Young dog not gathering whole group.

[PhilipB]

I've got a young dog, very keen, but he has no sense of gather.

I say "come by" and he interprets that as "run clockwise around as many sheep as you feel like collecting" he occasionally glances behind, but with no keen desire to add the remaining sheep to his collection.

I call him back and launch him off again, trying to draw his attention to new sheep, and gradually all the sheep in the field get the idea and gather up.

Any hints or tips welcome

 

[Dry Rot]

I can only say what I do and there will be better qualified to answer than me. Let a couple escape from the group he has gathered and send him to collect them, then finish. Repeat every few days increasing the distance. Not even dogs like losing what they consider to be theirs. I use "Look back" as a trigger. Don't ever send a dog to collect sheep that don't exist. They have to trust your word.

 

[sean m]

I've got a young dog, very keen, but he has no sense of gather.

I say "come by" and he interprets that as "run clockwise around as many sheep as you feel like collecting" he occasionally glances behind, but with no keen desire to add the remaining sheep to his collection.

I call him back and launch him off again, trying to draw his attention to new sheep, and gradually all the sheep in the field get the idea and gather up.

Any hints or tips welcome

don't call him back,stop him walk to him and re-send him round the stragglers,you don't say how old he is but don't make a big fuss about it as soon as he goes wrong lay him down walk to him and just quietly send him again they just sometimes get over excited and are happy to bring any back,if his outrun is tight don't send him from to far away to soon

 

[Six Dogs]

I think from the sounds of what you are saying you need to manoeuvre yourself between him and the sheep so he goes out and around you to cast further to gather.
If he cuts in stop him move yourself again so he goes around you I’d also put a command to that

 

[Guleesh]

Don't ever send a dog to collect sheep that don't exist. They have to trust your word.

I agree with this but I still do it to tell them to 'look back' and send them to check what I can't see behind hills. As long as you don't do it too often I think you can get away with it.

 

[CopperBeech]

First two words are your answer. Teach it look back.

 

[Mc115reed]

Mines a bugger for it... generally when the sheep see the dog they all gather themselves into the middle of the field but any stragglers she will leave so 9 times out of 10 I’ll go out into the middle of the field and keep making her look back until she’s fetched the bunch back together.... the same once they’re running if some peel off she will make no effort too stop them or fetch them back shel just run the bunch

 

[PhilipB]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go.

One of you asked his age, he's about 17 months.

 

[Mc115reed]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go.

One of you asked his age, he's about 17 months.

At that age your probably expecting a lot if you ask me....

 

[gwi1890]

Decrease the distance your sending him out make sure ewes are bunched/flocked for a while send him out if he starts to cut in on his outrun stop him and give him the command again walk to wards him a bit if need be and try maintain that pear shaped outrun , repetition is key and not allowing things to go wrong, letting him gather a few then shouting “look back” will just teach him further bad habits, keep things simple and correct for a few months then move on from there.

 

[Downton_shep]

Decrease the distance your sending him out make sure ewes are bunched/flocked for a while send him out if he starts to cut in on his outrun stop him and give him the command again walk to wards him a bit if need be and try maintain that pear shaped outrun , repetition is key and not allowing things to go wrong, letting him gather a few then shouting “look back” will just teach him further bad habits, keep things simple and correct for a few months then move on from there.

This will take longer but you’ll have a much better dog at the end.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Decrease the distance your sending him out make sure ewes are bunched/flocked for a while send him out if he starts to cut in on his outrun stop him and give him the command again walk to wards him a bit if need be and try maintain that pear shaped outrun , repetition is key and not allowing things to go wrong, letting him gather a few then shouting “look back” will just teach him further bad habits, keep things simple and correct for a few months then move on from there.

The more I read the more I realise my dog just isn't that good...

Look back is probably my most used command.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Can't beat having a dog with naturally really good outrun.

 

[Kazak]

As said before go back to a smaller paddock and mayb fewer sheep ( not sure how many in the flock you are working now), till he gets in his head he needs them all.
Make sure you control the situation and not him. ( thats why small paddock is good)
If he gets in the habit of forgetting a few he will do it again an again if you dont change what you do.
Very easy to get into a bad habit and can b difficult to correct then.
Hope this help

 

[Dry Rot]

Sometimes in dog training it is necessary to allow a fault, or even create one, to cure a more serious fault.

 

[LTH]

Better off with a small batch in a smaller field where you can stop him and get up to him and then send him again back round the others. Does he know his sides or does he just run after them as soon as you say come by.

 

[Downton_shep]

Can't beat having a dog with naturally really good outrun.

Only trouble is they’re often weaker dogs. Not always, but normally.