Ain't this the cutest puppy ya ever saw!?

Can anyone guess who this is?? I have like a gazillion pics of Chris as a puppy. She was just so darned cute, I couldn't keep a camera off her. Alas, they are all on the other computer, and I am just not quite computer savvy enough yet to figure out how to get them from there to here. (my lap top)
I did however, manage to get a couple of them sent over and so thought Id share. These were taken when she was about 10 weeks old. Her B-Day is December 24th she is a Christmas eve baby. Any wonder why her name is Chris? I struggled to find a name that would signify the special night in which she was born, and she came close to being: Noel, Crist, Crista, Holly, Star, and Navida. (the latter being Christmas in Spanish) I liked Crist, but it just didn't roll off my tongue very well, and so it just got shortened to Chris. Not much of a Christmasy name, but she wears it well. Nothing much more to add, anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows how I feel about this little dog. I adored her the first time I set eyes on her at 5 weeks, fell in love with her when she was offered to me at 9 weeks, and the love affair continues today

Whistles

I started Chris tonight on whistles. I am, under no uncertain terms, nothing less than amazed and impressed. I started off with a simple stop whistle. After asking her to walk up on the sheep, I then asked her to lie down, and gave her the whistle. I only did this two times, left out the verbal and just gave the whistle the third time just to see if she was listening and if perhaps she would at least hesitate. Imagine my surprise when she dropped right into a down just as I gave the stop whistle. I thought, OK a fluke? We'll try again. Asked her to walk up, also giving what I want to be a walk up whistle, but not really pushing that, and then gave the stop whistle. Again, immediate stop. Hmmmmm. Interesting. OK lets take it a step further, because she seems to be enjoying this new learning experience. I gave a walk up whistle, and sure enough, she started to walk up. I let her walk up on the sheep about 20 feet and gave the stop. Boom, she hit the ground. Cool! We did a little more work, and I tried the stop while she was in more motion, and had to whistle and then ask and then whistle again, but she is getting it. Cant ask to much all at once. I was happy just to get a stop. Even if it was at the moment while she is moving slow. Its a start! On another note. I have been working Chris every night now for almost two weeks,(I'm loving this cool weather!) and I have to say that she is finally starting to engage her brain "before" we get to the pasture gate, instead of getting all stupid and going in there acting like she'll just die if she doesn't get to the sheep. This has been a hard one for her to manage in the past, and she has really improved. Transformations in Chris over the last 6 months have been monumental, and I just love working with this Little dog. Everyday we get more and more in tune with each other and the journey has been nothing short of inspiring and gratifying.
Going to have to find another whistle though. I'm using a Montana light, and I like the sound and range it allows me, but after using it more than I ever have at a stretch, my mouth is a bit sore. Id thought it was a relatively small whistle as whistles go, and already tossed a half moon because it was to big. So I'm looking into the Baby Blaster. I found one for 22.00 dollars on a UK site, as opposed to the 40 dollar ones I found on USA sites and even with shipping it will only come to 26 bucks, but it says it has a flute like sound. Not sure Id like that. But, I spect I'll probably have a small investment in whistles till I find the right one.

My LOL Panels

 

See that little black and white dot behind the sheep, creeping up and pushing the sheep through my newly build (shabbily built) home made panels? That would be my Chris, getting the hang of things. Its hard to get decent working pics of Chris, especially, when I'm the one holding the camera. But, that's neither here nor there. I didn't build them to take great pics. I "thought" Id built them to help the dogs, when in fact, I do believe they have had a two fold effect. Firstly, the dogs, Chris in particular, is leaning to slow things down and learning to read her sheep better. By understanding that they all need to go between the panels, she is having to read her sheep more and better to get the task done right. Me, it is teaching to stop watching the dog so much, and start watching the stock. In the past, Ive felt it imperative to keep both eyes firmly planted on Chris, as she would, if you blinked, tear into the closest sheep and rip chunks of flesh. As her fear has subsided to an almost non existent degree, we are both able to relax and concentrate on working instead of me having to constantly stay on guard to protect the sheep. This transformation has been the most rewarding and joyful experience for both of us. Ive always known that under her fears lay a pretty nice little dog, and much to my/our pleasure she is proving that theory to be true. Alas, old habits die hard, and I'm glad that I put the panels out, because not only is it helping the dog, but it is reminding me,( more like a blasting wake up call) that I need to watch my stock in order to help my dog be correct. The wasps have been uninvited from the shed, not that they went willingly, but, they went non the less, and we are now clear to go in and gather the rest of the lumber to finish building the rest of the panels. I may even have enough to build a pen! Hank however, is coming up quickly, and learning the manners he needs to succeed to the next levels of his training and my time and lumber would probably be best spent in fixing the round pen so we have a place to start working with him in the next month or so. We'll just have to see how it goes. But for now, I am pleased as punch that I have finally gotten off my duff and started to form a plan of action for the dogs as I have finally begun to see that we just may after all begin to become successful.

Todays photo diva's

 

 

 

 

Just a few pics of the pups today