I have a couple dogs in my crew that I am still getting the "crazy" out of :) We don't live a life that has fences and these two hooligans feel that the world is their yard. I have two mature dogs who are very good with boundaries as well as pressure and so I decided to let them do the work because I know they are solid enough not to fight. I matched one mature dog with one hooligan, though I did take personalities into account because I don't want to stifle interest and excitement, or the qualities that I value in them individually. For instance, Addie, the young blue heeler, is very motivated to be my shadow and only wanders when following Charlie. I don't want to inhibit her ability to follow me around and take interest in what I'm doing, so I paired her with Paislie, who is similar in this regard. Billie and Charlie are more independent thinkers, which is also okay, but Billie has a lot of experience now and won't wander. So, I paired her with Charlie to show her how to be independent from me without disappearing! I am always trying to create puzzles for my animals, especially those that I can step out of the picture and really let them do the thinking. Plus, I was feeling lazy today and figured it is about time the older girls earn their keep :)
I'm excited as I transition to northern Montana that I will have the opportunity to add dog work to my business. Just like with horses, I really love working with dogs and their people to build confidence and engagement in any circumstance. Dogs are a lot more portable than horses, so no excuse to not get them out and about. Who cares about the tricks they can do, if they fall apart in the real world! Here's a quick clip of Billie, who is tried and true as a traveler with me, Charlie who has been with me about five weeks, and Addie, who I grabbed in Idaho on my way north last week to rehab her physically and mentally from an abuse and neglect situation. We are waiting for my truck tires to be rotated, while I work on the computer. It's the perfect opportunity for them to work on knowing what is about them and what isn't, because people are constantly in and out, some want to engage with the dogs and others don't, and the environment is totally foreign to them with a lot of weird noises and smells. (Paislie is living the forester life up north right now, melting hearts at the Stillwater State Forest office with my husband).
In case you guys were wondering what I do with horses when I'm not at a clinic....(I didn't even know Keller would come flying over).
The front paddocks will now be used for white water rafting trips, lake tours, and swimming lessons.
