Poppy
ISDS: 281568
DOB 1 Nov 2005
DNA tested Normal for TNS
Genetically Normal for CEA/CH
Hips 3:4 total 7
Carries the brown gene
Poppy is now at the stage where I can take her out and do a job with her. She stops when told, usually remembers her flanks and takes correction when she forgets. I can call Poppy off at any time so she can finish her training "on the job". She is good on bulk and keeps the corners well knocked in. For various reasons (nothing to do with Poppy) I do not intend to trial Poppy but she will be an excellent work dog.
She is loaded with power and guts like her brother and she has just the right amount of eye. Enough to make her classy but not sticky. She is a free flanker and likes to push on.
Poppy is Ghost's full sister, three years younger. Poppy is maturing into a very beautiful young girl. Funnily enough she is very similar in looks to Ffion (no relation) with more bone.
Poppy has a lovely temperament and happy personality. She is friends with everyone she meets.
Poppy is named after my Mum's cairn terrier who died suddenly between Christmas and New Year 2005. Poppy the cairn was mischevious and clever. Collie Poppy is living up to her name sake!
Poppy's Training Diary
14th Feb 2007 I've had Poppy to sheep about 10 times now over the last few weeks. It's taken until now for me to be able to control her enough to get photos, but I like a tough dog so from my point of view, this is a good thing!
Poppy naturally prefers the right, and wanted to only go to the right. When I tried to make her go to the left, she would run through the middle of the sheep.
The first 6 or 7 sessions were mainly Poppy running very fast like a demented beast, and me trying to make her go to the left without diving into the sheep, and keeping her off the sheep. She now goes both hands reasonably happily and keeps of her sheep without as much effort from me as it did initially. Of course given the option Poppy still wants to run very tight but it's my job to keep her off the sheep.
Poppy does everything at a hundred miles an hour (I like this!) and this picture shows when I tried to get her to walk into the sheep she came very fast.
I have introduced the idea of lying down away from sheep so now when she gets very tired I tell her to lie down. I only tell her to lie down when she is at the point of balance. At the balance point she instinctively knows she isn't going to lose the sheep so is more likely to lie down.
I keep working her like this until I can get her to lie down (this is only when she is very tired and at the point of balance, she isn't that keen to lie down that I can do it any time!) and walk onto the sheep. She still wants to run at top speed at this stage.
These two photos were taken towards the end of the session so she is settling a little bit and for a second, I could see what she might look like as a trained dog.
A very tired but happy Poppy!
After a short break for refreshments, Poppy is ready to go again. She has endless stamina.
24th July 07 Poppy's training is coming on well. After two months break at lambing time when young dogs don't really get out, she is training fast now. She now keeps off her sheep most of the time and stops most of the time. I am now insisting she stops when I tell her every time, and starting to work on her outrun and making her walk instead of steam roll into her sheep. She is a tough cookie and comes on strong but I am very pleased with how she is progressing.
