Brigand's HideOut - Experience Herding!

There are herding classes and herding lessons. Herding can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be. It’s important to know what your budget is, how much you want to spend for the year (including herding trials, if you plan to compete) and a goal for herding, whether it’s an annual goal or long range goal. A goal can be to enjoy the sport, to earn some herding titles, to earn a herding championship, etc.

Classes are a great way to learn by watching others in a small sized group. Classes tend to be a bit cheaper and focus on you being the handler.

There are two main avenues for herding lessons. You can take lessons to learn how to handle your dog (while teaching the dog the ins and outs of herding) or you can have the trainer be the handler (without you having to learn anything about herding). There can also be a combination of these.

Some people take lessons and also participate in classes, mainly to help with specific skills for their particular dog(s). This is especially true if you plan to compete in herding trials. If you are having the trainer be the handler, it is important to find out the availability of that trainer to handle your dog(s) at herding events. It would be a shame if your dog is ready for a herding trial but your trainer/handler isn’t available!

Also check about the estimated cost for each level, each herding title. Ask the trainer/handler how long he/she thinks it will take before your dog is ready to compete. Have a goal; for example, to have an AKC started title by August, or an AHBA Ranch Dog title by July. This will give you an idea how much money you might spend, and a timeline to re-assess your goals and needs.

Some trainers will give you a “per title” cost which is an excellent way to budget. A “per title” fee means the trainer will charge you one cost to receive, for example the AKC started title. So $1,000 (or whatever the cost negotiated) would pay for all training, all handling at trials, all expenses to achieve that title.

However way you become involved in the herding sport, it can be a lot of fun!

CHRIS PRIMMER – Chris owns All About Dogs and it’s always been all-about-dogs” for her. Through her long career with dogs, ranging from the Vet Office, to the Herding arena, to the Obedience, Rally and Agility rings, Chris has always focused primarily on enhancing the dog/owner relationship in a way that works best for that person, dog and situation. She believes that each must be treated as an individual and refuses to limit herself to the one style fits all methods so often seen.

Chris has had a variety of breeds through the years and is quick to understand the differences between them. Different breeds, bred for different purposes, have different requirements. Not better or worse – just different. She has worked with almost every breed of dog through the years. She has also worked with owners who have a wide range of situations their dogs must fit. Helping a specific dog and a specific owner make the most of their relationship is Chris’ ultimate goal.

Chris is an AKC Judge for both Obedience and Rally and is actively involved in several training, herding and breed clubs.

Chris offers classes and private instruction in agility, obedience and rally at Brigands.

Check out her web page — www.PrimmersAllAboutDogs.com.

Email Chris at jcdoghouse@aol.com.

KARIN HADERLY – Karin is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She owns Fido Beta Kappa, a training school based in Castle Rock, Washington, that is dedicated to using the most gentle up-to-date training methods available. Karin has had dogs her whole life and began training professionally in 1994. Since then she has worked with well over a thousand dogs of all different breeds and mixes. Karin began teaching agility in 2001, and last year six of her canine students competed at the 2007 AKC Agility Invitationals. She is proud to say that two of them made the finals.

Karin was introduced to the gentle positive scientific training methods that are the basis of her training program in 1997. She is one of the lucky few to have trained with Bob & Marian Bailey, pioneers in the field of operant conditioning, spending almost 180 hours in their illustrious company. She also attends several seminars a year given by the world’s foremost trainers and behaviorists to keep abreast of the latest in gentle correction-free techniques, and also the latest in training and handling techniques in agility.

Karin’s obsession with the sport of agility began in 1998 when she started competing with her now-retired border collie, Strike, in AKC and NADAC events. Karin currently competes at the highest level in AKC and USDAA agility with her 9-year old border collie Quip. Karin and Quip have qualified to compete at AKC National Championships every year since 2003, were semifinalists at USDAA National Championships in 2006, and qualified for AKC World Team Tryouts in 2005 and 2006. Quip has his MACH, and will hopefully attain MACH2 and finish his USDAA ADCH this year. Her dogs have earned 39 agility titles to date. Karin’s youngest border collie, Chi, has just started his competition journey, and she is looking forward to a long and fun-filled career with him.

Karin offers classes and private instruction Thursday afternoon and evenings at Brigands.

Contact her at fidobkappa@yahoo.com.