Marionvale Working Dogs

Marionvale Working Dogs Simon Leaning-Marionvale Working dogs is a working sheepdog trainer getting the best out of your dog.

Simon Leaning of Marionvale Working Dogs is a breeder and trainer of quality working sheepdogs border collies and kelpies. Simon travels internationally conducting seminars and clinics on training working dogs and has a gift for getting the best out of dogs and handlers alike. Simon has conducted clinics for all breeds of working stock dogs throughout the US Canada and Europe. We can provide working dog training here at Marionvale, take in dogs for training, or provide on farm training clinics.

31/12/2024

Saturday class is gone unfortunately. Snapped up. I only have weekday evening classes available. 13th and 15th Jan.

Kippers first try can an obstacle. Understanding the job
31/12/2024

Kippers first try can an obstacle. Understanding the job

Yarrabee Jack
29/12/2024

Yarrabee Jack

29/12/2024

I will be offering one on one private sheepdog and behavioural lessons only for the short term. Limited places are available. Pm for details.

Merry Christmas everyone. It really has been an amazing year with plenty of ups and downs, setbacks and celebrations. Se...
25/12/2024

Merry Christmas everyone. It really has been an amazing year with plenty of ups and downs, setbacks and celebrations. Seeing the Marionvale team do so well has obviously been a highlight for me. My team Marionvale Di, Marionvale Woody, Marionvale Andy, Yarrabee Jack and Marionvale Pete were all Outstanding through the season doing incredible things and making me look good.
We sadly Lost Marionvale Chip this year. Chip was the reigning State Utility Champion, my go to dog and my best mate, gone too young and he is sadly missed.
I’m excited to see how my new pups develop, Chopper the movie star, Kipper the prodigy, and a couple of exciting newbies.
The Marionvale team of students and dogs were amazing with outstanding trial results and huge contributors to the trialling community. I’m very proud of that.
I head East again in January to represent WA in the Australian Dog of the Year championships and compete in the commonwealth championship and Australian championship trials. I will commence lessons again when I get back.
A new year, new season and hopefully more new students stepping over the threshold.
To My friends their family’s here in Australia and all over the sheepdog world here’s to an amazing 2025.

Hot hard work being a puppy. Kipper and Gin.
03/12/2024

Hot hard work being a puppy. Kipper and Gin.

03/12/2024

Border Collie Pup Kipper, not quite six months old, extended his outrun to help the big dogs. Lucky I caught it on video. This pup needs a cape. 😳 Definitely been here before!

02/12/2024

Nice short lesson with Border collie pup Kipper. Kipper is approaching 6 months of age and is a promising talented pup. Here I demonstrate a nice lesson on his development, introducing on balance stops, wait to send, shape, off balance flanks and how I continue to challenge him.

29/11/2024

Border collie pups Kipper and Gin had a run on a few more sheep. Confidence building for Gin with kipper deciding they needed a move along 😳

Interesting visitor to sheepdog training this morning 😳
27/11/2024

Interesting visitor to sheepdog training this morning 😳

Finishing the trialling year off on a high, Marionvale Di won the open at the annual Margaret River Trial. Di was the on...
25/11/2024

Finishing the trialling year off on a high, Marionvale Di won the open at the annual Margaret River Trial. Di was the only dog to manage to pen in the open scoring 92/100. Marionvale Woody and Yarrabbee Jack placed 3rd and 4th respectively.

https://youtu.be/qddd8MsBvdQ?si=GQAbQ60usltWh1K2Marionvale Di finished her amazing year with a win in the open at the Ma...
24/11/2024

https://youtu.be/qddd8MsBvdQ?si=GQAbQ60usltWh1K2

Marionvale Di finished her amazing year with a win in the open at the Margaret River Trial. The picturesque ground is tricky with an up hill cast and a dip in the middle that caused some dogs to lose sight of their sheep. The Ultra white sheep were nice around the ground if you stayed off them but could run and crash fences if upset. Di was exceptional in quieting the big shedding sheep and walking them
Beautifully around the ground. She was the only dog to Pen in the open. My Kelpies Marionvale Woody placed third and Yarrabee Jack placed fourth rounding off an outstanding season for the team.

23/11/2024

Young border collie Kipper having his first cast on a small group of ewes and lambs.

Marionvale Woody had and outstanding 2024 placing second to Di in the Arena Dog of the Year an outstanding result for su...
19/11/2024

Marionvale Woody had and outstanding 2024 placing second to Di in the Arena Dog of the Year an outstanding result for such a young Kelpie. Woody won the National Kelpie Trial Novice and ran second to Di in a number of Open three sheep trials.

