TMT With Laura 2012 #2

  First of all I want to preface by saying I missed last week for a good reason. We made a round trip of about 200 miles to haul concrete water troughs for a job we are doing. We went on Thursday, but I thought, no big deal, I'll be home late afternoon and be able to get the first TMT with Laura done with no problem. But here's a couple of  pictures of how the trip went!  

Needless to say, TMT went out the window as it was dark thirty Thursday when we got home and then we spent all day Friday getting troughs unloaded, tires changed, troughs reloaded, hauled to the site, unloaded again. So by Friday evening, I just crashed and didn't do much of anything. 
But I'm ready to go for this week! Loved reading others responses last week.

1. Stopping your dog - What do you prefer? On their feet? On their belly? or some combination? 
Ideally I'd like a combination of both, but I've not achieved that in my noviceness. (I know that's not a word, but hey it works for me.) My first dog, Skeeter, was a natural down dog, when she stopped, she naturally laid down, so I trained my next dogs to lay down when I stopped them, and for the most part that works okay, but there are times that I want Tate to just Stop and Hold, so I'm working on a "stand" command, which is coming very slowly. I've watched some handlers, both live and on video, that use "Lie Down" to mean stop, but when I say "Lie Down" I want them to do so and stay there until I give them the next command. Now on an outrun, when I blow my "stop" whistle, I just want Tate to stop and turn in, not necessarily "lie down" - He does this very naturally, so we are good there.
2. At what point to you start teaching this? 
Another "noviceness" answer. When, I'm dry working pups, they must lie down when I tell them, but when I put them on stock, I won't make them lie down until they seem more confident and are listening and not just working because that's what they do. Totally depends on the situation. Like last night, Bess (who is nine months old) was doing chores with me. We went into the pen (60' x 80') where the milk cow and her calf were. Immediately, Bess went around and began to balance and fetch. She worked nice and wide and when she got to the back side, I asked her to lie down, which she did and then I poured the feed into the trough. Then, I went to Bess and we went out of the pen away from the cow. A great "teachable moment" for Bess, where she wasn't threatened or put in a stress situation, but was asked to obey, partner with me, and get a job done. The "Lie Down" command for me is "You better stop and take off the pressure", where as the "Stand" command would be "stop, but keep the "presence" on the stock". Ask me this question in a month, and I'll probably have a different answer!

3. Do you have a favorite dog? I won't tell. 
The one I'm working at the moment!!! But truthfully, I'd have to say Bess is my favorite, because she is such a happy dog ALL THE TIME and she loves me!! Ask me this question tomorrow and I'll give a different answer!
4. What is the #1 thing a dog can do to push your buttons? 
Not listen/not obey something that they know to do. I call it "sky bugging" - they are looking for bugs in the sky and not listening to me!
5.  Brrr....it's winter. What is your favorite soup recipe?  Next to chili (Laura already did that and my recipe is real close to hers) it would have to be   Chicken Corn Soup
About 2 cups of any type of cooked chicken and or turkey (more if you want it meatier)Chicken broth or stock1 small onion choppedsome chopped celery (desired amount)1 can cream style corn1 can cream of chicken soup1 can cream of celery or cream of mushroom soup
Saute onions and celery in butter. Add remaining ingredients and add water so it is not too dry. Simmer, until bubbly. 
Rivets:1 cup flour1 egga little salt1/4 tsp baking powder
Mix rivet ingredients with fork. (Might have to add a little milk, so the rivets "make")  Then pinch "thumb" size dumplings and drop in simmering soup. Let simmer for about 10 more minutes. 

Yum Yum!!
Have a Great Day!!