anoki
Well-Known Member
As most of you know I breed, train and show Cardigan Welsh Corgis. For those that don't know, Corgis are herding dogs-cattle dogs to be exact. So, what better to get into, than something the dogs were actually bred to do in the first place!!
I tracked down a herding trainer not too far from me....and got some lessons last summer (THREE to be precise). Delilah had quite a bit of training while she was in Illinois on her show 'holiday' for almost 5 months, but she had NO training with me.
As the time drew nearer to the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America's National Specialty, I debated long and hard about whether to enter any of the girls in herding...but I soooooooo wanted to! The owner of the kennel where Delilah had been talked me into entering Moxie, Delilah AND Lainey, so I did....hoping I'd be able to get to at least ONE training session before Nationals. They were entered in Herding Tested which is the first level of herding titled classes.
The beginning of April came very quickly, and still no luck (due to weather) getting any training in....at least not on sheep. I had been using the minis to do a bit of training here at home...worked great with Lainey and Moxie, but Delilah would NOT do anything!
April 23 had me packed and on my way (with 5 dogs!!) to Gettysburg, PA for the National. It was a very, very early morning the next day, for the 2 hour trek to the herding venue....with me saying the entire way, what the h**l am I doing. I had NEVER been in a herding trial before....and my 'support' was not able to come at the last minute...
Lainey was first, and she was a very good girl...though she forgot most of what I had taught her once she saw sheep again....which was my concern about training with the horses. The judge was VERY helpful! Moxie was second, and I was thankful that she wasn't the first one I'd taken out....she is quite the wicked herding dog (check out the sheep 'surfing' thanks to her in the pictures below!!). Delilah was the last of the 3 and was perfect!
I was quite shocked, but all 3 qualified for one 'leg' toward their Herding Tested title!!!!
Next day, back for more lol only this time it was raining! Again all 3 qualified to earn their Herding Tested (HT) title!!!
:yeah
The fellow competitors were very supportive on BOTH days....some thought I was crazy entering 3 HT dogs, but when they watched them run, everyone had very positive comments on them! Both judges LOVED Moxie on the sheep, but I definitely need to get more training on her before we move up!!! Well, that goes for all of them....but I was glad that I entered them!
Here are some pictures from the 'fun'...and also their 'title' pictures!
Lainey herding
Now known as Esrohollow Plain White Ts (Am) HT CGC
Moxie herding (and me sheep 'surfing')
Now known as AOM Can CH Finnshavn Bubble Gum Moxie (Am/Can) RN (Am) HT CGC (and not the best picture.....but 2 out of 3 ain't bad....)
Delilah herding
Now known as BP.ISS Can CH Esrohollow Hey There Delilah (Am) HT (and completely OUT OF COAT!!!!!)
Thanks for letting me brag
This was the best thing that has happened this year so far....and I hope it isn't the last!
~kathryn
I tracked down a herding trainer not too far from me....and got some lessons last summer (THREE to be precise). Delilah had quite a bit of training while she was in Illinois on her show 'holiday' for almost 5 months, but she had NO training with me.
As the time drew nearer to the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America's National Specialty, I debated long and hard about whether to enter any of the girls in herding...but I soooooooo wanted to! The owner of the kennel where Delilah had been talked me into entering Moxie, Delilah AND Lainey, so I did....hoping I'd be able to get to at least ONE training session before Nationals. They were entered in Herding Tested which is the first level of herding titled classes.
The beginning of April came very quickly, and still no luck (due to weather) getting any training in....at least not on sheep. I had been using the minis to do a bit of training here at home...worked great with Lainey and Moxie, but Delilah would NOT do anything!
April 23 had me packed and on my way (with 5 dogs!!) to Gettysburg, PA for the National. It was a very, very early morning the next day, for the 2 hour trek to the herding venue....with me saying the entire way, what the h**l am I doing. I had NEVER been in a herding trial before....and my 'support' was not able to come at the last minute...
Lainey was first, and she was a very good girl...though she forgot most of what I had taught her once she saw sheep again....which was my concern about training with the horses. The judge was VERY helpful! Moxie was second, and I was thankful that she wasn't the first one I'd taken out....she is quite the wicked herding dog (check out the sheep 'surfing' thanks to her in the pictures below!!). Delilah was the last of the 3 and was perfect!
Next day, back for more lol only this time it was raining! Again all 3 qualified to earn their Herding Tested (HT) title!!!
The fellow competitors were very supportive on BOTH days....some thought I was crazy entering 3 HT dogs, but when they watched them run, everyone had very positive comments on them! Both judges LOVED Moxie on the sheep, but I definitely need to get more training on her before we move up!!! Well, that goes for all of them....but I was glad that I entered them!
Here are some pictures from the 'fun'...and also their 'title' pictures!
Lainey herding
Now known as Esrohollow Plain White Ts (Am) HT CGC
Moxie herding (and me sheep 'surfing')
Now known as AOM Can CH Finnshavn Bubble Gum Moxie (Am/Can) RN (Am) HT CGC (and not the best picture.....but 2 out of 3 ain't bad....)
Delilah herding
Now known as BP.ISS Can CH Esrohollow Hey There Delilah (Am) HT (and completely OUT OF COAT!!!!!)
Thanks for letting me brag
~kathryn
