The Practical Shepherding Online Bundle

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Consists of all the chapters as follows:

Practical Shepherding Online – Systematic Guide To Sheepdog training: Duration 1H 21M

Trailer – Introduction-Choosing a Pup –  Basic Obedience – Whistle Training  – Gripping and Confidence – The Round Pen – Training in an Open Field – Extending the Outrun – Flockwork – Epilogue

 

Practical Shepherding Online – The Perfect Partnership: Duration 2H 56M

Trailer  – Clicker Training – Training at Mealtimes – Lead and Collar Training – Kennel and Crate Training – Achieving Perfect recalls – Stand & Downs – The First Time On Sheep Parts one and Two – The Beginning of a New Chapter

Introduction

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Practical Shepherding provides comprehensive guidance on selecting and training a sheepdog for farm work and sheepdog trials. Nij demonstrates many techniques and methods which have proven so successful in building strong foundations and trust with his dogs.

There are clear diagrams, guidance notes and tips to make it easy to follow and apply the methods. There is also an accompanying booklet providing further notes and clarification of the points contained in each chapter. It is ideal for both newcomers training their first dogs and experienced handlers who are experiencing problems.

The chapters follow Todd and Mist over 18 months; from birth, their first time with sheep, and culminating in working on a sixty-acre park with a large flock. Whilst Mist lacks confidence early on, Todd is more feisty and challenging. The subject of gripping sheep, amongst many others, is discussed at length. There is something here for everyone.

Training a sheepdog is like any sport, there are many highs and lows. There is a need for commitment, self-belief and belief in the young pup. Above all, the handler must have confidence and calmness and retain hope when there appears to be none. Training a dog is about trusting the eye, being prepared to move and, when the time is right, offering guidance and support. Above all, there must be a celebration of success and a willingness to remember that it is natural for young pups to make mistakes.

Duration: 3:26 secs

 
 

Epilogue

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The journey from puppyhood to young adult is filled with excitement and adventures, mistakes and mishaps. If all was perfect, life would be very boring indeed. Sometimes the very elements which cause the greatest anguish can lead to our greatest successes.

Flockwork

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Flockwork offers perhaps the greatest opportunities for progressing and gives meaning to a dog about the different elements they have been taught.

Extending the Outrun

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Extending a dog’s outrun can offer many new and exciting opportunities for young dogs to develop their understanding. Sometimes testing a young dog can reveal their true potential.

Training in an Open Field

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The transition from working in the round pen to an open field can offer new challenges which consolidate early training and broaden your dogs experience.

The Round Pen

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When introducing your dog to sheep, there are many important exercises you can undertake inside and outside of the round pen. Training for flanking, stopping your dog and teaching whistle commands begins here. “The Pressure on/off” technique and the “Reverse Square Flank” offer new alternatives to all trainers.

Most of my fine-tuning for trials with my older dogs takes place around the Round Pen, as it’s so much easier to recreate problems and to quickly address them. There is also a health benefit to the Round Pen when working with dogs that are coming back from injury. Dogs can be run evenly between the sides so that the impact on their muscle groups is evenly spread. One of my favourite uses of the Round Pen is to practice driving both inside and outside.

If you have sheep both inside and outside the pen, and you are working from a distance, dogs of all ages can get very confused as to the commands you are giving and this can help to make the dogs more pliable.

Gripping and Confidence

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This video addresses the causes and solutions for gripping, which is a very common problem in young dogs.

Whistle Commands

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Is a whistle really necessary? This video explains what sort of whistle to buy, why it’s needed, when to use it and how.

Basic Obedience

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The first steps in training your dog. Basic obedience is a crucial prerequisite to working with sheep – this is when trust is harnessed. Obedience training methods have progressed significantly and Nij demonstrates how simple and effective they can be.