Line work and Schutzhund musings

I am fascinated by the work I've been doing with Jet and Ted, AND Caden, for the last couple of days. It is hard to describe, but is basically line work letting them know I am indeed the pack leader. Yah, I know. It's embarrassing to admit publicly that I need to work on this, but a good reminder to everyone that we all lose grip on our roles if we are not vigilant all the time, with all of our dogs, no matter how wonderful they are.

Baby Jet just turned five. Hard to believe! Don't be fooled by that innocence, LOL. Even as a puppy she was figuring out how to get what she wanted. Check out the photo below...

Below is a picture of baby Jet with my boy Thorn. Notice who has the toys...

I am using a little line and nothing else. It is kind of a variation on lunge lining, but not really as you never really do the turn and run or lunging I remember from my old obedience days in the 70s and 80s. It is super-effective. The goal is to set things up such that I am clearly in charge and I can walk the dogs offlead, minding me, wherever. I know, it's a basic. I admit, I am a softie with my dogs. This all has to be in order before we can really get back on the field with the sheep. Poor Jet is all a-quiver when she senses sheep nearby. She is a hothead, so we can't let her lose her mind before we even get near them. And Ted just needs to reign in his happy feet, and get his brain in gear with his legs (as Scott Glen put it to me).

Big brother Ted runs with baby Caden (back in Thunder Bay). Both are intact, and are now 5 and 2, and get along so well. Caden is bigger than Ted now. They still play ball and hang out.

Needless to say, this is amazing work to do with Caden. I have a horrible time getting from my car to the field with him at Schutzhund training. I have been working him on this little line with no food, no toy, no tug, no pinch, no choke, nothing. Yesterday I walked him for 30 minutes on his little line and mostly in silence. He was all ears up trying to please me. I had that giddy floating feeling you get when you know you are onto something. Today showed it was no accident. Again, he is pacing himself beside me and not even forging. I believe that removing the conflict makes the difference. I always feel like I am fighting with Caden and I get very worn out by it. He has so much drive, he doesn't need lures or toys. He is very smart and really wants to please me. I am thrilled with this work. I love when things come together like this. And I find it so interesting when I learn crossover training - herding stuff that will help Schutzhund work!

Jet, the dog who usually thinks I am an idiot, now thinks I am the meanest owner ever. She is giving me the hairy eyeball and goes into hiding in the house. When I call her she creeps up wagging and smiling at me, but I know in her heart she is thinking she's losing her grip on dominance, poor thing. She's doing fantastic in her walking though and is, as always, such a bright little dog.

Ted just loves me more. I can do anything with Teddy. He tries so hard and is a very, very honest boy.

River is just looking on and going for normal walks. She says she is ten years old and she can damn well do what she wants. And she is co-pack leader with me, as far as she is concerned. Below is another photo of the dogs back in my sheep field in Thunder Bay. I didn't blog a lot of Caden's baby pics, so thought I'd post a few here.