It's funny how things work out. Last night I worked Diva, Reba, Ryder and Tessa. (Tessa just for some fun for her.) As I watched Diva zip around the sheep I seemed to just know what needed to be done. My timing was on. It seems all the mistakes I've made with Reba will be for Diva's benefit. They certainly have similar styles of work.
Another thing that never fails to amaze me is how the sheep seem to sense differences between the dogs. They hopped right to it when Diva was working, were slower and more relaxed with Reba, and challenged Ryder. Diva walks up the the flock like she owns it. Reba has more eye and is a bit softer and stickier so they are slower to move off her. And Ryder, my darling little fellow, lacks confidence. He began barking at the faced up sheep. You could see he was intimidated. Once I helped him get the sheep moving he was wonderful. He has such natural balance and rate. But, I will sit him out for another month or so before trying him again. I want him to be more mature and confident when I start training him. Diva was such a serious little worker, she will be getting more. I'll watch her carefully, and keep sessions short and fun. Unless she tells me she's not ready to work, she'll be entering the training program.
It's funny how the dogs are the same and different all at the same time. Tonight I have someone coming to work sheep, so hopefully I'll get some good working shots, or even a video or two.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Into The Cloud
Monday morning, I was up bright and early to go meet Lynn (and Zoey) to head off to Drayton Valley. Lynn was getting a lesson from Ken, and Zoey was getting her first work on sheep. I had my two pups as well. The further west we drove, the darker the sky got. An hour out, it was raining pretty hard. Praying to the rain gods wasn't helping slow it down any. I had dressed for an overcast, maybe drizzle kind of day. Not pouring down rain kind of day. Gritting my teeth I cowboyed up and prepared to get wet. And cold. Sounds fun doesn't it?
I had forgotten how long Ken takes to prepare a new handler and dog (neither Lynn nor Zoey had ever worked sheep before). There I am shifting from foot to foot, huddled in my hoodie and absolutely miserable. I could feel cold tendrils of water dripping down my neck and arm. Fabulous. Finally, after what felt like forever we moved into the corral. Lynn and I moved into the empty bale feeder and Ken took out Zoey. She was awesome! I was so impressed I was jealous. Ken was able to get nice balanced circles in both directions, a lie down, a that'll do and and a return to nice quality work. This is a lot for a pup to show in their first work. Normally it's rather wild and erratic. He was impressed with the quality of the dog. Lucky Lynn. She has a nice dog for her first working trial dog. She'll be heading up north (St. Paul) for a two day clinic with Ken in June. She has some homework to help her out. Once she's finished the clinic, we'll do dog works two or three nights a week to get her going.
I pulled Diva out of the truck next. By this point in time I was a walking, talking icicle. To give testament as to how cold it was, Diva was shivering. Diva has been driving me nuts, trying to work anything that crosses her path - be it bikes, kids, birds or geese. She'll dive into ponds to try and chase and herd. I'm trying not to give her trouble because I know she's just trying to work. But it's not fun and a wee bit frustrating. For this reason, I've decided it's time to start her. This would be her second work on sheep. And she was great. This is an amazingly confident little dog. She circled both directions nicely. When it came time to try for a lie down she decided if I wouldn't let her work that she'd bugger off. So it will take some work getting her to work for me and not just for herself. But she showed some really nice things. She showed a willingness and ability to rate and read the sheep. She was fairly balanced, if a bit tight on her come bye direction, and has a natural balance to the away to me side. I have some things I need to work on (like getting a solid lie down off stock), but she was so serious, she showed me she really wanted to work. That she was ready for some training. This was not "fun" for her, this was an important job she wanted to do well.
Returning her to the truck, Ken asked for Ryder. And being the ice cube, I suggested not today. He pressed until I pulled off my gloves to show my bright red fingers. While not the wonderful day I had planned, it was still fun to work. I know what I need to work on, and I have a plan.
Reba and Diva will be getting some regular work over the next little while. Ryder can grow up a bit more.
