Masterclass Working Sheepdog Training

14/04/2024

Visit http://www.campaspeworkingdogs.com

26/02/2024

25/02/2024

Campaspe Carbon doing what my dogs do... using their brains and instinct in challenging conditions

14/02/2024

Campaspe Carbon getting a few sheep in this morning for teaching some sheepdog training lessons...

14/02/2024

Campaspe Carbon getting a few sheep in this morning to give some pups a run on...

29/01/2024

Don’t forget your feedback on the draft Animal Care and Protection Bill and regulations. The draft Bill sets out proposed legislation to replace the current Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986.

Activities like farming, pest control, hunting, fishing and racing would be able to continue under the new laws.

The reform will help maintain trust in Victoria’s animal-based activities and industries.
It aims to reduce regulatory red tape for animal-based industries.

Regulations detailing requirements for specific species and activities involving animals would support the new Act.

The first consultation on the regulations has opened alongside the draft Bill consultation

📆 The consultation is open until Friday 8 March 2024.
🔗engage.vic.gov.au/new-animal-welfare-act-victoria

27/10/2022

More draconian animal "welfare"(read extremist animal liberation") laws for Victoria:

An example from the Summary Plan for Victoria’s New Animal Care and Protection Laws, (Summary_Plan-for-Victoria’s-new-animal-care-and-protection-laws (2) is as follows: –

Specified classes of conduct where regulations may prescribe requirements under the new laws would include:

• Showing or exhibiting an animal for a commercial purpose
• Transporting an animal for a commercial purpose
• Organising an event in which animals are used in sport, competition or recreation.

Regulations could also state that a licence is required for any activity that falls within a specified class of conduct.

This could impact, restrict or possibly bring about an end to dogsports, That is all dogsports where animals are used in sport, competition or recreation, as described above.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdogtrainersaustralia.org%2Fvictorian-animal-protection-and-welfare-laws-2022%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0ojiUGQlg0odfvHLgKGOh_LrcZhcaHMOt0FHExTCWafq3YnG4m-4NvHfw&h=AT3T2GJCTA5z6NcYXR-fHSfP-iBVgv43WQYBfpDBcfJOXzjoMMDilThiRY8tYIi9j8sCm5f0IFFBlbVuP6g3_RFBtx18jPmLpd27kbNOj8H37L7wodACM8YK0rvMj91YVcja&__tn__=%2CmH-R&c[0]=AT0IuMtuJycIgvmoEm8Ad6EDVSO7vzJ3W1MNkYLdkVb0ZGFoSeZEaoXrbUn8uqOYtI7IESlfF7GmHOCk3kKbybkanS7z0DfSMluEpDWY1o9L1yeC5w45EuECr9QyvCvNsDdqQyBShTns9EzAXNSyvUdFaoz0iKN0t2t55zJyzQfAiVqAPgo5

This could impact, restrict or possibly bring about an end to dogsports, That is all dogsports where animals are used in sport, competition or recreation, as described above.

25/07/2022

Nice young Ugly pup - 15 weeks no training.
Campaspe Mango - Campaspe Ugly x Campaspe Ridge.

Campaspe Mango - Campaspe Ugly x Campaspe Ridge - 15 weeks old Showing her natural ability.

30/01/2022

After the popularity of Muster Dogs on the ABC, a number of people who come for lessons, or watch the online "Masterclass" videos, have asked about having a dog trained by 12 months of age.

The short answer is YES. And I think that this is part of one of the very valid points Muster Dogs is trying to make - that with the right dogs and the right training, dogs can be at least USEFUL by 12 months of age, if not much more.

But that depends on a number of factors. It depends on if the dog is good enough, if it has a good enough temperament, if the handler is good enough. And, of course, on the time available to put into the dog's training.

If THAT all comes together, then YES, it IS entirely possible.

I remember the late, great Jack Hiscock (of Moorlands border collies) winning 3 three trials with an 8 month old pup, that was also doing the work of most people's three year old dogs at that age (and doing it a lot better!). If a dog hasn't got the instinct and heart to be trained by that age, then it isn't a dog that I would consider keeping. A dog's working life isn't that long. If you waste the first couple of years of it through either poor breeding or poor training, then you have wasted maybe 20% of the dogs working life, maybe more.

