I think three things make a competition ranch herding course fun and challenging to do:

1. You are herding in wide open spaces without having a fence-line to “catch” your mistakes.

2. Pushing, pulling, and repelling the sheep, draws and pressures exist everywhere on a ranch course that distort the straightforward movement of the flock. @#$%^&*!!!!! It is real life!

3. The larger number of sheep provides a different challenge for many dogs & handlers.

My goals as your herding clinician are to provide you with additional training techniques you possibly can use on your dog and also to give you my insights-- as a herding judge and as a competitor on these courses-- so that you and your dog can perform better on any ranch course.

There is a six dog maximum at this clinic. Each dog will have multiple opportunities to practice the “little stuff” = obstacle practice, sheep practice. We can do full runs but most handlers will benefit by focusing and at most, stringing a couple of obstacles together.

This all-day clinic will introduce handlers to obstacles we typically use here at Raspberry Ridge Sheep Farm on the AKC’s D Course and on the AHBA’s HRD and RLF courses. I cannot hope to cover all topics, but let me know what your choices are (My plan is to focus on at least 3-6 topics depending on your interests—Please rank-order your top 3 choices and email the text below with your rankings to carolyn@raspberryridgesheepfarm.com:

___1. How to control a large flock from running away from you and your dog in a large field– (developing your dog’s gathering & holding & containment skills).

___ 2. Pen Exit strategies from a fence-line pen, and a large free-standing pen (Which—circle).

___ 3. Bridge/Maltese Cross (Which—circle).

___ 4. Footbath.

___ 5. Figure 8.

___ 6. Drive leg (up to 125 feet).

___ 7. Drive leg (up to 125 feet and halt).

___ 8. Flock halt (without having your dog run over by “vehicular traffic”).

___ 9. Drive leg up to 125 feet and calling your dog off to return to your (moving) position.

___ 10. Training your dog to hold sheep in a designated graze for 5 minutes.

___ 11. Keeping a large flock of sheep on a narrow road (side flanking).

___ 12. Gate-sorting sheep.

___ 13. Reading and reacting to sheep (for you and for your dog).

___ 14. Teaching a dog to have useful, uncommanded default behaviors around the sheep.

___ 15. Positioning yourself around a flock of sheep to help your dog be more successful.

___ 16. Other: ________________________________________________________________

My Dog’s Training Level (describe): _____________________________________________

*Each dog will have a minimum of 3 separate, supervised training sessions on livestock.

*One training session will be for humans to herd livestock on a Ranch Course without your dogs.

* With Carolyn’s permission, some people/dogs will be able to practice on obstacles elsewhere on the farm and not under Carolyn’s direct supervision during this clinic.

Note: No lunch or beverages will be served; please bring your own.