Melanie L Chang wrote:

"Magical because you can put a young BC who has never seen sheep and it
will know what to do."


Blade knew what to do at 14 weeks and he is not a BC nor bred to herd.
He was tested by very reputable herding Aussie people here. They were
quite amazed as they figured instead he would try to take them down.
Instead at 14 weeks he kept them in a flock situation for the entire 30
minutes he was out there. I think that magical is in the eyes of the beholder.

I found what he did was magical every bit as much as what the Aussie
puppy did right after him.

Gwen

"Gwen Watson" wrote in message
...


Melanie L Chang wrote:

"Magical because you can put a young BC who has never seen sheep and it
will know what to do."


Blade knew what to do at 14 weeks and he is not a BC nor bred to herd.
He was tested by very reputable herding Aussie people here. They were
quite amazed as they figured instead he would try to take them down.
Instead at 14 weeks he kept them in a flock situation for the entire 30
minutes he was out there. I think that magical is in the eyes of the
beholder.

I found what he did was magical every bit as much as what the Aussie
puppy did right after him.

Then, that, right there. YOU used the word yourself.
For lack of a better term, or not.
Bodhi, from two parents
with fairly menial (but I'm sure a big deal to their handlers--
just as his will be for me) titles, knew at what to do at 18 wks
(which was the first opportunity we had).
Yes, there is herding in his lines, and there are agility dogs
in his lines. Truth be told (not that it's any secret for anyone
whose at all involved in conformation), his parents were/are
primarily "show dogs". Big deal. For me, I wasn't looking for a
"superstar" at one specific thing. Mainly, because frankly, I know my own
limitations as a handler, but rather a pretty shiny little star at anything
&
everything we wanted to do. A dog like Debbie's Kira would be
wasted on me, at this point in time! :-) Maybe a few years down
the road, my priorities will change. But, always, first & foremost,
I have to have a dog that *I* can live with.
Shelly & The Boys

"Gwen Watson" wrote in message
...


Melanie L Chang wrote:

"Magical because you can put a young BC who has never seen sheep and it
will know what to do."


Blade knew what to do at 14 weeks and he is not a BC nor bred to herd.
He was tested by very reputable herding Aussie people here. They were
quite amazed as they figured instead he would try to take them down.
Instead at 14 weeks he kept them in a flock situation for the entire 30
minutes he was out there. I think that magical is in the eyes of the
beholder.

I found what he did was magical every bit as much as what the Aussie
puppy did right after him.

Then, that, right there. YOU used the word yourself.
For lack of a better term, or not.
Bodhi, from two parents
with fairly menial (but I'm sure a big deal to their handlers--
just as his will be for me) titles, knew at what to do at 18 wks
(which was the first opportunity we had).
Yes, there is herding in his lines, and there are agility dogs
in his lines. Truth be told (not that it's any secret for anyone
whose at all involved in conformation), his parents were/are
primarily "show dogs". Big deal. For me, I wasn't looking for a
"superstar" at one specific thing. Mainly, because frankly, I know my own
limitations as a handler, but rather a pretty shiny little star at anything
&
everything we wanted to do. A dog like Debbie's Kira would be
wasted on me, at this point in time! :-) Maybe a few years down
the road, my priorities will change. But, always, first & foremost,
I have to have a dog that *I* can live with.
Shelly & The Boys