Furkid Friday - Video Fun

[trystinn]

Since I've been such a mope this week and haven't posted any great pictures I figure I owe you all a bonus. Here's a video taken this afternoon of Gracie putting the duck flock through their paces, circling around the trees and back towards the pen. As you can see, the new gals are still quite excitable when herded.

"Just in case anyone were curious, the Basic herding dog commands

* Come-bye - go to the left of the stock, or clockwise around them.
* Away or 'way - go to the right of the stock, or counterclockwise around them.
* Stand, wait, down or sit - stop.
* Steady or take time - slow down.
* Cast – gather the stock into a group. Good working dogs will cast over a large area.
* Find – search for stock. A good dog will hold the stock until the stockman arrives. Some will bark when the stock have been located.
* Hold – keep stock where they are.
* Bark, or speak up - bark at stock. Useful when more force is needed, and usually essential for working cattle and sheep.
* Look back - return for a missed animal.
* In there - go through a gap.
* Walk up - move in closer to the stock.
* That'll do - stop working and return to handler."

Comments

[beltainelady.livejournal.com]

Question: Do you clip their wings so they can't fly away?

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Not really, ironically humanity has bread most domestic ducks so large that they are too heavy to fly. They can flutter a bit for only a few feet, about 3 feet high but it exhausts them. Once in awhile one of the ducks will flutter themselves in and out of the pen, but they vastly prefer to walk. So far none of them have used this limited flight ability to get themselves out of their pen in the morning. They are always there quacking to be let out in the morning.

There is a "Flying Mallard" domestic breed that supposedly can still fly like it's wild ancestor.

This breeding has also lose them any ability to brood well. They tend to lay their eggs pretty much anywhere (I imagine the gals say 'oops, did that come out of my tush?', then walk off slightly embarrassed). Brooding happens so rarely, most sources recommend you either use a broody chicken hen or an incubator.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Didn't quite answer your question, sorry.

No, I don't clip their wings. Some duck owners do and there's a lot of instructions on how to do so.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Most breeds of domestic duck are incapable of flight sufficient to carry them over a fence secure enough to protect them from predators. Trista's current flock doesn't require it, unless one them has extraordinary abilities(at which point, you can't get the scissors fast enough).

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

So far my ducks have shown no particular interest in defying gravity. If anything, they seem incredibly grounded - unlike most Outer Grove students I've met.

[dana3.livejournal.com]

Spouse & I agree -- Gracie R very good. Go Gracie, Go Gracie!!

[unique-thesame.livejournal.com]

Next trip down your way I'm going to just have to meet all your furkids! I love the updates on them. Thank you for sharing :)

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

We'd love to have you over. You can hold a duck. :)

[nocturnalia.livejournal.com]

I would be so worried that my darlin' greyhound's instincts would kick into her tiny, little brain-with disasterous results. Gracie seems the model of gentleness tho!

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

The Border Collie is an amazing dog. The most wolf-like of any domestic breed, yet completely harmonized to protection instead of predation. I'm particularly proud of Gracie because when we rescued her, she'd been identified as the most abused dog in Island County. Poor gal. I re-arranged my entire life for her (moved full time to Whidbey, fell in love with a service man, bought this insane little house in this crazed neighborhood) and I couldn't thank her enough! :)

Training the bassets not to chase the ducks took a bit of doing, it's just too much fun to watch them scatter like crazy!

[vicki-sine.livejournal.com]

I am impressed. Nice slow movements designed to keep the flock moving together, but not startle them.