While Di made all the headlines the kelpies did pretty well too. Yarrabee Jack won two Open Utility Trials placing him t...
19/11/2024

While Di made all the headlines the kelpies did pretty well too. Yarrabee Jack won two Open Utility Trials placing him third in utility dog of the year amongst other wins and places.

2024 was a spectacular season for Marionvale Di. Utility Dog of the year, Arena Dog of the Year, Royal show Yard dog Cha...
18/11/2024

2024 was a spectacular season for Marionvale Di. Utility Dog of the year, Arena Dog of the Year, Royal show Yard dog Champion, Royal Show Arena Champion, Australasian Utility Champion Open and Novice, State Utility Champion, WA State Rep to name a few. Simply a stunning dog with a remarkable list of achievements. A true allrounder. Edit: And a litter of pups amongst all that!!

15/11/2024

One of the methods when we introduce commands in sheepdog training is to ‘name behaviour’. When a dog offers a sit or stop say the command ‘stop’. The dog is already offering it and you are naming it. The closer you get to the stop in motion the quicker the dog will associate the word with the action. When a dog offers a nice sideways flank you name the movement ‘over or ‘around’ ‘ come bye’ or ‘away’. It is much the same as when you are teaching a dog the sit, stay or come command when off stock. You create an action and name it. When a puppy is running towards you use the word ‘come’ or ‘here’. When a dog offers a sit name it ‘sit’. On stock there is of course more to it, as before you add commands, you need to ensure the dogs actions are correct. A side movement or flank should be circular with out slicing in and your stop should be a stop. Well bred dogs will offer correct movements so putting commands on a dog that is already doing it right is easy. Dogs that have problems in their movement, are weak on one side or have a natural slice require that to be corrected through repeat practice and development of muscle memory before the commands are introduced.
Naming the behaviour is also a great way to never have a dog follow your commands. When a dog jumps up for instance and you command ‘down!’ Naming the dog jumping up as ‘down’ is a great way to ensure he continues to jump up on the command ‘down’. Putting him down and naming it or teaching a sit as he approaches to jump is a more logical approach for the dog to understand. A worse example of course is calling a dog to come when you have no ability to ensure he does. The more you call come when he doesn’t respond the more you fix in the dogs head that come doesn’t mean come. A long line or early naming of the behaviour when a puppy is keen to come to you can help you over come those issues. As humans we are great at talking but be aware that what comes out of your mouth can become a command to a dog that is paying attention to you. Fixing faults is far harder than never allowing them in the first place.

Address

Mount Helena, WA
6082

Telephone

+61407083680

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Videos

Kipper
Kipper

Border Collie Pup Kipper, not quite six months old, extended his outrun to help the big dogs. Lucky I caught it on video. This pup needs a cape. 😳 Definitely been here before!

Kipper
Kipper

Nice short lesson with Border collie pup Kipper. Kipper is approaching 6 months of age and is a promising talented pup. Here I demonstrate a nice lesson on his development, introducing on balance stops, wait to send, shape, off balance flanks and how I continue to challenge him.

Kipper and Gin
Kipper and Gin

Border collie pups Kipper and Gin had a run on a few more sheep. Confidence building for Gin with kipper deciding they needed a move along 😳

Kipper
Kipper

Young border collie Kipper having his first cast on a small group of ewes and lambs.

Kipper
Kipper

Took kipper into a bigger area on a few lambs. Lots to like about this pup.

Marionvale Cruiser
Marionvale Cruiser

A little paddock balancing on some lambs for 18month old kelpie Marionvale Cruiser, Choppers brother.

Chopper
Chopper

Finally got a few minutes to work Chopper. Not just a looker….

Olboa Gin
Olboa Gin

Border collie pup Olboa Gin at 10 weeks starting out. It is important to allow her to find the heads and for me to let her make choices without influencing her too much. I don’t want her following sheep around I want her to try to control them. Her shape and distance allows her to get to the right places even as such a small pup. Fast breaking sheep would still be too much for her. I help her through any confrontation as the lighter colour can draw sheep. Ultimately sheepdogs need to move sheep. Building confidence will help her develop those sheep moving skills.

Kipper
Kipper

Short session with border collie pup Kipper. Starting to get a stop and developing his feel and shape. No commands just guiding him with body language and instinct.

Olboa Gin
Olboa Gin

9 week old Olboa Gin get some help from kipper. Gins first look at sheep and shows some promise. A confident young Kipper keeps getting better.

Jillaroo Cilla
Jillaroo Cilla

Out of the Last litter by Marionvale Chip. Jillaroo Cilla still showing plenty of promise and style.

17 week old border collie pup Kipper. Lovely shape, heading and feel for his sheep. Seems like an old soul.

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