I'm always trying to find out more about my dogs, and herding dog behavior, and what non-herding temperament traits to look for clues.
Took Pow out to work the tending for practice this am - makes the sheep rather happy to get to forage. Because of all the rain, one long side was flooded, 1/2 the graze was ankle deep in water, and parts of the other long side were flooded. Pow didn't care. If that was where he was supposed to be, he was there. As was Brick, flashing through the water and over sheltie high plants with gusto. I'll take the rest of the crew out in groups, get the chance to work them in the wet and see what they are made of. I'm sure the combo of high weeds and deep water makes for tough seeing and tough going for them!
Note: Whiskey is fine in the water - she does not take it as fun, but she doesn't mind dealing with it if she has a job to do.
The other thing I've been doing was out of curiousity and attempt to get some of them in better condition, I've been running one dog on the outside of the arena while I herd with another for an hour - or a client. Good distraction for the dog working. Brick, Pow, Jack and Nova will all work the fence for an hour silently, working the sheep from the outside, but on their feet and attentive the whole time. I want to test Whiskey and Kestrel to see what they'll do - they may be different in that situation.
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I'm interested in working Duncan in the rain one of these days. He's such a baby about getting wet, but I'm thinking the sheep might be enough of a distraction. Not sure if His Prissiness could handle tall wet grass, though.
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