Two of Rusty’s boys attended a Cathy Hartley herding clinic this weekend. By all accounts, Chase and Ruger represented our Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd bloodline well.
Here’s a note from the clinic:
You would have loved to have watched Chase and Ruger today at the herding clinic with Cathy Hartley!!!! It was Chase’s very first time on sheep. This is large flock probably 15 sheep. He was wonderful!! Some excellent circling to gather them towards you, no aggression toward the stock and a great work ethic!! This was Ruger’s third time seeing sheep first time large flock. That little boy kicked butt!! Not only did he understand to start circling to gather them he also had a natural change of direction from handler’s body position. He also started doing some wearing to have the stock follow the Handler!! With wearing they have to respond quickly to your body for change of direction in order to stay behind the stock and have them move in a straight line toward the handler who is at the same time moving across the arena. These are going to be some wonderful teams!
Caroline Betts, Middle Tree Farm
