Do you have a reliable way to get a dog to lie down while working
sheep? He was pretty good about it for a while but now he just refuses.
Rule number one of translating practice to trial. Consider your dog's worst behavior during practice and that is going to represent exactly what he'll do during your runs in competition. People forget that. I forget that often.
I have a trial coming up Saturday and caught myself picturing my run, imagining the best runs I had at this place, and visualizing Ted doing that. *insert buzzer noise here*
I forget that he usually starts a practice session there with a lovely up-the-middle "outrun" (incorrect in BC trials), and needs 5392 corrections to bring the sheep at a good pace. And his off-balance flanks still suck, so trying to keep these sheep on line, and penning (free standing pen) is going to be agonizing. Did I mention some of the sheep are new, from a different flock that's hardly been worked by dogs other than the owner's?
Anyway, consider when you say, "pretty good" when describing his stop. What you need to do is have a clear idea of what you want from the stop, and work to that, and then don't take no for an answer. I don't mean hammer on your dog if he doesn't do it. I mean, consider a refusal as a sign that your dog is telling you that what you asked was too hard. You have to go make that simpler, so he'll obey you on the stop.
First, what kind of stop is a real stop for you? I need a dog to lie down by default. It's easier to train the full stop lying down, then go back and get variations on that, than it is to accept a stop that represents putting more pressure on, and then ask the dog later to "let go" of the sheep more. I feel it's important for the dog to know right from the start that they aren't losing control when they let up pressure completely.
To enforce the stop, go back to the situation that he stops easiest in. For most dogs, that's school sheep who behave, a small pen, sheep facing a fence, and the dog merely controlling left and right escape routes. Maybe even a corner for a dog that hasn't learned to use eye yet (even so-called "upright" dogs have to learn to use some eye to work stock at higher levels - for instance, it's eye that allows a dog to stand his ground in a corner, and keep the sheep out, while still cutting off their escape left and right to physically move him out of the corner).
Bring the sheep up, and reinforce that stop means stop to whatever extent you intend. Give some quick, calm praise for compliance and let the dog "have" the sheep again. Do this over and over.
Next step up the difficulty. Have the dog stop the sheep while in the center of the ring, and ask for the stop on balance. Rinse, repeat.
Next, same sheep, bigger field, go back to the fence. If you had to start in a corner before, go back to the corner. Then do it on the straight fence. Then a little ways away from the fence so that you and the dog only have to cover one side. Then further away. Always ask for that full stop and if the dog refuses, immediately go back to the previous level.
This is so important. If you've got a stop at your level, you've got the world. Think how easy it would have been to be able to stop your dog, let the sheep settle, and "reset to zero."
Even when sheep are being stupid, if your dog doesn't get sucked into the madness and make it worse, no one can blame you. Not that people often lay blame anyway, but it makes a tough run much better if you come out and people surround you and say, "Tough luck! Those sheep! Nothing you could have done, your dog did everything he could have."
Being able to stop your dog can let you see where to help your dog, like when the sheep were in the corner - they were seriously taking advantage of your dog's inexperience there - he needed to stop in the corner and hold them out, but probably they pulled him out to their heads each time (been there, done that - got a t-shirt if you want it!). In BC trialing a similar thing happens at the freestanding pen. Savvy sheep can go around the pen, and a young dog races around to head them, but comes in too tight and actually pushes the sheep faster. The dog has to learn to actually slow down, widen out, catch the sheep's eye and turn them from a distance.
Good luck! Try this for humiliation. There's this guy who started way after I did. He's now working at the highest level with a dog I helped him start. I'm way behind him now because I had the bad car accident and then got busy with the farm and kids. So now I''m starting over again with a young dog. All these years, for some reason, anytime this guy is around, my dog (and this has happened with ever dog I've owned) turns into Jaws and goes on a slash-and-burn rampage every time I try to work him or her.
You might think this is one of those self-fulfilling prophecies - it's happened so much that I lose my nerve when he's around. But, last time it happened I didn't even know he was there. I came back from catching my insane dog, and there he was! And my instructor was going, "What the h__ was that?!!? He was doing fine just a second ago!" I swear I didn't know he was there.
So, since this guy is going to be at the trial this weekend, I can give y'all a preview of how it will go. Ted will run straight up the middle and grab one, then ride it straight up to the setout pen, catch sight of those sheep and jump in. By the time I get up there (it's a 300 yard run up from the handler's post), three setout crew people will be working to catch Ted as he runs circles around all the sheep that haven't run yet (making them good and riled up for those who will be running after me).
Since Ted never behaves like this when this one guy isn't around, I can't do anything to prevent it. I'll be sure to get hubby to catch it on video so that whatever happens at your trial, it will be nothing compared to my run!
I do have videographic evidence, however, that we are fully capable of completing this course. I'll have to post that first. LOL