Shared from MacRae Sheepdogs:
When you have a young dog that’s loaded with natural ability, you have to constantly remind yourself not to push your dog too much. Because your dog is making so much progress and learning quickly, it’s easy to fall into the trap of training too much too soon. Sometimes handlers mistake talent for maturity and continue to ask for improved performance when their young dog isn’t ready for it. This can include working too long, asking for too much pace, too much precision, extending outruns, driving too far, putting your dog in with testing sheep, pushing your dog off, etc. While it may result in your dog being successful in the nursery, that same dog, because too much pressure was applied too soon, may not be competitive or sometimes even keen, when they’re 7, 8, 9 or 10 years old. You have to respect your individual dogs maturity and mental fortitude, (irrespective of his ability), or risk ruining him. Being patient and making learning intuitive and fun when your dog is young leads to having a positive, enthusiastic sheepdog when he’s older. —Patience prolongs performance— You’ve got the rest of your dogs life to work on the finer points, you’ve got this moment, while he’s young, to foster his initial enthusiasm. Getting a dog to work the way you’re asking isn’t remarkable. Getting a dog to WANT to work the way you're asking is the key. #macraeway
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