Xena and boundary work 

Introduction:

This is a story about Xena’s first big flock herding experience. As with all stories it should begin with once upon a time... Once upon a time, more than 1 year ago, we got a little German Shepherd puppy. We named her Xena. It sounded mystic to me. The name, carefully chosen, is of Greek origin and means distant place. There was nothing mystic about Xena. In fact, she rather resembled the fighting amazon, Xena, Warrior princess. However, I didn’t get it completely wrong because I certainly wished to send her to a distant place quite often throughout her puppyhood:-).  

I wanted a real, high drive dog. Well, I got one. The question was, what to do with the drives and the only thing I could come up with was to physically tire her. It never worked. My good friend Shelley described her as strong willed when I was at loss for words again about her behavior. Strong willed; I liked that. I would learn that that isn’t necessarily a negative thing. 

At Ellen’s place in Albany

Many thanks to Ellen and her husband Jost for allowing us to work with their sheep and dogs and to say nothing of Ellen herself who took time out of her busy schedule to work Xena for me and share her extensive knowledge. 

We awoke to a gorgeous view and beautiful weather. Rolling hills, green pastures, the changing of the leaves and some cute looking German Shepherds.

Ellen arrived Friday morning to welcome us and Xena greeted her by jumping onto and over the kitchen counter. We were embarrassed but Ellen wasn’t upset. In fact, she was amazed how Xena could jump. That she certainly can. Proven a 100 times, onto anything and over anything and since early age on she was also an expert in breaking out of any crate. Smart dog? Yes. Easy to live with? No.

For those of you who haven’t met Xena yet, I hope you do read Calvin and Hobbes. Imagine Calvin, when he changes into his Stupendous Man costume and KAPWINGGG, off he goes. That’s Xena and I very much seemed destined for a future like Calvin’s teacher, Miss Wormwood, who takes a lot of heart medication. But during the next 3 days it should get better. 

 

Training:

Day 1 - Friday morning (Beside the road)

The sheep were grazing in a narrow patch beside the road. Adjoining was a fenced field where the rams were kept. The road was the boundary. Nicky (Xena’s daddy) and Freude (Xena’s sister) were patrolling the boundary. Xena was on a long lead watching.  

I’d like to point out that Freude (then 14 months old) was already independently working the boundary. Freude and Xena are full sisters, but they couldn’t have been more different; it was like day and night. While Xena couldn’t sit still for a second, Freude was not only calmly working the sheep but I also noticed she was a lot calmer around Ellen.

Freude didn’t have any less drive than Xena, maybe even more so, but her drives were channeled. Freude was working with joy, she was in control and she was cooperative while Xena - well - was being Xena, which means she did her thing. In that case it was barking loudly and obsessively retrieving sticks. Anything to get our attention. (To give you an idea what decibel she can reach - We were flying home from Vancouver to Montreal and everybody on the plane could hear Xena bark, even well after take-off) 

Xena certainly was interested in the sheep - that wasn’t my worry - but beside her compulsive behavior all she wanted to do is go straight into the graze. She was not calm, she was out of control and she was not cooperative. I’m sure it was mostly insecurity. By watching Freude I realized that with a sound foundation and mutual trust you can have an independent, hard working and reliable dog who takes the greatest pleasure in her task. 

 

Friday afternoon (Out in the field)

This time Ellen and Nicky took the 200+ sheep to a large field on a sloping hill for a wider graze. That means, they can spread out more.

Xena immediately started to sniff and follow Nicky’s scent. By tracking she could define the border. A border can be something natural like a ditch, a low stone wall or a plowed furrow is best and easiest for the dog to learn on. 

Xena and I followed Nicky around all 4 sides of the graze. She was aware of the sheep but didn’t get overly stimulated and feel the need to overreact as much as with the tight graze. Later, when she had worked off some energy we stayed on one side of the graze. Ellen told me to talk as little as possible and let Xena find out for herself without too much interference and commands from me. She needed to learn to be calm around the sheep and by not pressuring her she was allowed to find the comfort zone for herself.  

The whole time Xena was on a long lead, moving back and forth along the boundary and for the most part staying on it. In the beginning the dog doesn’t need to be exactly on the boundary. It’s perfectly O.K. to give some leeway. There is time to work on preciseness later on once she understands the whole idea behind the boundary (don’t go any closer to the sheep). 