I had forgotten how long Ken takes to prepare a new handler and dog (neither Lynn nor Zoey had ever worked sheep before). There I am shifting from foot to foot, huddled in my hoodie and absolutely miserable. I could feel cold tendrils of water dripping down my neck and arm. Fabulous. Finally, after what felt like forever we moved into the corral. Lynn and I moved into the empty bale feeder and Ken took out Zoey. She was awesome! I was so impressed I was jealous. Ken was able to get nice balanced circles in both directions, a lie down, a that'll do and and a return to nice quality work. This is a lot for a pup to show in their first work. Normally it's rather wild and erratic. He was impressed with the quality of the dog. Lucky Lynn. She has a nice dog for her first working trial dog. She'll be heading up north (St. Paul) for a two day clinic with Ken in June. She has some homework to help her out. Once she's finished the clinic, we'll do dog works two or three nights a week to get her going.
I pulled Diva out of the truck next. By this point in time I was a walking, talking icicle. To give testament as to how cold it was, Diva was shivering. Diva has been driving me nuts, trying to work anything that crosses her path - be it bikes, kids, birds or geese. She'll dive into ponds to try and chase and herd. I'm trying not to give her trouble because I know she's just trying to work. But it's not fun and a wee bit frustrating. For this reason, I've decided it's time to start her. This would be her second work on sheep. And she was great. This is an amazingly confident little dog. She circled both directions nicely. When it came time to try for a lie down she decided if I wouldn't let her work that she'd bugger off. So it will take some work getting her to work for me and not just for herself. But she showed some really nice things. She showed a willingness and ability to rate and read the sheep. She was fairly balanced, if a bit tight on her come bye direction, and has a natural balance to the away to me side. I have some things I need to work on (like getting a solid lie down off stock), but she was so serious, she showed me she really wanted to work. That she was ready for some training. This was not "fun" for her, this was an important job she wanted to do well.
Returning her to the truck, Ken asked for Ryder. And being the ice cube, I suggested not today. He pressed until I pulled off my gloves to show my bright red fingers. While not the wonderful day I had planned, it was still fun to work. I know what I need to work on, and I have a plan.
Reba and Diva will be getting some regular work over the next little while. Ryder can grow up a bit more.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
New Addition
We have a new addition to the farm! One of the office staff at work has two ewes. One ended up getting mastitis. And after trying to work, and keep the little gaffer alive, we came to an agreement. My dad has decided to take the little fellow under his wing and bottle feed him. Barb was calling him Kyle, but I'm not so sure Kyle is a name I'm going to keep. Cute little fart! Closing in on two weeks old in this picture. Bella is in love and taking her guardian responsibilities very seriously.
Herpes Outbreak
The barns up here have shut their doors. They are limiting movement and if you dare remove your horse, they won't accept it back. Why? There has been verified cases of Equine Herpes Virus. This is a highly contagious and often fatal disease for horses that has limited treatment and prevention options. Please read the copied letter for information on the disease and some background on the outbreak. And if you are a horse owner in the Western States or Provinces - perhaps it's best to leave your horse at home for the next few weeks. You know the saying - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...
Here's the copied letter (off Facebook.)
As shown below, the neurological version IS EHV-1 (aka EHM): (For those interested, the Flu/Rhino vaccine we give protects against EHV-4. To my knowledge, there is no vaccine for EHV-1.)
Message sent to AAEP DVM Members in the U.S. and Canada on May 16, 2011
Currently, there are reports of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) affecting an unconfirmed number of horses in the U.S. and Canada. This outbreak appears related to initial cases at a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, which was held from April 29 - May 8. Horses at that event may have been exposed to this virus and subsequently spread the infection to other horses. While the true extent of this disease outbreak is uncertain, there is clearly a very significant elevated risk of EHM cases at this time. At this time control of the outbreak is critically dependent on biosecurity.
Laboratory submission of nasal swabs and whole blood samples collected from the exposed horse can be utilized for virus detection and isolation. Please consider testing any suspected cases.
