Getting sheep shape at Pyramid Farm
The vineyards at Pyramid Farm in Marlborough’s Avon Valley have never been run of the mill, with plantings that follow the natural contours of the land, 250 metres above sea level.
We talked about the pup, its upbringing and experiences and everything she had done to encourage it to 'start' on sheep. She appeared to have done nothing wrong, and the pup had been given several good opportunities.
I wasn't in the slightest bit concerned; the pup was only five months old. I told her to be patient, and get back to me in a couple of months if there was still a problem. Funnily enough she rang the next day – sheep were no longer invisible.
I'm often asked about this; people get anxious if a pup isn't eyeing, or barking noisily, at everything that moves by the time it is six months old. It is quite common for a pup to just want to be a pup, and be more interested in play and exploration, rather than chasing animals of other species.
And if you think about it, Mother Nature wants to protect her young animals, be it in the wilderness or on a farm. At that age a pup has no chance if faced with elk or cattle, so for their own preservation some don't have the desire to chase larger animals.
Or maybe when a pup first chased something, such as a cat or chicken, it was growled at; or it may have had a fright at an early age by something big and intimidating.
A lot of pups are overwhelmed by noise; shouting, whistling, barking, mobs of sheep and cattle, and the tension of a working situation.
Often the pup's handler has unreasonable expectations or a gruff surly manner that is discouraging, so look at yourself first.
Consider the pup's age, its upbringing, experiences and opportunities (good and bad) and be prepared to wait a while. Some of the best dogs have been late starters.
But how long do you wait? If you are not the problem and the pup has had a perfect upbringing with many golden opportunities, when do you draw the line?
I would wait 10–12 months and in that time I will have tried every trick in the book, and some. (More about this next month). It is important to space each attempt as it avoids getting frustrated on your part and possibly taking it out on the undeserving pup. There is no point trying everything you know when the pup just isn't ready to start – remember, you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
Two or three times a month I'll give pups a safe and inviting opportunity, in a non-work situation, in the sheepyards, on four to six hand-picked sheep that have been pre worked with an older dog. I will have removed any stroppy or flighty escapees; the last thing I want is for a pup to get frightened or injured. If the pup shows no interest after 10 minutes we calmly walk away and try again another day.
If you have tried all the tricks, kept calm, done nothing wrong and your pup still shows no inclination whatsoever towards stock, I'd give it to someone else to try for a couple of weeks. It is important to choose your person wisely; they need to be a calm and capable person with a dog.
Often a complete change of scenery and a totally different person is all it takes.
• Anna Holland teaches people dog training. For more information www.annaholland.co.nz
