Tell Me Thursday #7

1. What five things can't you live without?

1. Dogs
2. Sheep (for the dogs)
3. Money (to buy sheep for the dogs)
4. Food (for the dogs and sheep)
5. Music (for my peace of mind)

2. How do you transport your dogs? This question suggested by several peeps, including Mara.

I drive a 2000 Chevy Silverado. Not sure how many miles on it as the light for the odometer hasn't worked in years. It will hold 4 crates plus whatever else I need in the bed, plus I have a shell on it so nothing falls out. I don't transport the dogs this way however since the tailgate has to be manually locked and if I forget it will open. Found this out on the way to the dump with a full load. Shell window won't stay up either, so you have to hold it up manually. Won't lock either. Has only one screen on the windows as a goat ate it out years ago. It did transport my 3 new ewes all the way from Kentucky a month ago without problems. Of course they were stolen from my property last week so that was all for naught. The dogs ride in the back seat in the cab with me. Otherwise they can't get treats at drive thru places.

3. What role does obedience play in your training or running of your dog(s)?

I do need my dogs to be fairly obedient, but I will admit to being a bit lax in this area. They know when I mean it and when I don't. Seth has always been smarter than me and he knows way more so I've always been pretty obedient for him when he's working sheep or running in a trial.

4. At what point do you start putting commands on your dogs?

When I'm starting out and the dog is flanking fairly good both ways and will turn well when I change position, I will start to just say the flanking directions. I'm not asking them to do anything with them, but that way the words get in their heads and eventually they will come to associate those words with the way they are going. I've just started this with Crue and when my sheep got stolen I opened up the gate to put the chickens and guineas, which were outside of the pen, away. My remaining two ewe lambs were in the pen. I was giving Seth flanking commands to push the birds back into the pen. Crue was there so I lied him down to block the birds from going the wrong way. Well the birds disregarded Crue's authority and walked right by. So I was telling SETH to come bye and I guess Crue thought HE should be doing something so he ran into the pen to get the lambs out. I called him off and he was OBEDIENT and came right back to me. Good dog Crue. I guess I need to teach him what those flanking commands mean and also teach him to listen for HIS name when I give them.


5. Do you talk to strangers in elevators? Question posted by Laura

Geez...I haven't been in an elevator in years. I don't think they have buildings with them here in E TN..LOL But if I was in one I'm sure I would talk to someone riding with me.