Okay, Creature Teacher Emma, here's a real problem. You and I seem to have very much the same take on communicating with dogs, so you might just have some suggestions that will work for both Kharma and myself.
Kharma is my youngest Fila Brasileiro. She's from working lines and it shows. She's a superb herd dog . . . BUT . . . she's also totally obsessive/compulsive about it. She can't be out off leash during daylight because she will go herd the cows. She can't seem to help herself and she can't/won't stop until she has them all in one place. She's good about the little calves; she doesn't necessarily herd a baby that's by itself, she'll bark until she gets the mother's attention (so she knows which cow it is) and then herds the cow to the calf. If there are several calves out in a bunch away from the herd she will run them back to the main herd, then put ALL the cows (and bulls) together in one place.
Now, this is exactly what we want her to do - on command! And she has to stop on command as well, obviously. I need to do some serious work with her when the weather gets a little more predictable since it's something that I'll have to do on a regular basis to teach her.
When Charley or I try to call or whistle her in she'll stop, look at us, look back at the cows, shudder, shake her head, and go finish the job - almost as if she's under a geas. She comes in when she's finished, terribly satisfied that she's accomplished what she set out to do (herding 65+ head all by herself is just terribly impressive!), but knowing that she's also disobeyed.
She was a year old the 19th of January. Little Monster!
Kharma is my youngest Fila Brasileiro. She's from working lines and it shows. She's a superb herd dog . . . BUT . . . she's also totally obsessive/compulsive about it. She can't be out off leash during daylight because she will go herd the cows. She can't seem to help herself and she can't/won't stop until she has them all in one place. She's good about the little calves; she doesn't necessarily herd a baby that's by itself, she'll bark until she gets the mother's attention (so she knows which cow it is) and then herds the cow to the calf. If there are several calves out in a bunch away from the herd she will run them back to the main herd, then put ALL the cows (and bulls) together in one place.
Now, this is exactly what we want her to do - on command! And she has to stop on command as well, obviously. I need to do some serious work with her when the weather gets a little more predictable since it's something that I'll have to do on a regular basis to teach her.
When Charley or I try to call or whistle her in she'll stop, look at us, look back at the cows, shudder, shake her head, and go finish the job - almost as if she's under a geas. She comes in when she's finished, terribly satisfied that she's accomplished what she set out to do (herding 65+ head all by herself is just terribly impressive!), but knowing that she's also disobeyed.
She was a year old the 19th of January. Little Monster!