We got back yesterday afternoon from a whirlwind, activity-filled 4 days down south. Lots of driving, thankfully I didn't have to do it!! Thanks Dave ♥!! Lots of rain on Saturday and Sunday, but Monday and Tuesday were nice. The biggest and most exciting event was taking Duffy to the No Chicken Ranch near Okotoks, for his Herding Instinct Certification test on Sunday. The wind was blowing fiercely, the rain fell off and on. Duffy was over the top excited--all the different smells, what was going on!!!??? The tester, Jerry, first told me to stay out of the pen and he would see how Duffy would do. Duffy stayed by the gate, trying to get back to Dave and I!! Okay, I had to go into the pen. Duffy sniffed around the fence, Jerry told me to call him. I did and then Duffy saw the sheep!! Whoo Hoo!! Then he got down to business!! I am so proud of him!!! He'd cut out a sheep and then regroup them, he changed directions really well, and he has great speed. He slipped in the mud once--poor guy, but got up and carried on. He was marked as 'a little distracted' and 'lacks power'. In herding terminology 'power' refers to the dog's self-confidence, the influence the dog's presence has on the stock. Those are things that will change with more experience. But I think he would like to run around with sheep everyday!!
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| Get her Duffy!! |
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| The official certificate!! Hooray for the Duffster!! |
4 comments:
Yeah for Duffy!! And was this a rotti person or someone who knows collies????? It's funny that they say he lacks power and that's where I wonder if they are not really keen on how collies work? Anyway, congratulations and I love the photo of the Rockies!! It reminds me of the property Pierre and I bought in the Okanogans. It is beautiful even it it isn't sunny.
Congratulations to Duffy and his team! Great shots - love #4. Looks like they could have put the Duffster to work at the Agrodome in NZ :)
I was hoping Jolene would comment, as she might know more about Jerry. I was in communication with him about the previous HIC test in April that was sponsered by the Aussie club, so he might be a general herding dog judge. Jolene doesn't read my blog anymore :((!!
Thanks Jane! We both had sheep related posts!!! Team Duffy--love it!!
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