Celt 1 PRGN

Frog and Celt

I was working by the barn and therefore saw the chicken fly into the turkey pen. They seemed to get along but I didn't want the chicken eating the high test turkey food.

Could Celt separate them? Would he know what to do? I think he will recognize that the chicken doesn't belong in there. But all he has ever done in there, besides picking up the dog biscuits the turkeys leave, is put the turkeys into their house. Oh, well - give it a try.

Send Celt in, turkeys head for home, he is moving on the chicken who then goes over the fence and away. Lots of praise.

Jim

I feed our one duck and two geese from a bowl. Celt originally started watching them, at my request, to keep the wind mallards away from the food. The mallards have gone but he still lays down about 4' from the bowl and waits for them to finish. Today I gut bush fixing a tractor and forgot him. When I came out about 1/2 hour later he was lying there waiting for me to release him. I told him okay and he went on over to clean up the spilled food. He does not touch what is in the bowl.

I wanted to praise him but he was like, "Okay so I waited now leave me alone to eat."

For the second time in a few days I was working nearby at 5pm. Suddenly out of the woods somes a bunch of chickens with Gala moving them along. As they head for the coop she goes back to get come more. I praise her and she stops and looks at me - shut up Jim. In a few minuted she has all the birds in.

They Frog makes a run at the goose. Twice before in the past few days this has happened and Gala seemed to stop her but once Gala joined her. Well this time there was no question. Gala stepped in her way and stopped the activity.

Sure looks like she is going to be registerable by one year.

By the way, those of you who are thinking of registering but havn't gotten around to it. When I registered Celt it was fun and I found it helpful to think of his strengths and weaknesses that way. Let's join and also register and support the work on this organization.

Jim

Gala does a lot of moving the birds around at various times of the day in addition to her find job of putting them in at night. I do not fear that she will harm them. Should I discourage her working them at other times? How? She is not very responsive to just being told. I have to yell at her and that only stops her for a little while. Or should I figure she is practicing and will settle down to doing it on command later?

Jim

Jim, use what you and she already knows. The birds are to be let out in the morning, preferably by you with Gala by your side, tell her to leave them and then insist she comes with you to "another chore". Even if you have to dig a ditch and fill it in, LOL. If she goes to move the birds again bring her along to a new chore. Keep her busy. She could be making her own work by moving them at times other than needed. Make sure that she is well fussed over for putting them up at night.

There will have to be a delicate balance when you are getting her to leave them alone during the day. Instead of yelling at her as if she is doing something bad (which could turn her off putting them up at night) try just calling her to you and starting your other work and with this you can praise her for coming instead of fussing at her. Even if the new job is to accompany you on a long walk, it is still a job. Do make sure that she gets to put them up every evening. It may also help if you give the "chickens" a command, that Gala hears, when you let them out and when you put them up, such as, leave chickens, home chickens, or your choice, LOL. (I command the goats to get off the fence and the dogs enforce it.)

This is so typical of a youngster!

Sheryl