In order to demonstrate the perfect command that my friend had over the actions of his dog, even at a great distance, for it must have been over three-quarters of a mile, Mr. Moses made “Trim” execute a series of maneuvers, instructing the dog to drive the sheep round a telegraph post, in and out of two trees, take them back again to the original spot in which they were first located, and finally drive them straight up to within reach of his master’s stick. Each and every one of these evolutions was carried out with such skill, intelligence and obedience on the part of the dog that it seemed hard at first to realize that “Trim” was actually obeying implicitly his master’s command, and not just driving the sheep about for his own pleasure.
The maneuvering of sheep at a distance is a feature in sheepdog trials for which more points than are now granted should be given, as it demonstrates unmistakably the excellence of the training and also the actual utility of a dog for field work. Many dogs are under perfect control as long as they are within reach of their master’s stick, but cannot be relied upon implicitly when far away; such a dog is obviously improperly trained.
Patience and firmness are the keynotes of success in training a sheep dog, though everything relies, in the first instance, upon the suitability of the dog taken in hand, for good sheep dogs are born as well as made, and a well-bred puppy will have a natural instinct for the work, which will reveal itself at an early age.
In the next chapter will be found some useful hints on the training of the working sheep dog.
Training the Working Shepherd Dog
Certain technical terms are used in the following article which it may be well to explain for the benefit of those not familiar with the shepherd’s vocabulary.
1. The “run out” means that the dog is sent away to gather the sheep. “Running out” is the act of going for the sheep.
2. “Hauling” in its widest sense means the dog going out for his sheep, taking command of them and bringing them to the shepherd. In the narrower sense, however, the term is confined to the bringing in of the sheep by the dog.
3. “Shedding” means the dividing of a lot of sheep. Supposing, for example, a shepherd wishes to separate lambs from their mothers, the act of doing so by the dog is called “shedding.”
4. “Wearing” means keeping a sheep from going in the wrong direction. Supposing, for example, a sheep bolts up a wrong road, the dog is sent to turn it back. Turning back is the “wearing.”