Unbroke – unaccustomed to being worked by dogs
Broke – Accustomed to being worked by good stock dogs. Stock that have learned that they are safe as long as they obey the commands of the dog. They have learned dogs are to be respected, but not feared. When you dog-break stock, you used the dog to train stock to respond a certain way when the dog sends a certain signal to the stock. I should note here that the sets of rules the livestock are taught can differ. English-style herding and German-style herding teach the stock diametrically opposite sets of rules to be followed. When one talks about conditioning stock for C course or about using trained stock for it, the point being made is that the stock need to be broken to the appropriate set of rules.
Velcro – Stock accustomed to being overworked by hard pushing, over excited or otherwise poorly trained dogs while in the presence of a handler who is capable of creating a zone around himself or herself in which the stock are protected from the dog. In this situation, the stock learns to cling tightly (like Velcro) to the handler. Velcro sheep are good for starting dogs on because they aren’t going to ping pong around the pen creating a lot of problems. You need good control on the stock in order to get control on the dog. Because the stock are merely clinging to the handler and not truly responding to control cues from the dog, when you work Velcro sheep, you are not truly herding. Nonetheless, they can be used to start the foundation on a dog and later advance it to good broke stock.
Sour - #1 - Stock accustomed to being overworked by hard pushing, over excited, cheap shotting, or otherwise poorly trained dogs while in the presence of a handler who fails to create a zone around himself or herself in which the stock are protected from the dog. Stock are in total (and justified) fear of dogs. They tend to have really large flight zones. Sour stock are a sign of a bad trainer/instructor.
Sour - #2 - Stock accustomed to being worked by poorly talented dogs with poor covering ability. The stock learn to slip off of dogs and develop all sorts of frustrating habits having to do with outwitting dogs.
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