The Zen Pen

To start any herding session with a green dog, bring the dog in on lead and make him do a sit just inside the gate while you close it.  Train it to where it is automatic.  Never let him get away with breaking the stay.  Your dog must understand that he works sheep only on your command.  Then, walk him up to the sheep. Your dog must be walking on a loose lead. Correct him for pulling. Never let him get away with pulling on the leash. Then have him do another sit.  Unleash him, then give him a general work command such as "watch your sheep" and go work the sheep.  Never let him break this stay either.  If you find him breaking as soon as the leash is off, affix a long line to the collar (preferably a pinch collar, correctly fitted to be "comfortably snug" – never ever use a loose pinch collar!) as well as the leash.  The other end of the long line is tied to the fence or held by a helper.  Position the dog so there's a few feet of slack in the line, but not enough to allow the dog to reach the sheep.  When you remove the leash and the dog breaks, he will correct himself. If he starts to figure this out, tie him with a really light line such as that used for Venetian blinds instead of a heavy long line. Don’t worry that your dog can’t work stock while attached to the fence. Working out the problem is more important than working livestock. Don’t skip steps in the training, it will show in the product.

A super excitable dog may have to be settled by taking it on a leash inside a small pen containing sheep. You walk the dog around the pen on a LEASH (not a long line).  Walk slowly, make dog sit frequently and hold the stays for at least 15 sec, if not much longer.  This is an exercise in calmness.  Think Zen. Talk softly, praise gently.  Pet your dog gently when it is stopped. Although the dog is not actually working livestock, it is being taught how to act around livestock. For some dogs, they need this at the start of each training session. For the really excitable dogs, this will be their entire session for many sessions. Some will think this foolish to not let the dog move livestock, but when you finally get to that point you will have a controllable dog, which you wouldn’t have had before.

It is important when you do these exercises that you stay on the edge of contact with the stock. If you go too close in to the stock, both the dog and stock will get to excited and that will be counter productive. Walk half circles around the stock at first, with the stock staying mostly stationary. Stay far enough off that your movements is not making the stock move. Only when your dog is reliably maintaining a loose lead will you begin to move the stock. Slowly walk behind them with your dog still on the leash. We are still trying to maintain calmness. Insist on a loose lead as you move the stock as you do when walking the dog around still livestock. Always correct with for the least bit of tension on the leash.

Always correct for the least bit of tension on the leash. Always means not just in the Zen Pen, but whenever your dog is on a leash. Always insist on a loose leash, and you will have a better relationship overall And then he will never be a pain when on a leash. Always correct with a quick jerk and release. Never with an extended counter pull on your part.

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