Kira's HGH training thread

[phgsd]

Since Kessy's HGH thread was so popular (HGH training...progress, videos, from the start), I decided I'd start a new thread for Kira's HGH training.

I co-own Kira (pedigree link: https://www.pedigreedatabase.com/dog.html?id=748736) with her breeder, Lee, and the eventual goal is to title her in both HGH and schutzhund. She's just shy of a year old now.

We've been able to start Kira much earlier than most dogs that do HGH training, due to my experience and also her temperament. She showed lots of instinct and confidence at a young age. We have still been taking it slowly due to her age, but she's been doing wonderfully.

Most of these videos have been posted on their own, but I think this thread will be nice to consolidate everything

Here she is at 3.5 months. We let her follow behind the flock to build her drive and confidence, and Geary (the trainer) keeps the flock moving with one of his beaucerons.

Kira goes herding - YouTube

Kira goes herding - YouTube

We also did a few sessions out in the pasture, with Kira on a leash, letting her push the sheep around. We didn't have to do too much of that - she was very sure of herself around the sheep.
After several sessions of that, it wasn't necessary anymore, so we waited for her to mature a little before we put her behind the netting.

Here, she's about 7 months old. It's her first time behind the netting, unfortunately the sheep didn't cooperate, they left the fenceline. But she was still able to patrol a little, and it does come to her naturally.

Kira v Wolfstraum at 7 months - YouTube

Kira v Wolfstraum at 7 months - YouTube

A few weeks later, we were able to let her off the line, she gets overexcited at times, but is obviously enjoying herself....LOL

Kira Herding - 6/23/12 - YouTube

Kira Herding - 6/23/12 - YouTube

I have some video from today uploading, but I don't think it'll finish before I go to bed tonight, so I will post it tomorrow

If anyone has questions about the training, I am happy to answer them.
Enjoy!

Meghan

[elisabeth_00117]

I enjoy watching these two girls so much!

Can't wait to see her progress!

[DunRingill]

Looks great! Looking forward to more video!

[carmspack]

thanks for sharing - love those dogs ! her theme song should be "I can RUN for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles. Oh yeah" .

[phgsd]

Here is Kira's video from yesterday

Kira Herding - 10/13//12 - YouTube

Kira Herding - 10/13//12 - YouTube

She is still on the long line - she did pick up the border very naturally, but we can't trust her off the line yet. She occasionally still wants to come in and chase the sheep around, and she is so quick that it's tough to catch her, even on a long line.

We do need to get her off the line very soon, hopefully in the next lesson or two, so we can introduce the cross border and move on with her training.

Kira has shown so much instinct, confidence, and intensity from a young age - we have gone very slow with her training, since she's been started so much younger than "normal," we don't want to push her too hard. The training does involve some stress and we want to be sure she can handle it. We have taken some breaks here and there with her and I think we've balanced her age and training well.

Kessy did not show so much instinct right off the bat - I think she was hindered by her schutzhund training. She thought long line meant tracking and it was tough to get her out of that frame of mine. But the instincts did come out over time and she turned into a great tending dog. She is very biddable - although she will blow me off if she thinks I'm wrong (and if that happens - she is generally right...LOL), but she has always wanted to keep me happy and work WITH me, as a team.

Kira is different, she's not so biddable, although she's shown loads of instinct. I don't feel like it's clicked that she's working WITH me yet. So now that we're introducing more distance, training has been going more slowly. Once she's reliable, we can move on. Hopefully that time will come soon so we can move forward. I am hoping to title her next fall.

[wolfstraum]

Oh goodie! more videos!

I am not surprised that Kira is a natural.....I was able to do some herding with her grandmother, Kyra v Frolich Haus, locally at a sheep farm whose owners were big into Scottish BCs....the husband of the pair thought that he could beat BCs with her in competition....unfortunately, the wife was killed......

Csabre was tested in BC and Shelly Fritzke spoke well of her natural ability.

From what I know of the pedigree, there is "old herding" blood in abundance behind Kyra....I would actually like to try Kira's half sister Bengal next summer as I heard there is a (not HGH of course) trainer about 70 miles east of me....

Keep up the diary Meghan!!! And thanks!

Lee

[carmspack]

great border or boundary instinct .

Once again great pedigree . The herding coming primarily from the dam Csabre Wolfstraum . Yes through Csabre's dam Kyra (Lord and the Pushka haus Himpel) repeated on her dam (Lord) and the great source (Gibsy Alten wassermuhle) AND through Csabre's sire line with the Maineiche collection of Marko Cellerland and Pirol Kirschental plus Busecker Schloss (Seffe - go backward on Petra) (this dog is significant in my own program) .
Through Kira's sire - Perry Beilstein , Marko, then Ugo brings in Harro (Pirol and Seffe) again, Faust Busecker Schloss . Can find Claudius Hain going back to Knolle.

A nice pedigree .

[DunRingill]

Great video, lots of fun to watch!!

It sure was a nice day to be out there.....

[phgsd]

Yep it was a beautiful fall day! I heard Bunny did well yesterday too!

[DunRingill]

Yeah we had a good day.....The Bunny is growing up! I had her spayed last month and think that will help, her coming in season every 4 months wasn't fun for either of us.