WHY IS STOCKMANSHIP SO IMPORTANT?

IF THE STOCK ARE RIGHT,
THE DOG IS RIGHT…

Stockmanship is at the forefront of my program, it is truly an art form. When you watch someone use stockmanship when working on foot, with a dog, horseback, or atv; it is like watching poetry in motion. Having the ability to get two brains, stock and handler, on the same page can be difficult. To get three brains, including a dog, is even more difficult. The handler has an idea of what should happen, the dog has an idea of what should happen, and so does the stock. Getting all three on the same page is harmony. If we get in a panic, get emotional, or try to throw our weight around, we usually lose. The goal with stockmanship is to handle animals efficiently, safely, and in a low-stress manner.

If you are practicing good stockmanship while training your dog, your stock should improve. If your stock are progressively getting worse, you may need to rethink what you are doing. It is important to remember that the stock do not come to the gate to get worked. A good way to evaluate your work sessions, is to see if your stock are the same, better, or worse. Leaving them in the center of the pen to settle and relax will teach them it’s a good place to be versus balling up on the wall or in a corner.

Pressure and release is a very effective way to train your dog and stock. They learn not necessarily from the pressure but from the release of that pressure. Moving stock with or without a dog requires the use of pressure, and knowing when to release the pressure will keep your stock calm and moving efficiently. For example, when you are dog breaking cattle, and the dogs are having to put pressure on the cattle to turn - when they turn and the dog stops, they release the pressure, in turn teaching the cattle can trust the dog. If the dog dives in after the cattle turn, heeling and harassing, the cattle learn that they cannot trust the dog. If this is done enough times the cattle will become more and more difficult to turn. When the stock make the correct decision the dog should release the pressure they needed to apply.