last updated: 6-13-10
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Red merle w/c & w 6/25/06 21″ 48# ASCA, AKC |
Canine Good Citizen AKC Tracking Dog AHBA Herding Capability Tested-sheep APDT Rally Level 1 with Award of Excellence APDT Rally Level 2 with Award of Excellence ASCA Tracking Dog APDT Champion (minimum trials) APDT Level 1 Champion APDT Level 2 Champion APDT Rally Champion Excellent High Combined APDT Level 1 at RCCU High Combined APDT Level 2 at RCCU ASCA Companion Dog AKC Companion Dog |
Mar 07 April 07 July 07 March 08 Sept 08 Oct 08 Feb 09 March 09 April 09 April 09 April 09 April 09 May 09 June 10 |
Joe is getting handsome. He’s filling out, growing an adult coat, and settling down quite a bit. He’s a lean mean muscle machine who spends his free time trying to be first, fastest, or the only one with all the (fill in the blank). His very colorful coat causes some comment from the general public. He’s a (energetic, easy-going, suicidally curious) goofball who is always smiling…my husband says tings like, “Um, I think your dog’s a stoner” and calls him “Satchel”.
In spite of being a goofball, he’s also smart. I mean he catches on really fast. He learned a 20ft “stay” in the course of doodling around in a one hour class. That’s it. Once he understood he just stayed, even on sheep. He’s not a natural retriever, but he caught on to my “bring it” games with Mesa by watching us and butting in to do it before she could. Now he does it on cue just like Mesa. Joe devotes his entire being to whatever we’re doing.
Joe is a driven and accurate deep-nosed tracker. Tracking was our puppy game to work his brain & body gently, while building our teamwork, and his ability to work away from me. Instead of a dangerous game of fetch, we go tracking. Fetching, Joe-style, involves repeatedly throwing himself at the ground at full speed, then returning with the toy…and dirt in his teeth, a bloody tongue, and grass stains on his wrists & elbows.
We train on sheep much less often than I would like. He has sustained interest and a lot of drive, but I haven’t had much guidance training with him. Then there’s the whole adolescent personality thing….when we do get to go out in the field, I’m never sure if I’ll get the wound-up, round-pen butthead, or a real young sheepdog. When he’s settled, he naturally works wide and is very responsive with a nice stop and a call off.
Joe’s doing formal obedience & rally training (he’s almost ready for level 3 APDT rally and open obedience) and basic agility. I held off on the obedience & agility until recently to keep from interfering with introductory herding since it seemed to cause confusion for Mesa. But he really needed more to do. Have I mentioned his drive?
Joe’s First Sheep
Joe’s Baby Pictures
Joe’s Brother, Djairo
Joe’s Brother, Duncan
Joe’s Sister, Inda
Joe’s Sister, Pippin
Thank you Gemi & Eric @ Imagineer