This type of herding will take time and lots of patience. It’s different from CKC type herding where the dog works a small flock of sheep (3-5).

With Kai, my previous GSD, I was able to start in small flock herding because he was more biddable than Xena. He listened to me. Xena didn’t because she wasn’t in tune with me and therefore I would have had to give strong physical corrections in order for her to stay off the sheep. First, I don’t like doing this and second, I didn’t want to risk ruining her drives. 

At one point during the afternoon Ellen needed to leave to plow another field while Nicky, Xena and I stayed. In 1998, when I was lucky to meet Manfred Hayne* he showed me that his dogs can work completely on their own; independent. So it came as no surprise to me that Ellen entrusted Nicky to tend the sheep.

Nicky was working happily, always keeping the sheep within the grazing area and Xena was trying to learn and enjoying herself. It was very calming to watch. When Ellen came back to us it was time to put the sheep away. More than 3 hours have passed and my girl was less interested in retrieving sticks (although that didn’t stop entirely). She and Nicky had a big smile. Progress was made. She definitely had instinct. 

 

Day 2 - Saturday morning (In the barn)

We awoke to heavy rain and winds. Ellen decided to leave the sheep in the barn. The pen where the sheep are kept is made of metal panels with hay/grain feeders attached. While Ellen was filling the feeders with hay, Xena was off lead and given the freedom to do whatever she wanted to. Ellen’s pen is square, so this made it perfect for Xena to run freely outside the pen. She kept running back and forth or watching the sheep intently and just as I remarked how calm she is for a dog who has hardly been around sheep she started to bark incessantly.  

Ellen told me this kind of pen work is a great way for the dogs to learn to be calm around sheep at their own pace. Another asset was Ellen’s large number of sheep in the pen. They cannot do much running in there and therefore there is no pressure for the dog to react to the the movement of the stock by “chasing”. (The pen is secure, so that the dogs can’t get in). The dog can learn independently to maintain a distance from the sheep - to stay back off the sheep so that they will relax - which will make the dog feel in control of the situation; hence confidence is built.  

Now, back to Xena, who was still barking and willing the sheep to do - whatever she imagined in that big head of hers. As mentioned before you usually wouldn’t interfere, and allow the dog to learn for itself. However, as one of Ellen’s young puppies was also in the barn to learn and because we didn’t want Xena’s mood transmitted to Guntie, she asked me to tell her to stop. I’m afraid to say, I only succeeded with a few curse words and my good manner’s won’t allow me to go into this further:-) Xena then went back to patrolling the outside or simply watching. 

I can see this exercise is invaluable during the long winter months. Not only for the dog but also for the beginner handler. It would allow us to watch and relax around sheep and also intensify obedience commands like “come” - as long as it isn’t overdone - all of which would be very helpful for next spring when you will be taking sheep and dog(s) out in the fields again. I wished I had a barn like this nearby.  

 

Saturday afternoon (New boundary)

The weather improved and in any case we had to bring the sheep out for their daily graze. We chose the same field as the previous day as Xena was already familiar with it. This time Ellen took Willy, another great herding dog.

Willy was pounding along the boundary with lots of energy - quite fast - which was partly due to the fact that he hasn’t been worked in a while. While Nicky’s calm, steady essence seemed to reflect positively on Xena’s behavior, Willie’s faster pace seemed to be as good an excuse as any to transform her into “Stupendous Man” again.

She was barking, picking up sticks, going off the boundary and bouncing on Willy when he dashed by. He just ignored her and kept working while I - despite of knowing not to - started to nag and correct her. We both were frustrated. Then, and I’m forever grateful, Ellen took heart and started to work Xena. (I’m sure she just couldn’t stand watching us any longer:) 

Ellen appointed Willy a new boundary for a tight graze. While I stayed with him, Ellen and Xena covered the side by the low stone wall.

I was quite surprised that Willy knew where the new boundary was; it wasn’t visible to me. As I learned, standing where you want the boundary to be, is enough for a good dog with experience. Ellen told me, Nicky will actually make his own boundary because he stays always on the same line and it becomes clearly visible as he works it. With Willy the ground was too hard and the grass too short. 

