Getting re-aquainted with Jet and Ted on sheep

I went to Leanne Huber's today to work Jet and Ted, and of course Ben came for the ride. I feel like I am getting re-aquainted with both dogs now that I am working them more consistently. They have both aged a little and are a bit different than the dogs I remember. Calvin Jones told me I need to work the dogs I have *today, and let go of the past and old memories. Of course this makes sense, but when I work them it is hard to do. Today I felt like I made that breakthrough and worked the dogs more in the moment.  They are both 6 (Jet turns 6 this week) and have a few years of trialing ahead of them still... and Ben is the rookie who will be my next generation. I am so excited!

I have no working pics of the dogs, but took a few when we were done. Following Calvin Jones' advice, I worked Jet first. She was just wonderful - again! She is getting so easy to handle and is trying so hard to work with me - you could blow me over with a feather. Her outruns are very honest and there is no cutting in like when she was a hot-headed youngster. She stops, she drives, she takes every flank... and I feel so relaxed with her.

She really is a gift, in herding and in tracking - I have never had such a brilliant dog. By the time I finish working Jet, I am tuned up and ready for Ted. I just pray I can practice enough to trial this dog and keep a head on my shoulders, and even move up to Pro Novice. It is truly a testament to Scott Glen's training that she remembers everything so clearly. Now I really need to learn to whistle, seriously. I am motivated!

Jet watches a little while Leanne works her boy

Ted's big thing is that he is so keen to work and he is a powerhouse with his size and speed. I need to be fast to handle him, and ask for a stop before I need it, or he overuns four steps - and those steps push the sheep too far off my line. Ted is pushy! He wants to come on fast, and works fast. He is a joy, really, because he wants so badly to do everything so it's just a matter of slowing those Teddy feet down. He is such an athletic dog - and today he had very nice turn-offs on his flanks - and I love to see how he runs. Somehow his body language is much more exaggerated than Jet's. She just looks like a snake in the grass most of the time as she runs very low and flat.

Ted soaks and watches the next dog work.

Thanks so much to Leanne for letting us come work her sheep and for the handling tips. It is such a great opportunity to practice.

Leanne with her 14 year old boy Jake, who adores her.

Ben came out of the car to meet a couple of young cowboys who were going to deliver a mule to Leanne's. Yes, in Alberta you call people cowboys - it is what they are and it's an everyday term. Ben schmoozed them up.

Then, Ben watched sheep. I opened the gate for a minute to get this picture - he could not take his eyes off the sheep in the distance. That is Leanne and her dog Rick, with one of the young cowboys watching them work.

Ben says, if he wasn't on that dumb leash he could have helped!

More sheep watching by little Ben...

I held him up so he could see better. Such a serious little face! He is getting more and more like Jet, his Mama, in personality. But those are definitely Teddy's huge ears, hahahahaha!