A very cool video of Faansie doing a Sheepdog demonstration in South Africa. It is in Afrikaans but the dog work is well worth the view. Some neat brace work towards the end.
We love to watch relationships grow between dog and
handler as they learn to work together on livestock. Dog, handler, sheep, terrain... so many variables to consider with different challenges each time we step on to the field.
Whether it is a trial or just doing chores at home, stock dog work is a wonderful path to a confident dog. One of our favorite activities, we will be participating in 21 USBCHA trials this year as well as the occasional ASCA or AHBA trial. Make sure you stop by our Video page. We have a few movies of our dogs in training as well as some top handler runs at the Soldier Hollow Classic and the Meeker Classic. You can see some great runs!
We are pulling together a mixed farm flock ranging up to 40 head of sheep. We have Romney/Clun crosses, Katahdins, and will soon have North Country Cheviots as well. This allows us to select a set of sheep to meet the needs of your dog. Light, heavy, knee knockers... whatever will help your dog to learn. With a good sized round pen, a 300' x 200' paddock, and a few other fields allowing for excellent work at hand, we have a nice facility for working young and inexperienced field trial dogs. For the Pro-Nov or Open dog... Plenty of room to work at hand.
Ursula provides private and group lessons helping both you and your dog understand the concepts of good stock work and well as respect for the sheep. Working with your dogs instincts you will learn how best to communicate to your dog by applying and releasing pressure as the situation requires. Helping your dog be right and correcting your dog when they are wrong, we are hoping to bring out and develop your dog's natural tendencies and inclinations. Classes and group lessons are listed on our schedule. Let us know if you are planning on attending.
When possible, we hope to bring top handlers and trainers to our farm to extend training opportunities. We have recently completed a very successful clinic with Norman Close. Norm was the 2005 Canadian National Champion and took 5th place in the 2006 U.S. National Finals. He has a wonderful way with young dogs and has a strong understanding of how to enhance and improve dogs and handlers. We will be inviting Norm back very soon.
We are also fortunate to have Faansie Basson coming this year. Faansie has a resume that is too long to list here but briefly he has won the South African National Championships on numerous ocassions, judged our 2009 National Finals, has been invited and placed well at the Soldier Hollow Classic the past 4 years as well as the Meeker Classic. Faansie breeds and trains his own dogs. You can get more information about Faansie at his website... Sign up while we still have room!
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