are, the more careful you have to be and the fewer mistakes you can afford.

For us, our system is based on our dogs natural instinct to want to get to balance point. With dogs that are keen on balance point we reinforce it, and for those that aren't naturally inclined, we develop their desire to seek it.

Our method is rooted in making a connection with our dog, instead of an approach based on correction.

This is in contrast to dogs that have had pressure applied before enjoying their work, many of whom are regarded as ”never keen enough to train” or get trained early, but lose desire for working by the time they are 7 years old; they may lose their sharpness, get sluggish, start stopping short on their outruns, not cover sheep properly, no enthusiasm at the shed, not run out blind, etc. If you have a strong or excitable dog, he may well need and flower through discipline, this is because his desire and or maturity is well established. It’s important to adjust training to your dogs individual characteristics.

Getting a dog to work the way you’re asking isn’t remarkable. Getting a dog to WANT to work the way you're asking is the key.

Patricia Alasdair MacRae