The below link shows Campaspe Bounce at 10.5 months of age. At that age he was more than capable of doing all the work required on a 5,000 acre hill country property on his own, without backup. This included casting and bringing sheep to me, droving sheep with me, and driving sheep away from me.

He was well under control, but also using his own initiative and allowed to work on his own instinct with purpose and the minimum of commanding. (See "My Philosophy" video for more of my perspective on the relationship between training, control, and purpose and initiative in the dogs work.)

So, yes, it is certainly possible to have dogs fully trained by 12 months of age.

However, don't push it, particularly if you are inexperienced. Otherwise, you may just make things worse, and take longer in the long run. If your dog has various instinct faults (such as splitting, biting, lack of heart, etc.), then training WILL take much longer. And to rush it will only take EVEN LONGER still.

So train at the pace you are ready for, and that your dog is suitable for. Don't skip steps, or rush ahead before your dog is ready, or you will only cement bad habits, and it WILL take MUCH longer in the end.

So yes, it's possible, and even desirable, but not always advisable. Make haste slowly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS6j9k-1mw

Campaspe Bounce (Moorlands Tomie x Cullens Kiara) - 200510 1/2 months old working a mob and driving away. Showing what a well-bred dog with loads of natural ...

30/11/2021

Campaspe Nellie's litter to Campaspe Ridge, 14 weeks. (You can find Nellie and Ridge on www.campaspeworkingdogs.com).

One really nice black, white and tan male working, others just starting to show interest.

Campaspe Nellie x Campaspe Ridge litter 14 weeks First pup working, others just starting to show some interest. The black, white, and tan male is showing some lovely work - break, cover, (both short a

14/09/2021

Campaspe Kirri showing her natural ability, 11 weeks old.

Campaspe Stripe x Campaspe Ridge.

Campaspe Kirri (Campaspe Ridge x Campaspe Stripe) 11 weeks old, showing her natural ability. Named after her ancestor Cullens Kirribilli (who I bred, despite the prefix) due the similarity in both loo

08/09/2021

Looks like we can get back to training, finally!

For everyone who has had to cancel due to lockdown, send me a message and we can rebook, hopefully before we go back into lockdown again.

23/03/2021

A quick bit of video I took yesterday demonstrating the use of "get out" to break the dog out on the cast. The link below shows how to teach the first step of achieving this.

http://www.workingsheepdogtraining.com/product-category/training-your-sheepdog-to-widen-out/

18/03/2021

Old Tammy supervising a bit of fencing.

14/07/2020

For those who think that a one, two, or even three year old dog is "still a pup", here is a quote from my book "Working Sheep Dogs":

"Some people say that a year in the dog’s life is worth seven in a humans, so that a three year old dog is the equivalent of a twenty-one year old person. But this is wrong. A dog is fairly mature at twelve months old, much more than the equivalent of a seven year old child, more like an eighteen year old, and ready to start serious work at that age."

Science is catching up...!

https://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2020-07-02-how-old-is-your-dog-in-human-years.aspx

By mapping molecular changes in the genome over time, UC San Diego researchers developed a formula to more accurately compare dog age to human age — a tool that could also help them evaluate how well anti-aging products work.

30/03/2020

In this 30-minute video episode I explain and demonstrate in detail my “reverse counter-balance” directions exercise. This is the "king" of the directional (flanking/side) command exercises. Done well it gives us good, solid control of the directional commands, regardless of where we’re standing or what we’re doing, or where the sheep are standing or what they’re doing.

So if you struggle to get your dog to obey the directional commands off balance, then this is the episode that will help fix it for you. It builds on the four previous exercises – “Introducing the Directional Commands”, “The Neutral Stationary Directions”, “The Offset Stationary Directions” and the “Crossing Behind Directions”.

Below is a short clip taken from this episode showing Campaspe Carbon after having pretty-well mastered the exercise – quick, light and responsive to one soft command every time.

To learn how to achieve this, the full episode is available to watch online now at http://www.workingsheepdogtraining.com/product/reverse-counter-balance-directions-flanking/

24/03/2020

Due to the coronavirus, I am currently offering anyone who has not had an online one-on-one sheepdog training lesson with me previously, a free session to try it out!

Send me a message or contact me via the website and we can make a time. Basically involves sending me a video of whatever stage you are at or are having problems with, and then video chat online (or phone call if your internet isn't great).

Why not give it a go?!

One-on-one sheepdog training lessons, online in the comfort of your own home anywhere in the world, or in person.