When it comes to training dogs, there’s no point rushing the process.
With almost 20 years of experience under his belt, award-winning Wairarapa dog triallist Chris Shaw knows that all too well.
That’s the approach he’s applying with Miley, the 10-month-old huntaway pup he’s bred and is now training up to become part of his team of working dogs.
“A lot of things that happen with training dogs [are] not actually the dog’s fault - it’s the owner failing to read the animal,” he told RNZ’s Country Life.
Miley has graduated to a “big-girl collar” and almost doubled in size since Country Lifefirst met her and Shaw in July - but judging by her yet-to-fill-out paws, and older sister Duchess, she’s got a bit more growing to go yet.
Like people, pups go through different development stages.
“They like to test the boundaries and can get a bit unruly, a bit naughty.
“She went from being quite a calm-natured animal to now being ... quite full-on and toey.
“She’s still user-friendly, but at the moment the ears aren’t really that well painted on.”
It’s nothing he can’t correct with training, though, and Shaw said it doesn’t matter if you sometimes take backwards steps.
Her training has been a matter of “slow and steady”.
During the winter months, it’s been hard to find time for training with daylight hours scarce and Shaw busy on-farm with calving and lambing.
At 10 months old Miley (left) still has some growing to do before she'll be the same size as her big sister Duchess (right) or even heading dog Ghost. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke / RNZ / Country Life
It’s been a good chance for him to improve his bond with Miley, though - the foundation to training any dog.
Joining Shaw on-farm, Miley has learned how to jump on and off the farm bike and learned she will sometimes be tied up on the fence with the other dogs.
Her more formal training sessions, practising her “face up” and working with stock in the yards, have increased in duration from a few short minutes to longer 15 to 20-minute sessions.
It’s a process Shaw is mindful not to rush, however.
“The excited part of me wants to crack into her, but then the ‘been there, done that’ side of me knows she’s not quite mentally capable of the pressure I’m about to put on her.”
He said a little bit of reassurance can go a long way.
Miley's training sessions have increased as her confidence has grown, and today she's in a paddock with a new mob of sheep. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke / RNZ / Country Life
Being a working dog breed, Shaw uses Miley’s genetic traits and inherent desire to work with sheep to his advantage.
“When I’m working my dogs, if they’re misbehaving, rather than getting a bit unruly and giving them a fair thwack around the ears, I just call them back and someone else does their job.
“That, to me, hurts them more than physical punishment.”
A little bit of reassurance goes a long way when it comes to dog training. Photo / Gianina Schwanecke / RNZ / Country Life
It’s also important to identify when a bad habit has been formed.
Miley seems to get a bit confused when Shaw tries to move from side to side while working on her “face up” - getting Miley to look away from him towards the stock.
It means he’ll have to go back to square one for a bit.
Her “noise” is also not quite where he wants it to be.
Chris Shaw expects Miley to make a lot of progress over the next few months. Photo: / Gianina Schwanecke / Country Life
Huntaways don’t like stock getting away and their bark tends to be strongest the closer they are to the stock.
