Investing in the Future

[@norwalfarm]

Meg is a grand looking girl, very keen! A few suggestions. She has the interest and the power but does not have a "handle", she doesn't listen. This may be a result of her experiences with her previous owner. If she were mine, I would go back to the very beginning and teach her the basic commands. Sit, lie down, walk on, etc. and all this would be on a line/lead. I would not let her see a sheep for a good while. Once she is responding well on line, I would then keep her on line and go out into the field where she can see sheep (a distraction) and continue the on line training until she is consistent. Dogs to not generalize commands. So, when you train a command, let's say "sit", you start in an area with no distractions (perhaps in the barn without sheep). Then you go outside with a few distractions, then perhaps out by the road with traffic as a distraction, and then perhaps in the yard with children running and shouting. Finally, you go out by the pasture by the sheep, not in the field and then finally go into the field with the sheep. You train the command in at least 4 or 5 different setting with increasing distractions and eventually Meg realizes that "sit" means "sit" in all situations. If she backslides a bit, then you go back to the previous location with less distractions and work again until she is good then move on up. Also, give the command once and then follow through to make sure she does the command. Repetitive commands teaches the dog to ignore you. Tell her once and then follow through for her to demonstrate the command. Also, "stay" is an unnecessary command. "Sit" means sit until you decide it is time for her to move on. She does not get to decide when "sit" is done. Same with "lie down". She should remain so until told to "walk on", etc. She has to be consistent on lead until you even consider going off lead. At any time she regresses, go back to the previous level. Once you decide to show her sheep off lead, I would have the sheep in a round pen, say 6 to 8 meters diameter, so the sheep can move away but she cannot get to them. Have a very long line, 8 meters, and let it trail behind her. If she does not listen, then you can grab the line and have control and reinforce the command she missed. Once she is handling sheep in the pen well, then I would move onto a small group free perhaps inside your shed or a very small paddock with her on long line first and then offline. Once she is good there then progress to larger paddock and perhaps more sheep. (Goes back to increasing the distractions and training the same commands in multiple locations until she generalizes the work at hand). I realize this is a very slow process but, in her case, I think she was allowed to form bad habits, and these will be hard to overcome. Bad habits/behaviors are not forgotten, they are replaced with new ones /new training. And remember, when dogs get confused, they go back to the behavior that worked originally so she may go back to bad habits, and you may have to reinforce the new training (even go back on lead from time to time). Meg appears to be a wonderful dog but she looks to be a handful. She will be worth all the time and effort you have to put forth. Good luck!

[@TifJones-p8s]

Get those lambs weighted David - work out what can go now thats in the paddocks, what needs a week or 2 in the shed to go to the factory and what needs more time - colour code them by weight (20-30 30-40 40-50 kgs) so you know how to shed them off as one lot goes to the factory, so it is not a full reweigh each time you have them in their groups, even if they are all in the same paddock together easy to shed off it they are coloured coded. Make hay $$$ while the sun shines

[@daniellesunley4807]

I found Emma Gray’s patreon membership a huge help in learning how to train my dogs. If she is interested in the sheep she has potential. My young dog tends to go in like a bullet out of a gun. He gets them into a corner then doesn’t know what to do next. But given time and work he will be good.

[@LyndonWard-rz1fg]

Nice to see the main man has landed he looks well

[@DeirdreHickey-nx8nt]

Hi David and Robbie, Enya might feel very well but she sure is very vocal and helpful today. All business 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@llamarama111]

Haha David, we had a red kelpie who must have thought his name was “come back you bl👀dy mongrel” because before we could stop the utility he’d be off and round the sheep. He was fast and somehow we got the job done but we had no control. He was a good snake dog too. Good luck with Meg.

[@adamsharkey2360]

Just a tip when starting off working you let her off the leash and gave her a come bye and she rang straight at them, rather than doing that keep her stopped and you go half way between her and the sheep and then give her the come bye while you get to the sheep also, it will start her outrun it’s how I start them all here

[@patmcgowan442]

I really enjoy watching your videos 😊😊😊😊😊

[@kierancooney5663]

Your correct no lambs coming in from Scotland and England .getting the lambs in of the fields and house over 40 kgs is a plan that necessary and hopefully rewarding 29:18

[@DaneOHara-e8f]

Great video. Need more fabrication content. Love to see you make up a steel frame shed 👍

[@davidirvine4515]

Simple put paw in collar makes her not as confident and tired quicker so you have time to get on top of her and slow her down and get her to sit and keep her listening to you if she listen she will do anything

[@paddy294]

Cracking video as always. Keep up the good work lad

[@TifJones-p8s]

David you asked for help and recorded yourself showing everyone warts and all - I think if you are having the training problem with Meg then Pups might have the same problem to many commands with no clear direction - Pups is a softer dog than Meg - different dogs for different situations - Pups when there are lambs about - Meg for the rams and adult ewes - You might have to give Pups additional training as you learn more as well - We are always learning throughout our lives, we never stop

[@user-qj2ge5hz4d]

If you get Meg trained up will Robbie get the P45. He wasn't that good in the mud last year 😂😂

[@Krypton-jx4zg]

Spread lime across in the pens - agrical ( no dust ) keep feet right .

[@paulnewman2115]

Another great video 👍

[@3boysbees]

Good job.... I think the best dog will be the one you work the most....

[@jimmy.....9446]

You’re a bit harsh on Pops many of farmers would be glad to have her

[@PatriciaDavenport-yz6ti]

Would these not be better to take these to the mart?

[@gerrymulligan2602]

Ya get Christmas out that room good video as usually

[@jamesmccullagh8212]

Get the sheep and meg in a round pen, or keep meg outside the pen. Keep her on a long line. Good luck with her. It will help with control

[@kylekiernan9915]

Would you have gotten on better in the mart with them heavy lambs?

[@gerrymulligan2602]

Good man himself

[@stephenp2980]

You could be better in the mart with those over fit lambs. Great stock

[@EweTubeIreland]

You didn’t seem to do much wrong with her there, maybe just let her off a bit closer to the sheep but bar that I didn’t see much wrong. Putting sides on her and getting her to stop and come back are your first steps generally. Then again I’m no expert either. 😂

[@LyndonWard-rz1fg]

Great Irish farmer

[@johnhughes6472]

Did you think of processing the heavy lambs to sell to family and friends or on the web 👍🏻💰🐑

[@kierancooney5663]

What is ave daily weight gain on what amount of meal per day.

[@bannixtownlimousins199]

Them heavy lambs are ideal for butchers, land those to the mart?!

[@EdwardBrady-ls6up]

Butchers wouldn't want ram lambs this time of year.

[@mromahony2070]

Wonder you didn't go to the mart and not get penalised in the factory.

[@EmmaBurke-e4d]

Hi

[@paulcallaghan9953]

Would mart be better for overweight lambs ?

[@ShapeAndCattle]

I do find with those killing lambs way over the weight you get better money letting them fight for them in the mart. No 23kgs there.

[@EdwardBrady-ls6up]

Hard to get it right .u want to weigh every two weeks.

[@IorraisDaraFarm]

I think pops is a fine dog David. You can be a little harsh on her as she's better than a lot of "good" dogs out there. The new dog will settle with loads of work once you get sides on her. Mine was strong willed too but a few hard days in a row quietened her.

[@liamrea4885]

I wouldnt b giving away free meat to the factory with them over weight lambs go to mart u get paid for every kg