While Ellen and Xena were patrolling the other side, she was holding the end of Xena’s long lead, giving her the full slack and leaving her to do what she wanted to. Ellen talked very little; when Xena picked up a stick to play she calmly said “pfui”. Xena just dropped it and focused on the sheep again.

Xena had a very clear idea in her mind what moves she wanted to try on the sheep, so when she stepped off the boundary, it wasn’t always necessarily to charge into the graze. She was experiencing just how the sheep would react to her. Here, interference would have caused to break Xena’s concentration, to take her attention away from the sheep and the whole purpose is to let the dog learn for itself. It’s important to set a quiet and comfortable atmosphere.  

Ellen pointed out that not only can you see by Xena’s body language what her intentions might be (is she thinking or is she about to charge into the graze), but also by watching the sheep’s reaction. It’s essential to watch for clues like the movement of their ears which may indicate alarm or the position of the head. If the head is high they might be ready to run. If they are calmly eating and ignoring her, she is being reliable. 

When Xena went off the boundary, Ellen never corrected her, she gave her time to think and gently coaxed her back on with a soft voice. Her voice was the basic tool in Xena’s training. When Xena’s intent was to rush in, Ellen called “Come”, twice. Once, to give her a chance - it was very windy and Xena didn’t have obedience training - and the second time exact at the moment when Xena hit the end of the line. She was wearing a prong collar and therefore correcting herself. Timing was everything. The dog should never associate the correction with you. When she did respond to “Come”, Xena was immediately praised, “Brav”.  

Xena seemed to blossom as Ellen clearly avoided situations where Xena had little or no chance of success. In fact, there were only a few times when she tried to run into the graze. To my amazement this actually started look to like the real thing. Again, we had stayed an entire afternoon and it was time for Willy to bring the sheep back home. He was happy to have worked and Xena definitely was walking taller.  

 

Day 3 - Sunday morning (At the gate)

For the morning graze Ellen chose a different field. She wanted to show me how to make a new boundary. With her SUV we drove around all 4 sides of the field. The tire tracks would be the boundary. Nicky and Freude (Xena’s sister) brought the sheep and went off to work, patrolling the border.

The weather was terrible. As idyllic and romantic as the hills looked in sunshine, now we were exposed to the elements. We had to endure icy winds and even snowflakes. The sheep didn’t seem to mind and the dogs were working independently.We couldn’t actually see the dogs from were we were standing.

Around one o’clock Ellen decided to take the sheep back in. The previous days I had always walked ahead with Xena so I never got to see this. Ellen started to call the sheep “Komm, alle” (Come, all). They started to move and the dogs kept them gathered. I think, it was mostly Freude working, as Nicky knew very well she was learning and tried to stay back. She did an excellent job. What a sight it was to see a large flock go through a gate.  

Ellen kept telling me that everything the dog has to know lies in the boundary and later this can be applied to small flock herding. Although I never doubted Ellen’s words, I just couldn’t imagine how this will work. So, it was just my luck that a few sheep had broken away before and were standing in a patch between a low stone wall and the fence of the next field. Freude covered the sheep at the gate and Nicky went to get the other ones. I think Ellen had used a command like “Go around” but Nicky had already discovered the sheep on his own and off he went along the stone wall, then over it, coming up behind them, moving them in a slow and controlled manner to the gate. Not a Border Collie outrun, but it definitely got the job done just as well. Despite the cold I could hardly wait for the afternoon. This would be our last day here and Xena’s last chance of big flock herding. 

Day 3 - Sunday afternoon (Tears of joy)

Again, Ellen and Nicky brought the sheep to the field Xena was already familiar with. As with Willie, Ellen appointed a tight graze and I stayed with Nicky while Ellen with Xena (on a long lead) patrolled the lower side.  

For a while everything seemed very tranquil till I noticed that several sheep were about to move over the boundary. Nicky was moving back on the boundary and I was worried he couldn’t see this but just as I wanted to call out to him Nicky went by like a flash and put the sheep back in the graze. He had known all along.

