In California, a mature dog trained like that is worth $7,000 -$10,000. A pup with a year's training, more to go, and showing promise-- is worth about $1500 or more.
I have a mature Aussie dog I rescued from a bad situation. She was not trained at all to do "anything" till I got her at 3 yrs old. I can clicker train my dog to do the basics, she's whip smart, but doesn't have that serious owner/dog bond that comes from training as a pup. Since I don't know how to train to herd, and don't have the time, I would have to purchase a trained dog, and as some have mentioned, go to classes, myself, to learn how to use the finely tuned tool I just bought. I wonder how in our state, people can actually pay that kind of money and make it pencil out? But I agree, watching well-trained herding dogs, and I have watched several, is amazing. -Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies. On Sat, Jul 7, 2012 at 1:21 PM, Nancy Johnson <imgr8a...@comcast.net> wrote: > I am very glad to hear you succeeded in your catch quest. I have a small > farm, only 22 sheep at the moment, they all know their names and come running > when I call, but after I catch the first one, the others are wise and won't > be caught. > > I feel compelled to tell you about a recent trip I took and what I learned. > I have just returned from a trip to Mary Swindell's farm in Illinois, where I > learned more in the two hours she spent with me, than I have learned on my > own since I got my first lamb in 2005. > > When it comes to catching lambs and sheep, I have been there and done that. > I have chased, roped, grabbed, jumped and dove to try and catch sheep. There > is a much less stressful way for both shepherd and sheep!!!! > > Please read the article Mary wrote in the BBSAI newsletter that just came > out. She explains how to get your sheep into a pen without a herding dog and > I know for a fact that this method will work if you work it. You need to > work it calmly and with patience. > > A herding dog can make your life as stress free as it could get with sheep. > I have attended the MD Sheep and Wool festival every May since 2007 and I > have been the American and Barbados Blackbelly breed exhibitor at the > festival for 3 years now and I have yet to attend a live herding > demonstration. At Mary's farm I witnessed what my life could be like with a > herding dog. Let me tell you, I was absolutely amazed at how Mary and Katie > (border collie) work together. Together, they rounded up Mary's some 20-25 > rams into a small area at one end of an existing large paddock and their > presence allowed Mary to show me her individual rams for some 10-15 minutes. > > Afterwards, we went to the nursing ewes and weaned lambs who were out in a > very large paddock. Together, within 3 minutes, they brought all of the > sheep into a smaller area for us to see and again, they hung in one section > of the area for Mary to show them to us. > > As soon as we got back into our truck, my husband said to me "so, when are we > getting a border collie"? It's a very good idea. I'm sure that I will need > lots of training, but my thoughts as I begin my breeding business, I will > definitely need a herding dog in the future!. Food for thought for even the > smallest farm. > > > On Jul 6, 2012, at 11:10 PM, atwoo...@aol.com wrote: > >> >> >> In a message dated 4/23/2012 3:03:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, >> blackbelly-requ...@lists.blackbellysheep.info writes: >> Can we trim horns? >> >> We just want to thank everyone who sent suggestions on how to trim our >> little weather's horns. We just finished the job recently due to trouble >> catching him. We tried initially to snag him alone in the shed, but he >> bounded >> through the gate and was gone for another 3 weeks LOL. We bought a kibble >> concoction used by 4-H-er's to calm show sheep (has magnesium in it) and fed >> that 3 days prior to our next attempt. We got all of them in the shed >> this time, caught the one to be doctored and let the others out. At least >> that >> was the plan...one of the healthy other two bolted out but the last one >> refused, showing me his determination to protect his brother. Once >> satisfied >> we weren't hurting him, the last one went out also. So our little guy got >> pinned down, a blinder cloth over the eyes, a thorough hand de-shedding >> and brushing, and the small girth horns trimmed easily with branch cutters >> without bleeding. Our little guy is eating again, putting on weight and very >> happy with himself. Again, thanks for all the help! >> >> The Atwoods, >> Placerville, CA >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list >> Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
