My first dog, Tell, was the perfect first dog. I bought him at 10 months of age from Abe Marshall, who had already given him a good start. Tell was natural, kind to stock, and wonderfully tolerant of a brand-new handler.

Of course, some of the things that made Tell a great first dog didn’t make him a great Open dog. Most notably… Tell didn’t have much forward. At all.

So I swung the other way. I trained up a succession of tight, slicey, pushy dogs who ran through their stops and carried a ton of tension. Sure, they moved stock — but it wasn’t always pretty.

The problem wasn’t the dogs.

I was so worried about creating another Tell that I forgot to work the dog in front of me.

It’s an easy trap to fall into.

• You spend years working with your best friend… then get frustrated when your new pup doesn’t compare — even though they’re just getting started.

• You go to a clinic, and when the clinician points something out, your response is a string of “Yeah, but…”

• Your dog is having their best session ever — and you miss it, because you’re still stewing over an imperfection from last week.

These days, I try to meet each dog where they are. I work them in the order that suits them best.

• I work the softer dogs first, while I’m relaxed — and before they hear me put pressure on someone else.

• I skip training altogether if I’m not in the right mindset. Sometimes a run is better than a session.

• I go out with a plan… but stay flexible. If my dog or the sheep show me we need to focus on flanks instead of driving, I adjust.

• I try not to fall into “just one more time”-itis. Dogs do the thinking and running — and when they’re mentally tired, mistakes happen.

• I think about the source when I get advice. Is it helpful? Is it relevant?

And most importantly — I try to never start sentences with “He always…” or “She never…”

They love to prove me wrong. 😆

If you take one thing into your next training session, let it be this:

Work the dog in front of you.

It makes all the difference.

Around the farm

It’s that crazy-busy, bursting-with-life time of year. The dogs are getting fitter and shaking off the winter rust. The garden’s popping. The songbirds are back. And the sheep are very ready to get back on pasture (just another week, ladies — hang tight).

We’ve also rebuilt the round pen — it’s ready for in-person lessons and some filming for future course content.

Roy and Ted are both ready to be started… and I can’t wait to see what they’ll show me.

Gwen, of course, has been extremely helpful with the fencing. 😉

Trial entries are opening left, right, and center — and our summer plans are coming together. Hopefully I’ll see some of you in person!

Over at iHerd

Herding Starts Here has been hopping! We now have students from five countries working through foundation skills with their dogs — and the feedback has been incredible.

From a current student:

"Whether you are new to herding, or starting a new dog or pup, I highly recommend this course. Lisa teaches strong foundational behaviours your dog will need throughout their career.

The lessons are short, clear, and Lisa is generous with her explanations. The videos are step-by-step and easy to follow, so your dog succeeds and you gain confidence. Some lessons may slip when you get on stock, but with a solid foundation, they're easy to refresh." 

Ready to Start Your Own Herding Journey?

If you’re working with a young dog — or just want to feel more confident before heading to stock — Herding Starts Here is for you.

You’ll build real working foundations, learn to communicate through pressure and release, and set the stage for teamwork from the ground up.

👉 Check out the course

Thanks for reading, let's go work some dogs!

Lisa 

PS. Know someone who might enjoy this blog? Feel free to forward it — the more herding nerds, the merrier.