Post by bkeepr on Aug 27, 2010 16:13:55 GMT -6
I was hunting around in the internet for a herding instructor for Pearl. I want to see how many jobs I can get her to do, and how well she can do each job. I want to see just how good of a homestead type all-purpose dog a Lacy can be.
Well, I found a great man to teach her herding, maybe he will come to ELF and look at all the dogs, he is very curious about them. He trains all breeds but owns border collies, and has a litter of 2 year old sisters, all very sweet, nice and talented. He is as gentle as he needs to be with the dogs and his manner reminds me of the wonderful Bob Vest. Pearl had a very good first lesson, we did not even have to go into a round pen. Additional classes will show if she has good instincts and bidability but we both think she will, plus she is only a year old. Hank Gallop, the instructor had never heard of a Lacy and thought they were some strain of Aussie or some Texas Heeler thing. So when I showed up with a little bitty short haired rat tailed hound that growled at the sheep he hid his surprise. He was further surprised by her staying off of them, not biting and after the initial barking she was silent. We shall see! Just have to keep in mind that she is so young.
His opinion of frisbee dog competitions: Don't let your dog jump higher than your knees until they are 2 years old (a hard thing to stop with a Lacy!) and all those high jumps are very, very hard on a dog's hips. He has stopped selling BCs to frisbee dog people and points out that he has 9 year old dogs that herd as good as ever but you never see a 9 year old frisbee dog still competing.
Well, I found a great man to teach her herding, maybe he will come to ELF and look at all the dogs, he is very curious about them. He trains all breeds but owns border collies, and has a litter of 2 year old sisters, all very sweet, nice and talented. He is as gentle as he needs to be with the dogs and his manner reminds me of the wonderful Bob Vest. Pearl had a very good first lesson, we did not even have to go into a round pen. Additional classes will show if she has good instincts and bidability but we both think she will, plus she is only a year old. Hank Gallop, the instructor had never heard of a Lacy and thought they were some strain of Aussie or some Texas Heeler thing. So when I showed up with a little bitty short haired rat tailed hound that growled at the sheep he hid his surprise. He was further surprised by her staying off of them, not biting and after the initial barking she was silent. We shall see! Just have to keep in mind that she is so young.
His opinion of frisbee dog competitions: Don't let your dog jump higher than your knees until they are 2 years old (a hard thing to stop with a Lacy!) and all those high jumps are very, very hard on a dog's hips. He has stopped selling BCs to frisbee dog people and points out that he has 9 year old dogs that herd as good as ever but you never see a 9 year old frisbee dog still competing.
