Jig’s Journey ~ 2015

Happy… spring?

*glances at calendar*

Sure. We’ll go with that. Happy spring!

We managed to somehow avoid Mud Season this year — that’s not a complaint — and now we’re full tilt into the year with nearly 4 months behind us, and decent weather for working dogs. That means a continuation of Jig’s Journey (cue Piggggssssss in Spaaaaaaaaaaaaace).

The ASCA Nationals is in TN this year and I plan on going. Whether or not I actually enter Jig has yet to be fully determined. She’s in open everything and we have a lot of work to do. Right now, we have three clinics planned — one in June, one in July, one in September. As for trials… a lot will depend on her progress. Looks like IA in July will be the first, just to test the water and see how good or bad we’re doing.

I’ve only worked the girl a handful of times so far and she’s doing what I will term ‘okay’. The list of things we currently need to focus on includes:

• The ongoing take pen issue
• Dealing with her propensity to suddenly act as though she’s on crack, or has at least had five pots of coffee and all the sugar in three counties
• Firming up her drive
• More cattle experience
• Getting her more comfortable holding pressure and coming into pressure. Which also includes being able to hit a nose and then release. By which I don’t mean she latches on and doesn’t let go, I’m talking pressure again. Once she hits a nose, her switch tends to flip and then… see the second point.
• Getting her to hit heels. I’ve seen her do it in the pen when she has no other option. I’d like to nurture that and see her do it when she needs to.

So, yeah, that’s our wish list of sorts. I’ll keep you posted.