Herding Clinic Jack Knox Southern MD Apr 3-5

    • Gold Top Dog

    Herding Clinic Jack Knox Southern MD Apr 3-5

    We are hosting a Jack Knox clinic on April 3 - 5 in Leonardtown, MD. The farm that hosts the clinic is located in beautiful rural Amish country. Clinic attendees are taken back in time as we watch the dogs transform under the wonderful shepherding of Scottish born Jack Knox, return the waves of travelers in horse drawn carriages, and view bald eagles soaring over the pastures.

    The farm is extremely well set up for every level of training.  There's a round training pen for dogs and people who have never been closer to a sheep than sheepskin squeaky toys.  There's a medium sized pen for intermediate work, and a large hilly field for those who want to refine their skills at competition level work.

    Jack is a Hall of Fame ABCA breeder, as well as a two time National Sheepdog Champion.  His talks include not only handling and training, but important and fascinating insights on breeding and raising pups, whether for work or even just companions.  You may not agree, but at the least you'll find his viewpoint unique!

    Jack emphasizes "Making the right easy, and the wrong difficult."  Dogs progress very quickly over the weekend, and the greatest benefit you'll get is most likely from watching the method applied across a variety of dogs.  Jack does nothing the same way twice but it always goes back to his method once you've accustomed yourself to seeing it. 

    All levels of dogs and handlers are welcome. Please contact Tina DeAngelo at osci at aol.com for more information.  The cost is $200 for one 3 day spot.  Spectators are also welcome - there is a small fee but it is well worth it.

    • Gold Top Dog

     is he mostly a BC trainer?

    • Silver

    Leonardtown MD is in Southern Maryland

    • Gold Top Dog

    mdvetter81
    Leonardtown MD is in Southern Maryland

     

    Thanks!  Fixing now.  That all confuses me - the states I come from lend themselves to obvious, bonehead-friendly divisions like north and south (CA), east and west (NC).  LOL

    No, he works all breeds.  His breed of choice is the Border Collie but his method is broadly applicable.  At the last clinic I attended, there were Aussies, a Kelpie, an English shepherd, and an Aussie/Catahoula mix.  His method is centered on the dog and empowering the dog to make choices about what works best for the DOG, to control the sheep.  For instance, instead of standing out with a rake and pushing the dog out to where one would guess the right place to "be" is, he'll simply ask the dog to go to the sheep, and only correct for wrong choices.  He also works incrementally, first giving the dog freedom to do what its instincts tell it, then shaping that to ask the dog to give the sheep some space, then when the dog is feeling ON ITS OWN where that space needs to be (again, it's different for every dog and it's incredibly empowering for a dog to know that the choice on how to work, is theirs) - then Jack invites the dog to take control.

    It's all really holistic.