The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse but typically only causes neurological disease sporadically. However, in an outbreak of EHV-1 neurologic such as we are experiencing now, the disease can reach high morbidity and case fatality rates. The incubation period of EHV-1 infection is typically 1-2-days, with clinical signs of fever then occurring, often in a biphasic fever, over the following 10 days. When neurological disease occurs it is typically 8-12 days after the primary infection, starting often after the second fever spike. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs may include: nasal discharge, incoordination, hind end weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone. Prognosis depends on severity of signs and the period of recumbency. There is no specific treatment for EHV-1, although antiviral drugs (i.e. valacyclovire) may have some value before neurological signs occur. Non-specific treatment may i nclude intravenous fluids, and other appropriate supportive therapy; the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is strongly recommended. Currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurological strain of the virus.
Horse-to-horse contact, aerosol transmission, and contaminated hands, equipment, tack, and feed all play a role in disease spread. However, horses with severe clinical signs of neurological EHV-1 infection are thought to have large viral loads in their blood and nasal secretions and therefore, present the greatest danger for spreading the disease. Immediate separation and isolation of identified suspect cases and implementation of appropriate biosecurity measures are key elements for disease control.
Please report any confirmed EHV/EHM cases or suspect EHV/EHM cases to your state/provincial animal health department as soon as possible.
For additional questions, please contact Keith Kleine, AAEP director of industry relations, at (800) 443-0177 or kkleine@aaep.org.
Sincerely,
William Moyer, DVM
2011 AAEP President
Message sent to AAEP DVM Members in the U.S. and Canada on May 16, 2011
Currently, there are reports of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) affecting an unconfirmed number of horses in the U.S. and Canada. This outbreak appears related to initial cases at a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, which was held from April 29 - May 8. Horses at that event may have been exposed to this virus and subsequently spread the infection to other horses. While the true extent of this disease outbreak is uncertain, there is clearly a very significant elevated risk of EHM cases at this time. At this time control of the outbreak is critically dependent on biosecurity.
Laboratory submission of nasal swabs and whole blood samples collected from the exposed horse can be utilized for virus detection and isolation. Please consider testing any suspected cases.
The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse but typically only causes neurological disease sporadically. However, in an outbreak of EHV-1 neurologic such as we are experiencing now, the disease can reach high morbidity and case fatality rates. The incubation period of EHV-1 infection is typically 1-2-days, with clinical signs of fever then occurring, often in a biphasic fever, over the following 10 days. When neurological disease occurs it is typically 8-12 days after the primary infection, starting often after the second fever spike. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs may include: nasal discharge, incoordination, hind end weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone. Prognosis depends on severity of signs and the period of recumbency. There is no specific treatment for EHV-1, although antiviral drugs (i.e. valacyclovire) may have some value before neurological signs occur. Non-specific treatment may i nclude intravenous fluids, and other appropriate supportive therapy; the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is strongly recommended. Currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurological strain of the virus.
Horse-to-horse contact, aerosol transmission, and contaminated hands, equipment, tack, and feed all play a role in disease spread. However, horses with severe clinical signs of neurological EHV-1 infection are thought to have large viral loads in their blood and nasal secretions and therefore, present the greatest danger for spreading the disease. Immediate separation and isolation of identified suspect cases and implementation of appropriate biosecurity measures are key elements for disease control.
Please report any confirmed EHV/EHM cases or suspect EHV/EHM cases to your state/provincial animal health department as soon as possible.
For additional questions, please contact Keith Kleine, AAEP director of industry relations, at (800) 443-0177 or kkleine@aaep.org.
Sincerely,
William Moyer, DVM
2011 AAEP President
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Soul Saturday
Have you ever had one of those days when everything seems right? When you feel like bursting at the seems you are so content? Today was a hair off a perfect day for me. It was a day that fed my soul.
