Shape...when working livestock a person gets alot of clues on how their dog is covering the heads of the sheep in a flock by the general shape of flock ie) wide..the dog is more or less following and allowing the sheep to spread out...with the dog not covering the eye/heads of the ones on the outside edges. Perhaps more ideally a tear drop shape with the leaders infront and the dog tucking the rest of the heads in.
The off days with my pushy dog that tear drop looks like a 'V' with the center pushed in when we start a lesson...
The other day with severe storm warnings I wanted to move my flock across the highway to a permanent fence / shelter to be on the safe side. Was easier to hold them and cross the road going over than it was on the return back home due to a big blind spot for viewing traffic and timing the best time to cross. Didnt help that I had a 2 day old lamb/new mom that hadnt been worked by a dog ( on the defence and not keeping up with the rest because she was on the fight from the get go) My leaders tend to be like a horse that decides to take the bit between their teeth and take off running....tunnel vision on the new grass. Quade got his work out holding /settling sheep to one spot and from a distance nudging the new moms to join the rest of the flock.
Not pretty but got the job done...would help if my voice doesnt change as we still have the feeding off each other in some situations...my voice comes up and the dog think's there is something 'more' to worry about...which results in pushing harder. With crossing the highway with no spotters I had to get it right the first time to avoid causing an accident...my dog feeds off of 'me' in spades...something I have to always keep in mind.
Having a dog that 'feels' his stock and a person can trust will cover his stock with no fences....like the commercial ....'priceless'.
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