The sheep kept eating hungrily, and yet again, the same group tried to wander out of the graze. Nicky fixed that too. At the third try the sheep ran out of luck and Nicky went in to grip. He was right. The sheep didn’t respect the boundary. His grip was full of confidence and didn’t do any damage to the sheep. A proper grip is a full mouth grip and can be placed at the ribs, top of the neck or just above the hock at the hind legs. I was thrilled having had this demonstration and very proud of Nicky. The sheep thought better of trying again to move over the boundary. 

I don’t know how Xena fared meanwhile. I couldn’t see her but as the sheep were relaxed and eating I assumed she was doing well. Then Ellen called out to me she wanted the sheep to spread out. Nicky went off to patrol all four sides and I followed to catch up with Ellen and Xena. Just as I reached the lower side (the stone wall) I noticed that Ellen had dropped Xena’s lead. They were moving up the hill and Xena was working the boundary on her own, lead dragging. I was in total shock and praying that Ellen knew what she was doing. I had visions of Xena diving in the sheep, splitting and chasing them.

Ellen just smiled at me and told me to stand back and be quiet. Nothing bad happened, I couldn’t believe it. This was only the third day and after Xena’s Friday-morning performance, I would not have thought it possible, in my wildest dreams, that this dog could be trusted to work free. 

Xena was moving back and forth, happily and focused. No words were spoken. No commands, no praise. Xena just wanted to work. With each step she seemed to get stronger and more confident. Ellen was standing on the boundary between Xena and the sheep so she’d be able to block Xena with the Shepherd’s staff, if necessary. The staff can be held neutral and used to lean on while the Shepherd is watching the sheep or serve as a reminder to the dog not to go there. Ellen used the staff as a “no” only a few times and Xena respected it and went back on the boundary.  

Unfortunately, all great things must come to an end. The sheep started to lie down, they had enough to eat and it was time for us to leave. We had reached the top of the hill and started to walk along the second side of the field. It was to be seen if Xena would have the confidence yet to go on to the second side of the graze. Yes! She mastered it. She didn’t cut any corners, she stayed right on the boundary. Again, there were no commands. Our presence and watching Nicky gave her the nerves to try. She was able to figure it out for herself.  

It was an indescribable moment for me to see Xena work free. I was so very proud of her and I was proud of Ellen too. I’d like to point out that Xena was Ellen’s first dog she trained for herding who wasn’t her own. I know, without Ellen’s positive approach this progress would not have been possible. Successful herding requires a true partnership between dog and handler. Ellen showed me that trust is a two-way thing. The trust that the dog must have in you and the trust you must have in the dog. Ellen proved this by letting go of Xena’s lead. It’s now up to me to earn Xena’s trust.  

I can’t begin to tell how thankful I was for Ellen’s guidance and for Nicky, who quietly worked the other sides of the graze, giving Xena the chance to learn on her own. Xena knew this too. When we left the graze she ran with a big smile towards Nicky, “thanking” him exuberantly. I have never seen her so happy. Xena started to understand the meaning of the boundary. She will not forget what she learned and she’ll be able to build on this knowledge whenever she has a chance to herd again. 

End of story (for now)

I wished I can tell you “If I can do it, you can too”. I am not there yet. But to see Xena’s utmost joy gave me hope. I know now that Xena has all the makings of becoming a good working dog. And instead of looking for a formula, I will be more observant.  

Xena’s “wildness” was a product of stress, created by me, however unintentionally. Kevin Behan** showed us how to work through our relationship problem with Xena. The key is to be on the same wavelength, to be in harmony.

To find the path will take time, patience and lots of practice on my part but I have high hopes of getting there eventually. I know she is well worth it because I can hold on to the glimpse Xena showed me of what great work she is capable of.  

Many thanks to

our dogs Ginger and Xena , (and Kai, always remembered).

. 


Nicky making his own boundary.

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References:

* Manfred Hayne: a Master Shepherd from Germany for over 40 years. He has won the Bundesleistungshüten (German National Shepherd Herding Trial) numerous times. Manfred escaped from East Germany in 1953 and began producing an outstanding line of GSD herding dogs that still exist and work today, von der Stammherde Ramholz, Xena’s ancestors. 

** Kevin Behan: Natural Dog Training

I was lucky to find Kevin’s book at our local library. It is currently out of print but should be available again by December 2001. It is also worthwhile to go and see him and to learn about his unique way of communicating with dogs.