Tips on how to get a hunterway going

[Shearer stu]

As a above really have a 14 mounts old dog he dosnt really look at sheep and can't really get him to speak on command he dose bark in pick up, have tryed working him with my kelpie ( can get her to bark on command ) but all he want to do is shag her and my other collies have a mate who recons they can be 2 before they start working , maybe me just worrying as all my pups start working at 6 to 8 months , any hints or tips would be grateful appreciated

 

[Leereade]

Interested in this I thought they wer keen to get to work as collies were

 

[Downton_shep]

@jemski

 

[rhuvid]

Tie him at back of pens whilst working wth sheep. Get other dogs speaking etc,an see if he gets excited. Some are slower to get working.

 

[sean m]

As a above really have a 14 mounts old dog he dosnt really look at sheep and can't really get him to speak on command he dose bark in pick up, have tryed working him with my kelpie ( can get her to bark on command ) but all he want to do is shag her and my other collies have a mate who recons they can be 2 before they start working , maybe me just worrying as all my pups start working at 6 to 8 months , any hints or tips would be grateful appreciated

hows he bred and is he pure,i would be more concerned about his lack of interest rather than the noise

 

[Shearer stu]

hows he bred and is he pure,i would be more concerned about his lack of interest rather than the noise

He is pure came from a lass in Brecon mother was called izey I think had a video of her working think she was imported from nz , he sort of runs out after other dogs then dose runs throw sheep but isn't really working them is more wanting to play with other dogs really

 

[Andrew1983]

I have a 11month old border collie bitch that's the same, seems to spend all day stalking the bloody horses and will go on her own an have a chase at sheep but if I try an take her she just makes for home or if on a lead goes nuts or plays dead! Had her in the shed one day a few weeks back, left her in the pen and by the end of the job the lambs were just about standing on her and she never moved!! Nice natured dog but I don't need another pet!

 

[Old Shep]

If he's more interested in the other dogs have you tried him on his own? Presumably you are training him on a 1 to 1 basis not expecting him just to do it without any training? They are not mind reading geniuses ;-)

 

[Shearer stu]

If he's more interested in the other dogs have you tried him on his own? Presumably you are training him on a 1 to 1 basis not expecting him just to do it without any training? They are not mind reading geniuses ;-)

Have had him on his own a bit usual take pups with me all time ( they don't learn anything in there beds ) then when they start showing more move to training field on there own usual works fine just not this time yet , he dose know his stand and stay commands and is god on a lead so knows the basics just not the working

 

[Man_in_black]

@unlacedgecko

 

[scottish-lleyn]

Remember he wont eye the sheep same as a collie. Some of them have a bit of eye the ones i have dont they just run around where they are told and bark. Aslong as he is running around where he is needed id be concentrating on getting him speaking up get him hyper around the sheep and praise him when he barks and give the command you want to use. The problem ive had is stopping them barking all tthe time.

 

[unlacedgecko]

@unlacedgecko

Thanks for the tag.

Take him to sheep on a lead. Tie him in the pen as you work them through the race. It got mine going and he was speaking in the race from 4 months.

I might not be the best example to follow mind, as he is now too keen and strong to work in the paddock. I've a job over the summer to steady him down and regain some control...

 

[alwayslearning]

My hunterway did Nout just run around with collies aimlessly.
One day just all of a sudden when sheep wouldn't go through a gate started working, barking and been great since.
At eleven month old

 

[NZDan]

Interested in this I thought they wer keen to get to work as collies were

Lol lol lol

 

[GenuineRisk]

Had a similar problem with mine, August 15 born. Living with Weimaraners, she's a complete mimic and pretty mustard on pheasants. Was starting to despair a bit - she was bought to work the cattle - when quite suddenly she started to bark when we used the quad to bring in cattle and will now bark on command. Took until she was over a year, though, still isn't 'strong' enough yet to really drive them and it doesn't help that a lot of them are too quiet and totally over familiar with all the dogs but she does make a difference now!!

 

[GTB]

I might not be the best example to follow mind, as he is now too keen and strong to work in the paddock. I've a job over the summer to steady him down and regain some control...

IME they need a lot of work when they're young, otherwise they're very difficult to keep under control. Once they're older they seem to calm down.

 

[jemski]

@jemski

I'm afraid I can't help much, I've only had experience with one, and mine was keen and speaking from about 6 months. I did encourage the bark a lot from early on (too much really I think for her, as now the off button doesn't work as well as it should).
I'd hype him up and try and get the bark first, then when you have the bark on command take him to the sheep on his own in a small paddock, and keep trying every month or so until he starts to show interest. He might get a bit more interested once he realises the affect his bark has on the sheep. Some huntaways won't really work sheep unless they are speaking. Mine does, but with a bit less enthusiasm! But her tail never stops wagging. Ever.

 

[jemski]

IME they need a lot of work when they're young, otherwise they're very difficult to keep under control. Once they're older they seem to calm down.

That's what I'm hoping!