Tell Me Thursday #7

Yes, indeedy, it is time for another Tell Me Thursday! If you would, please link back to my blog in your post, and don't forget to add the button too (code at the bottom). Come back here to link back to your post. For those interested in being entered in my lanyard/scarf drawing when we hit 20, I won't know who you are if you don't come link up!

Anyway, I can't believe we've hit week #7. Honestly I wasn't even sure we'd make it to week two, but you guys have all been rock stars. I'm running around like a crazy person this week, and I'll try to stop by everyone's blog but may or may not have time to comment. Today's questions:

1. What five things can't you live without?
2. How do you transport your dogs? This question suggested by several peeps, including Mara.
3. What role does obedience play in your training or running of your dog(s)?
4. At what point do you start putting commands on your dogs?
5. Do you talk to strangers in elevators? Question posted by Laura #1

1. What five things can't you live without?

Lip goo
Ankle socks
Internet
Good Coffee. Oh heck, any coffee as long as I get some.
My dogs

2. How do you transport your dogs?

I drive what I refer to as the CrazyMobile. It is a '95 Ford Aerostar with nothing but crates in the back. I drive it like I stole it. It has 240,000 miles on it, and usually it just rattles a little louder when I step on the gas. My friends think I drive Miss Daisy because I'm skeered, but mostly I'm just afraid I might leave my transmission on the highway somewhere if I go any faster. When I bought it (for $300) I threw the seats away and started packing crates in. I am badazz doggie soccer mom rebel without a cause. I haz sliding door without a handle cuz I pulled it off. You guys are in AWE of the CrazyMobile. Blazing speed of power. Rawr. I pwned a guy in a Mustang week before last.

I roxxors the minivan.

3. What role does obedience play in your training or running of your dog(s)?

Seriously? Not all that much. I mean, yeah, I expect them to by and large come when I call, lie down when I tell them to, and I expect them to flank the direction I tell them to go.

But really? For us it's SO much more fluid than that. If I'm dead wrong I also expect them to ignore me and do the right thing. If I lie them down and the situation changes and their intervention is needed I expect them to get up and fix things. But if I lie them down and tell them to stay there I expect them to stay there. You know, unless they need to fix something. I can't tell you how many times I've insisted my dogs do something to find out they were resisting because I was wrong. I guess I could say that obedience is important because when I insist they do what I'm insisting. However, I've also learned to trust at least Nick's judgement sometimes and if he's resisting often I will leave him be. He's usually right.

I'm always baffled at their amazing ability to understand this. The non border collies (Ginger and Zippy) don't get this grey area stuff. Or maybe they're just too ornery to care. But it always amazes me to see that stockdogs seem to just "get it".

Oh, and I totally expect them to do their stupid tricks on command. Most of my dogs know a few stupid tricks. I say few because *I* can only come up with a few before I'm over it.

4. At what point do you start putting commands on your dogs?

Um... maybe about two days before their first trial? I pretty much start using a "lie down" command when we start working, and a that'll do, but I don't actually start putting actual flank commands on for a while (though I may use them somewhat conversationally in the beginning). I eventually get around to it when I realize I'm about to walk to the post at a trial and my ragamuffin dogs don't have flank commands. I think this sort of ties into the natural dog thing. Linc is not as much of a natural dog, so he had flank commands pretty early. Not so much on the lie down. Oh wait, he still doesn't have much of a stop!

I didn't have a solid flank command in sight on Nick at his first trial. It was Novice-Novice, and yea though we sucked through the valley of the shadow of the gates, we won. I also walked a straight line... to the middle of nowhere near the panels. He took every flank command I didn't give him. But I digress.

Early on I like to let the dog work, and learn from the sheep. When everything else falls away I want the overall concept to be "go get the sheep and bring them to me". So we wear, and I'm quiet. Impossible to imagine, I know. Eventually though I *do* get around to putting flank commands on.

5. Do you talk to strangers in elevators?

Hello? Have you guys met me? I think the better question for me would be more like, "Laura Reloaded, when do you ever NOT talk? Have you ever NOT talked to a person anywhere that you've been?" Yes, I talk to people in elevators. I find that their discomfort makes a tiny little giggle blossom up inside of me. I am easily amused.

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