It began with my normal 6:30 routine. Get up, potty the dogs, feed dogs, sheep and horse. The bonus began at around 7:00 when I went back to bed!!!! It was golden! I slept until about 10:30. Let's face it, my schedule rarely allows for sleep ins, and when I am one happy camper!
After a leisurely breakfast, and once the paper was read, I laced up my runners (which I have not done for a very, very long time), gathered up the Borders and went for a run. While it was rather windy out, the sun was shining and that is something to never take for granted! It was amazing. I had two dogs heeling on one side, one on the other. And all on leash! (Tessa opted to remain home in the yard.) They were all well behaved and had excellent leash manners. I felt like a superstar. I was being pretty careful taking walk breaks because the babies and I aren't used to running on pavement and I don't want any injuries. (My vet cleared 30 minute runs with them.) Normally I use my iPod as a crutch, but today (with ear still ouchy) I ran and just enjoyed the time with my pack.
Next, I refueled with a protein shake, collected up Reba and went and worked sheep. I've been out to Ken's a few times working on some issues with her. And we're back to feeling good as a team. It never fails to astound me how much difference a little good coaching can do. I was able to get my timing right and saw an immediate improvement. I also learned Reba's lack of rate was directly linked to her slicing her Come Bye flank. It was like magic seeing how quickly and easily some of these problems disappeared.
With Reba worked, I did some leash work with the pups in the park. Ryder was a happy little fellow and is showing great strides in his ability to stay focused with distractions around us. Diva came with me to the barn where she exhibited wonderful manners with strange sights and sounds. Returning home, both pups got some playtime while I had a snack.
My evening involved meeting with my mom and sister-in-law to have dinner, followed by the ballet. We had a delicious meal, with an equally delicious desert (S'Mores = yum!) And the ballet was amazing. One of the best I've ever seen. One of the best shows period, that I've ever seen. It gave me chills and brought a tear to my eye. The dedication, training and athleticism is phenomenal. I love the passion these people brought to the stage.
It was hands down, an excellent day. The only thing missing was a ride (still grounded due to ear issues.) Then it would have been a perfect day. As it was, it was a day that fed my soul. That brought me joy. And that made me believe I'm finally, finally coming out of my self-imposed hibernation. (Yes Jeanne, I just may feel like putting on make-up, wearing a fancy dress, sitting amongst adults with a glass of wine.)
Here's to feeding your soul!
Friday, May 13, 2011
How Strange
One of my published posts just went "poof"! As in it's gone. Vanished. How strange is that??
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Puppy for Sale
Remember Nick? The man who bought Grace, had Grace die, and then I found a replacement pup for? Well, he called last night asking if I could find the new pup a new home. Apparently she's too friendly. Trying to keep the WTF out of my voice, asked what she was doing to try and get a clearer picture.
It seems she's really drawn to people. She runs up to any one and every one. Even if it means leaving the yard and running down the road to a nearby baseball diamond. He commented that it's too much work to always tie them up. Sigh. Only in farmer world would a friendly dog be a problem.
Anyhow, long story short - he wants to sell her for her purchase price of $500. When I had her at my place (at 8 weeks) she was very, very confident, bold even, and had a tremendous play drive. This pup would be my pick as an agility dog! She is a very traditional looking pup. Her breeding makes her a 3/4 sister to Reba. (Same mother, different father - with father's being half brothers.) Comes with ABCA papers.
Let me know if you are interested or know of someone who would be interested.
It seems she's really drawn to people. She runs up to any one and every one. Even if it means leaving the yard and running down the road to a nearby baseball diamond. He commented that it's too much work to always tie them up. Sigh. Only in farmer world would a friendly dog be a problem.
Anyhow, long story short - he wants to sell her for her purchase price of $500. When I had her at my place (at 8 weeks) she was very, very confident, bold even, and had a tremendous play drive. This pup would be my pick as an agility dog! She is a very traditional looking pup. Her breeding makes her a 3/4 sister to Reba. (Same mother, different father - with father's being half brothers.) Comes with ABCA papers.
Let me know if you are interested or know of someone who would be interested.
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