TEACHING HANDLERS TO PEN

Red Oliver

There are many times in the course of almost every phase of training when in fact we are teaching ourselves how to pen and teaching our dogs the moves to pen. And there are a great number of variations to any exercise in teaching the art of penning. Here is what I do quite a bit, even with my best trained and most experienced dog, Roy.

Visualize with me, the situation at the pen with 5 flighty sheep: They have to see the opening; they have to be facing into the pen, or at least a leader does; two at least will be nervous and ready to break madly if we put the wrong pressure on them, and they are usually at opposite sides of the gate opening. So what is it you need to understand as you contemplate a high scoring pen? You must steady the sheep at least 30 yards from the pen. In coming to the pen and at the pen you must read the sheep and understand where the most critical spot around the sheep is and secondly, how to get your dog over there to do what is needed.

To practice these two elements I will take an older dog out into the open field and lay him down. I will stand about 5 ft from this dog and send my trainee to fetch the sheep and as they aproach I will slow them down, just like at a pen, and will have the dog bring them quietly and slowly. I will be standing no more than ten (10) feet from my post dog depending on the spookyness of the sheep (too far is worse than too close so start too close). As I stand there stiff, and still as a statue, with the sheep ten to fifteen ft away, I do a lot of looking and thinking, about how the "dog", by himself with no help from me is going to drive them betwen myself and the dog lying down. I move him, maybe I ask him to walk up, or get back or to move just an inch or so. Then when the sheep are turned in toward the gap, I quietly flank him around to the most critical spot. It is often no more than tucking one sheep's head in toward the gate opening. I keep this up, moving him to where I think he needs to be next, giving absolutely no physical assistance. If the sheep slip by I don't get upset, I simple turn 180 degrees and send my dog to do it over from the other side. If the sheep go through my practice gate I make certain that my dog follows the sheep through. This is often a short, but hectic training session unto itself, but it prepares the dog for the big test at the next trial. I never have to lose my temper or say a harsh word to my dog, because it is all positive and the dog loves it. This is one place where your dog will learn the small movements, because often he only needs to move an inch or so to better control the single renegade and he reads this as well as you do once you have pointed it out to him.

If you don't have another dog that will lie down while you are working a second dog then have a friend hold it or just go up to a straight fence and tie a dog, on a short lead to the other side of the fence, and make the opening a little smaller. The key is to not make the opening any wider than to be quite difficult, AND to gve no physical help. Success is not putting them through, or in you doing anything but thinking aad supervising. The important thing is, as I said before, for you to learn where your dog should be and how to get him there and what he should do once he is there. The importance of a dog there is that no matter how dog broke or how wild your sheep are they will feel pressure that pails (which also have a place in training) just do not have. Now if you want to train yourself to do what both you and your dog are doing then just put a couple pails out there and drive the sheep between them. The first few times take a staff or switch in both hands, next do it without the sticks, then put your hands in your hip pockets and you will for the first time realize why the dog has to be very exact in his movements and his timing. If you should have access to ducks they are the very best to teach you these things. Good luck and enjoy the (positive reinforcement) lessons with your dog.