Happy New Year bloggers!

So it's a new year, time for some resolutions and to reflect on the highs and lows of the past year.


Without doubt I've made several mistakes over the last year but in the spirit of optimism I'm going to focus on the things that went really well:


1. Sheep balls- this is probably the best discovery of the year for me. Over the year I attended several Border Collie related courses at Learning About Dogs, where amongst many other things I learnt about a game by Kay Lawrence called sheep balls. This game aims to work with the breed's instinct FAP responses to triggers (uncontrolled movement) and shape them into a controlled exercise. My working sheepdog, Dash LOVES this game and with it (as well as actually sheep assessments) has proven, as suspected to be a very enthusiastic and strong worker- right down to his "yellow", golden eyes. I've now got flanking (right and left), walk on, outrun, stop, back off and a chase recall on verbal and visual cues. He's more relaxed around traffic and "urban triggers" having played sheepballs and catered to his instincts, which leaves me space to work further on the desensitization I did when he was younger with additional habituation work. Sheep balls works as a fantastic foundation and advanced base for herding with "livestock"- I'm determined to get him some indian runner drakes to work with when I can :)


We've been introducing the game to the collie folk at FDA too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiNrzkCy_4w&


2. BAT- this goes without saying! Now the owner of several Grisha Stewart books and working on BAT particularly with Khuma and FDA dogs in "real life setups". Just brilliant!


http://functionalrewards.com/


3. Tracking- the barbie collie and I are still fairly new to this but loving it! Lots more to come!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fgYj63NkYU


4. Parking- LADs style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ealapRYpMQ&




New Years resolutions:


1. Work on more BAT with Khuma (systematic programme for development and success).
2. Continue fun tracking with Khuma
3. More sheepballs work with Dash
4. Parking/habituation/ BAT work with Dash.
5. Get Dash more comfortable with getting in and out of my car and settling in there.


6. HAVE FUN with my dogs :)


That's all for now folks :)