Herding Instinct Test - Page 1

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by sunshine on 15 November 2004 - 00:11

I just returned with my dogs from a wonderful experience. They were tested today for their herding instinct. We were a group with 17 GSDs (including AmLines and German lines). Well it was an eye opener. Blitzen you will be happy to learn that the AmLines did great. The tester even said the best herding dog that works with her is a GSD AmLine. Only one AmLine did not pass but she had an ear infection and just was not right. My dogs say three cheers to sheep! To watch our breed do what comes to them so naturally is quite an experience. What a versatile breed we have! My dogs both passed and received a certificate from the AHBA. If there is anyone on the board that has also done this, please share your experience. I certainly am going to pursue herding. AKC apparently has a very good titling program in herding. Sunny

by Het on 15 November 2004 - 00:11

I have been working with my dogs now for 6 months, we have a blast, they love the work and so do I. I have just tested my young 5 month old and she thought it was an afernoon of chase down your food for dinner, but she is young and better to see this then no interest at all. I have two dogs that i am working now and there are shows here in this area and soon she will be putting on the HGH for those of us that have the Germand dogs and want to do that.(well anyone can do it but it was for us that need it, as to why she has opened it up on her place. ) I am in TX and will go get the link for her site. Heather

by Het on 15 November 2004 - 00:11

http://www.endgateranch.com/index.html here is the link.

by sunshine on 15 November 2004 - 01:11

Thanks Het! We are moving to TX next year. See you at the ranch!

by Het on 15 November 2004 - 01:11

oh that is so cool...you will have to email me when you get here and we can meet up.

by DKiah on 15 November 2004 - 01:11

I did a herding instinct test with the border collie people many years ago and my AKC competition dog ..... it was great fun, although I am a bit spastic when I have sheep running at me and the pen is all muddy!! Once again handling is sooo important... but the old man was awesome, I was not at all sure of how he would react!! Hubert Bailey, a big name in bc's and herding, was the evaluator and his comments were "yup, he's got it alright!" At the time, was working on obedience and agility... so we never got any further... would love to try it with my retired SchH3 girl who is doing agility... maybe just maybe we will... she, since her retirement has become a certified therapy dog, so why not herding too?? She loves to do anything that involves speed.....

by sunshine on 15 November 2004 - 02:11

DKiah, I hope you do it with your retired SchH3. What I really liked about the people we tested under, was that they just wanted to know if the dogs had exposure to bite-work because of the paddle they used. It was evident they liked dogs out of the SchH sport because of the tested temperament. I told them about having worked my dogs on the sleeve but this did not bother them in the least. Seems to me an overall very knowledgeable group of people testing or into herding. Interesting too was that my dogs worked so differently. My bitch who is 6 years old and has very strong prey and hunting drive, kept a nice distance from the sheep while collecting them and driving them (and this was especially prized as an extremely good natural technique for competition). The male who is so extremely confident worked much closer, faster, although he is so much bigger. I think the two dogs never had so much fun!

by Blitzen on 15 November 2004 - 03:11

That is great to hear, Sunny, I just love seeing a dog do it's intended job. Great to hear that the imports and the Am lines both do so well. I was told the same thing about an Am lines bitch, that she is the best many have ever seen. This came from a smoothie collie trialeer, so no specific interest in the breed, she knew of my interest and passed it along after attending a trail and wathcing this bitch perform. Maybe more GSD's of both persuasions would do well if given a chance? A friend's parents have 2 GSD's from Ulf Kintzel, White Clover Sheep Farm in NJ, and they are doing just great. They trial them in the HGH trials, I believe Ulf trains and handles them and is their breeder too. I assume most on this list know Kintzel. I've read several of his articles on the internet and thought his "Herding Dogs and the Golden Middle" was especially interesting. If interested, you can access this article at http://www.workingdog.com/ulfgolden.htm. I'm not 100% sure, but I think his dogs are showlines for the most part.

by DKiah on 15 November 2004 - 03:11

If I can get her away from my husband and the agility field, I may try it.... there is a pretty well known person out near us.... I talked to him a few years ago and really liked him... I too was surprised at my males interest, he was very confident and not that he wasn't a confident dog(had so much heart!!) but in obedience and agility, he didn't like to be wrong (bad training on my part.. I learned to be better) whereas on the field with the woolies he was running his own program ... I actually enjoyed seeing him be pushy!! My husbands agility dog (the 2004 GSDCA National Agility Victor - sorry, can't stop bragging!) had a blast also and of course was quite grippy... that would have had to be fixed if they were to continue... they do enjoy it though....

by sunshine on 15 November 2004 - 03:11

Wow Dkiah! Congratulations. What a tremendous achievement. Must be an unbelievable dog and handler! Blitzen, have heard of Kintzel. Have to go visit him before we leave the E. Coast. Thanks for the article. . . Sunny





 


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