Hot, Hot, HOT!!!!

   Summer has finally arrived in Maryland and with very little transition from mild to downright miserable. With temperatures soaring into the upper 90's combining with high humidity it's the type of weather where humans, dogs, and stock are all uncomfortable. It is also a fact of life in Maryland, so if you intend to get anything done in regards to training then you need to learn to use the mornings and evenings to your advantage.

   Diva and I went out to work at Chestnut Creek Farm as we normally do on Tuesday evenings and found that we had a group of newly weaned lambs to start dog breaking. These are the type of tasks that I love doing with Diva because she is so kind and easy on the stock. She will wait patiently for the lambs to check her out and then walk up easy to push them on. To add some challenge to our job the lambs were in a pasture that bordered where their mothers were. Diva had to walk very slowly down the fenceline and give the lambs a chance to think without them trying to get through the fence and gate. Jeff was standing by while we worked the lambs and I am sure that at first he was wondering if this might not go all to well ;-). Sheep aren't exactly the smartest animals and lambs can get panicked very quickly! My plan was to push them up away from the gate and into the top of their field a couple of times and call it done. Diva did a fantastic job and at the end I think both Jeff and I were satisfied with the lambs first dog exposure.