SHEPHERD'S DANCE:
THE JOY, OBSESSION AND ART OF HERDING
Chapter Three: Everyone has a role in the Dance A varied cast comes together to teach and learn the herding dance. It's important for everyone to know their role.
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER'S AIDES: THE SHEEP
The role of the sheep....is to simply be.....a sheep.
Prior to a lesson, a good instructor assesses her sheep, and chooses those animals that will help a student team learn the day's lesson. Responsibility for a successful match belongs to the instructor.
The day before a herding test or trial, the farm owner chooses the animals that will run. If the sheep aren't in proper condition, if they run too reactive/not reactive enough, then the responsibility belongs to the farm owner.
When a handler enters a test/trial, she is stating that her team is ready for anything that can happen that is covered in the rules of the class she is running in. The responsibility for strategizing and navigating the run is that of the handler.
Any handler that spouts the words, "bad sheep" loses any hope of brownie points, credibility or respect. To blame sheep for being sheep is to blame the Sun for shining, the wind for blowing and the grass for growing.
The job of a sheep is to be a sheep. It's everyone else's job to get them where they need to go.
THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT: THE DOG
The dog's role of student is comparable to that of a buck private in the army. He is the absolute key to winning the war, but has no say or fault if the war is lost. He can only do what he is told, he rarely has a say in strategy.
NEVER BLAME THE STUDENT. NEVER BLAME THE DOG. Watch any run in any sport or venue. On average, for every mistake the dog makes, the handler makes three. If the dog is out of control on the field, why did the handler take out an unprepared dog? If the dog is not running up to par, why did the handler run a sub-par dog?
The dog's job is to be a dog.
The dog's job is to be the breed he was bred to be.
The dog's job is to perform the tasks he has been shown how to do.
The handler's job is EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE ROLE OF THE APPRENTICE INSTRUCTOR
This is the toughest job in herding. This is literally the job that stands between a rock and a hard place.
Being an apprentice instructor, a student, is to be in a very vulnerable position. To be a student, is to say to the World, "I don't know". Not a comfortable, easy thing for a competent adult to say. Accepting the position of Newbie requires confidence, humility, the ability to roll with the punches, and trust. A student NEEDS to trust their teacher...trust they will be held in respect, trust that they will be given the right information. Many people drop out of class, any class, because they can't allow themselves to feel that vulnerable. Give yourself a pat on the back.
Being an apprentice instructor makes YOU be the trustworthy, respecting imparter of knowledge....for your student; your dog. Often times people miss this aspect of teaching and learning. Yes, someone is teaching you about herding....as you TEACH your dog about herding. You are responsible for taking all the trust, potential and love embodied in your dog, and turning this into a top notch confident competitor. No easy task.
Your job is to commit yourself to learning. It's not easy. You're going to get dumped on your butt, hit dead ends, and be given wrong advise. You are going to have periods where you want to quit. Your job is to keep going, keep seeking, keep learning.
Your job is to ask ask questions. Seems simple, but most adults have a very hard time asking questions. They don't want to appear stupid. The decision to stay silent leads to gaps in knowledge, reinforcing the idea that they are stupid. More silence, more gaps....you get the idea. THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION IS THE ONE UNASKED.
Your job is to use your critical faculties. If your gut is not comfortable with the information you are being given....ASK. If you still don't like the answer....ask someone else. Ask until it becomes clear. If someone else with competent credentials gives you an answer that works for you, time to move. You can not teach information to a dog that you don't believe in.
Your job is to be honest with your instructor. Seems obvious, but you'd be amazed how often students lie to their instructors. They lie about their understanding, they lie about their comfort zones, they lie about their emotions. Lying is self defeating. It gets you not one step closer to your goal of being a knowledgeable herding. If you don't understand a lesson,SAY SO. If what you are being asked to do makes you uncomfortable, SAY SO. Further discussion may make it clear to you, or there may be another way to do it. If you are afraid or angry, SAY SO. Sheep react adversely to strong emotions. Your dog is going to react to your emotion, not the information you are trying to give him. The lesson is NOT going to go in a constructive direction. Your instructor can't help you process and move thru the difficulties if you won't acknowledge them.
YOUR JOB IS TO PRACTICE. Not think about it. Not talk about it. DO IT. Do the work. Manifest the idea.
Your job is to always focus on your student's needs. Your job is to get inside his head, and learn what is the best and most effective way to get your student to learn and understand the lessons.
Your job is to bring a fully competent, fully conditioned, fully motivated team to the competitive field.
