BevLive: dog training heaven

Yesterday

Got up this morning to a nearly flat tire on the camper. I blew it up with my handy-dandy little compressor. Stopped several times during the day to check the air and it seems to be holding. I wonder where the air goes?

Really hot out here, almost 100 degrees driving through Minnesota and South Dakota. I arrived at the Boudreau's at about 5:00. 95 degrees, but just as beautiful as ever. They have had a ton of rain after a big snow cover, so the grass and sweet clover are really green and tall. The sweet clover is almost waist high. A big change from the first year I came here during the drought and the grass was all dead and about two inches tall. Got the camper set up and did a little visiting. Nice to get where you're going and to see old friends again.

Today

Bud is a real early riser, so by the time I got up at 6:00 he was out on his young filly and had most of his dogs worked. I got to see several nice youngsters though. Tried to take one home with me, but no luck. He has three under a year and they all look quite nice.

Took my guys and six sheep out to the north side of the ranch buildings. Drove the sheep out about 600  yards with Mirk and then sent Hemp after them. Clueless. He ended up about 1000 yards away on the south side of the ranch. After four outruns he finally managed to find the sheep. Fortunately, there is plenty of water in the pond so I could cool him off after each of his stupid outruns. Poor guy, between the hills and the tall grass and a poor sense of direction he was really struggling. Once he finally got the sheep I moved them over about 200 yards and sent Mirk. Much better. Then I worked Esther. Only sent her about 300 yards, which is plenty big for her level of training. No problem, found the sheep and brought them very well. Did a little driving and again tried to get her stopping a bit better. She sure can be stubborn.

Sheep wandered off, and I tried sending Hemp for them. They were about 600 yards off in a new direction. Lost again.  Poor Hemp, he likes a 300-yard outrun with a fence all the way around it. We'll have to get that fixed before Meeker or he'll never even get to the sheep.

Bud has a pasture full of sheep for me to practice on and 200 acres of beautiful outrun,s so I'm back out to work my dogs some more. I don't have phone service here. So I'm taking my photos, and I'll send them on to Heather when I have service and we can add them to the blog. Happily it has cooled off and clouded up, so I think I can get the dogs out several times today. This is sure dog training heaven.