Displaying items by tag: dog training

Lambing is looming closer and if you have a young dog that isn’t showing much enthusiasm for sheep take advantage of the window of opportunity this season offers.

Two words I find invaluable when training dogs are “good dog”.

If someone is wondering whether to train or buy a trained dog, and asks for my advice, I would ask the following questions to help their decision.

Decades ago I went to a few dog training days and every man and his dog turned up; it was a great day out, usually ending with a barbeque and a few drinks.

Dog training is often a bone of contention. Is it better to train a dog on the job, or train it before ever taking it to work?

Often people are lost for words when they ring about a dog for sale, so here is a checklist I have compiled to help you before you set foot in the ute to drive off on a wild goose chase.

Remember this article next time you are buying a dog; it might save you a wasted trip or, worse, wasted money.

My dear old Jean was one of the best mustering dogs I ever saw.  She was black and tan with a longish silky coat, handy (only barking when necessary) unbelievably clever, easy to work and a growl from me was the only chastisement she ever received.

There is nothing worse than a dog ‘bolting’ after stock and once it has managed to give you the slip a couple of times it will look for more opportunities. 

I am often asked if I use ‘treats’ to train dogs. My answer is, very occasionally.