YOUR TEACHING HAS TO BE MORE INTERESTING THAN WATCHING GRASS GROW....AND GRASS IS PRETTY INTERESTING TO A DOG.
Your job is to be a good Shepherd who protects and uses All of your animals wisely.
THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTOR I don't teach dogs. I teach people ABOUT dogs. I teach people how to teach THEIR dog.
My job is to impart knowledge. I need to know and impart knowledge about dogs in general, different breeds, your dog's breed and your dog specifically. I also disseminated knowledge about livestock, their habits and needs, their quirks and personalities. I need to let my students know about the sport, tradition and culture of herding.
My job is to impart knowledge in manageable, obtainable, understandable pieces. An instructor needs to read her audience and present knowledge in such a way that her students can soak it up. Being able to present the same information in a variety of ways is the mark of an experienced instructor.
My job is to model skills and techniques. A picture, "Being worth a thousand words", is a helpful tool in getting a student to understand a lesson. I may start out with a word picture, draw a diagram, move the person around in a mock situation, use my own dog to illustrate, or use the student's dog...or all of the above.
My job is to teach you how to teach your OWN dog. Each dog is a unique individual that will need a specific curriculum to help him achieve his maximum potential.
My job may lead me to momentarily work/teach/model with your dog; to show one or both of you a skill or technique.
My job is to continue my education. Dog sports in general and herding in particular are a constantly evolving subject. Only through continuing to evolve myself can I continue to be an effective teacher.
My job is to compete in the sports I teach. Competition is evolution in action; the sport of herding most of all. What won five years ago barely qualifies today. Competent instruction needs to include the aspects of competition. The only way to do that, is to wade in and do it.
My job is to keep abreast of organizational updates. What's happening in AKC, AHBA, and ASCA? How does it affect my apprentice instructors?
My job is to help my apprentice instructors assess their level of expertise, their dog's level of competence, and their readiness to take to the trial field.
My job is to teach, counsel, admonish, cajole, support and cheer my students. My student's job is to teach counsel, admonish, cajole, support and cheer THEIR student.
My job as herding instructor is to ALWAYS protect the animals, both the dog, AND MOST ESPECIALLY the livestock. My job is to teach respect and caring for the animals we are working with.
THE JOY, OBSESSION AND ART OF HERDING
Chapter Three: Everyone has a role in the Dance A varied cast comes together to teach and learn the herding dance. It's important for everyone to know their role.
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER'S AIDES: THE SHEEP
The role of the sheep....is to simply be.....a sheep.
Prior to a lesson, a good instructor assesses her sheep, and chooses those animals that will help a student team learn the day's lesson. Responsibility for a successful match belongs to the instructor.
The day before a herding test or trial, the farm owner chooses the animals that will run. If the sheep aren't in proper condition, if they run too reactive/not reactive enough, then the responsibility belongs to the farm owner.
When a handler enters a test/trial, she is stating that her team is ready for anything that can happen that is covered in the rules of the class she is running in. The responsibility for strategizing and navigating the run is that of the handler.
Any handler that spouts the words, "bad sheep" loses any hope of brownie points, credibility or respect. To blame sheep for being sheep is to blame the Sun for shining, the wind for blowing and the grass for growing.
The job of a sheep is to be a sheep. It's everyone else's job to get them where they need to go.
THE ROLE OF THE STUDENT: THE DOG
The dog's role of student is comparable to that of a buck private in the army. He is the absolute key to winning the war, but has no say or fault if the war is lost. He can only do what he is told, he rarely has a say in strategy.
NEVER BLAME THE STUDENT. NEVER BLAME THE DOG. Watch any run in any sport or venue. On average, for every mistake the dog makes, the handler makes three. If the dog is out of control on the field, why did the handler take out an unprepared dog? If the dog is not running up to par, why did the handler run a sub-par dog?
The dog's job is to be a dog.
The dog's job is to be the breed he was bred to be.
The dog's job is to perform the tasks he has been shown how to do.
The handler's job is EVERYTHING ELSE.
THE ROLE OF THE APPRENTICE INSTRUCTOR
This is the toughest job in herding. This is literally the job that stands between a rock and a hard place.
Being an apprentice instructor, a student, is to be in a very vulnerable position. To be a student, is to say to the World, "I don't know". Not a comfortable, easy thing for a competent adult to say. Accepting the position of Newbie requires confidence, humility, the ability to roll with the punches, and trust. A student NEEDS to trust their teacher...trust they will be held in respect, trust that they will be given the right information. Many people drop out of class, any class, because they can't allow themselves to feel that vulnerable. Give yourself a pat on the back.
