We rotationally graze at the farm, limiting the grazing in each pasture to two or three hours at a time. We let the animals into a different field daily to preserve the grass until the winter. Otherwise, it would all be eaten down.
The animals get from five to six hours of grazing time a day. When I was alone on the farm, I took a dog out and carried a large walking stick, and the dog barked and circled the animals, and I yelled and waved my stick around and told the dog to get them moving.
If they balked or ignored me, I would wave the stick, make a lot of noise, and excite the dog. He would bark and get behind them and force them to move. Rose booked no-nonsense; if the sheep didn’t move, they would get a nip on the nose.
Red was the same way.
Maria does it differently. She politely asks the animals to leave, and they usually do. Today, they rebelled a bit – they love the fresh grass, and she had to walk out a second time. This time it worked. She said it is because she meant it, and the animals sense when that is the case.
When she waved her arms, they all came rushing out, led by the donkeys, who never wanted any trouble. It’s a revelation to me that you don’t need a herding dog for a small flock like this.
Your sheepdogs BARKED at the sheep? They’re never supposed to do that, or even to want to do that. You taught those poor dogs terrible habits! Shouting and barking to move a handful of sheep from here to there. Good grief!
Dave, get lost please…too pompous for me and I could care less..Good grief indeed.
Omg, Monday morning dog trainers. What has this world come to?
I wish I could be more patient with social media assholes, but I can’t..I had five herding dogs I trained, we worked sheep every day and won five trial ribbons..Every dog I ever had barked from time to time, as did every one of the dogs I trialed with..Social media is not a place for truth or reality…Dave needs to find something useful to do with his time..
I grew up in west Texas cattle country, with a few sheep and goat farms, too, and in the real world of herding, you will hear dogs bark and see them grip, which they aren’t supposed to do in trials, and they are fantastic at getting the job done. From border collies to cattle dogs to kelpies and mixes of any of the above. Yep, Dave needs to get a life – good grief, indeed!
What a gorgeous piece of property. My God.
We are lucky
You need a herding human – not dog.
That’s the nice thing about being on a manageable size ” spread”.
I live in an apartment with a cat and a dog. I still say, ‘ I’m gonna feed the livestock ( meaning the cat and dog). And I call my apartment the 800 foot spread. Gotta dream!
Cynthia Smith, Your post was delightful! It was a one paragraph shot story. I smile thinking of you and your “cattle” on a 800 foot spread.
May we all be as satisfied.
What command do you use to get Maria to move your animals? Do you have to yell?
I don’t know what command she uses…I don’t think she say sa word..
So happy that u are telling the anal pore trolls to blow it out their ass.
Thank you it’s pleasure