Herding Clinic

Here are my thoughts about the day:

• Today was not that great of a day to be out herding sheep. It was either raining hard or misty and not that warm. It reminded me of Scotland not Ontario, which I guess is appropriate. Notice the fog in the last two pictures below.
• Spice did alright for his first time with sheep. He was a bit uncertain of what these large things were and tried ignoring them. Didn't even seem to care that there was a border collie helping out. Sometimes I wonder which dogs might upset him. During an agility class Spice and a BC would stare at each other and then growl, but apparently this one today was okay. Spice started getting excited and running around, barking and making the sheep move at the end of the session. The second session in the afternoon went better. He even started to work the sheep a bit. He knew he was suppose to do something with them and could make them move. Now he just needs someone to explain it to him, classes perhaps.
• Angel surprised me. I pictured her telling the sheep what to do, just like she tells Spice (and even Crystal, her grandmother) that she thirsty and wants in the water bowl. She was scared of the sheep at first, even to the point of going to stand by Sue (one of the instructors) who she doesn't know that well but felt safe near. I think that people thought that was rather cute. Lots of interesting smells (Spice was also checking things out) and better to be checking these smells out than getting near those sheep. At the end of her first session she was a bit more accustomed to the sheep. The second session went better. She was no longer as afraid of the sheep - nose to nose with some of them and wanting to smell them (and various other things in the pen). She didn't seem to know that she should/could be making the sheep move. I think that if I really want to do herding with her I will take her to some classes so she can gain some confidence and finally figure out that she has power over these sheep.