Being an apprentice instructor makes YOU be the trustworthy, respecting imparter of knowledge....for your student; your dog. Often times people miss this aspect of teaching and learning. Yes, someone is teaching you about herding....as you TEACH your dog about herding. You are responsible for taking all the trust, potential and love embodied in your dog, and turning this into a top notch confident competitor. No easy task.
Your job is to commit yourself to learning. It's not easy. You're going to get dumped on your butt, hit dead ends, and be given wrong advise. You are going to have periods where you want to quit. Your job is to keep going, keep seeking, keep learning.
Your job is to ask ask questions. Seems simple, but most adults have a very hard time asking questions. They don't want to appear stupid. The decision to stay silent leads to gaps in knowledge, reinforcing the idea that they are stupid. More silence, more gaps....you get the idea. THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION IS THE ONE UNASKED.
Your job is to use your critical faculties. If your gut is not comfortable with the information you are being given....ASK. If you still don't like the answer....ask someone else. Ask until it becomes clear. If someone else with competent credentials gives you an answer that works for you, time to move. You can not teach information to a dog that you don't believe in.
Your job is to be honest with your instructor. Seems obvious, but you'd be amazed how often students lie to their instructors. They lie about their understanding, they lie about their comfort zones, they lie about their emotions. Lying is self defeating. It gets you not one step closer to your goal of being a knowledgeable herding. If you don't understand a lesson,SAY SO. If what you are being asked to do makes you uncomfortable, SAY SO. Further discussion may make it clear to you, or there may be another way to do it. If you are afraid or angry, SAY SO. Sheep react adversely to strong emotions. Your dog is going to react to your emotion, not the information you are trying to give him. The lesson is NOT going to go in a constructive direction. Your instructor can't help you process and move thru the difficulties if you won't acknowledge them.
YOUR JOB IS TO PRACTICE. Not think about it. Not talk about it. DO IT. Do the work. Manifest the idea.
Your job is to always focus on your student's needs. Your job is to get inside his head, and learn what is the best and most effective way to get your student to learn and understand the lessons.
Your job is to bring a fully competent, fully conditioned, fully motivated team to the competitive field.
YOUR TEACHING HAS TO BE MORE INTERESTING THAN WATCHING GRASS GROW....AND GRASS IS PRETTY INTERESTING TO A DOG.
Your job is to be a good Shepherd who protects and uses All of your animals wisely.
THE ROLE OF THE INSTRUCTOR I don't teach dogs. I teach people ABOUT dogs. I teach people how to teach THEIR dog.
My job is to impart knowledge. I need to know and impart knowledge about dogs in general, different breeds, your dog's breed and your dog specifically. I also disseminated knowledge about livestock, their habits and needs, their quirks and personalities. I need to let my students know about the sport, tradition and culture of herding.
My job is to impart knowledge in manageable, obtainable, understandable pieces. An instructor needs to read her audience and present knowledge in such a way that her students can soak it up. Being able to present the same information in a variety of ways is the mark of an experienced instructor.
My job is to model skills and techniques. A picture, "Being worth a thousand words", is a helpful tool in getting a student to understand a lesson. I may start out with a word picture, draw a diagram, move the person around in a mock situation, use my own dog to illustrate, or use the student's dog...or all of the above.
My job is to teach you how to teach your OWN dog. Each dog is a unique individual that will need a specific curriculum to help him achieve his maximum potential.
My job may lead me to momentarily work/teach/model with your dog; to show one or both of you a skill or technique.
My job is to continue my education. Dog sports in general and herding in particular are a constantly evolving subject. Only through continuing to evolve myself can I continue to be an effective teacher.
My job is to compete in the sports I teach. Competition is evolution in action; the sport of herding most of all. What won five years ago barely qualifies today. Competent instruction needs to include the aspects of competition. The only way to do that, is to wade in and do it.
My job is to keep abreast of organizational updates. What's happening in AKC, AHBA, and ASCA? How does it affect my apprentice instructors?
My job is to help my apprentice instructors assess their level of expertise, their dog's level of competence, and their readiness to take to the trial field.
My job is to teach, counsel, admonish, cajole, support and cheer my students. My student's job is to teach counsel, admonish, cajole, support and cheer THEIR student.
My job as herding instructor is to ALWAYS protect the animals, both the dog, AND MOST ESPECIALLY the livestock. My job is to teach respect and caring for the animals we are working with.