Who is Freya - a little summary what I have learned so far.

A dog that really thinks

I have faced now a new challenge in my training carrier.  Freya has proven to be a dog that really thinks what she is doing. This shows in few different ways when you train with her. First of all Freya learns really fast and always thinks before she does everything. Her thinking also makes sometimes really slow because she wants do everything right from first time on. Also when she learns something she wants stick with it. For example healing has been started on side position and today I trained coming to healing position from laying down position. Freya had hard time to come to me with healing cue. She needed lots of rewards to even react to healing cue. So she need lots of variations in keep her mind open and really listen what I say. Of course this one of reason was that this was her first time but sometimes she just thinks and not make any tries to change her behavior. This is a new thing. Pixie and Louise are dogs that do things first and then think. :D 

Her thinking also shows in agility. Every time I have taught her a new obstacle or handling maneuver she has done everything really slow. Freya has built up the speed gradually after she has been sure what I ask her to do. This has been a new experience for me. Pixie has always done everything in high speed. So I have had to wait the speed to come to her doing. Freya thinking might make her slow also when we start compete. I assume that she will need time get used to new environments and also to new obstacles. On the other hand I hope that she will take her time to learn to do things right before high speed so that she doesn't for example drop bars. This has been Pixie problems as she has always think that speed is everything for this problem I can take half of the blame.

Freya has opened a new window to world of border collies. She more shepherd type on bc. She is reactive and sensitive but also very quick learner. Her sensitivity has been also good and bad thing. This makes super easy to handle in agility but also sensitive react on my temperament. This will a learning route for me to become even more calm when we train and also I need learn how play with her more gently. Freya has also taken me to a new world on sheep herding. Here I have seen her hard headed and super focused. Herding world is something I want learn more about. I need learn more about bc herding side so that I can understand better my sensitive dog. Herding is the reason that many Border collie is sensitive dog. When you have herd of sheep you will learn a totally different side of your dog and its abilities.  

That's a little bit what have come to mind on our journey with Freya. This is again nice opportunity to become better trainer again. This is on going process to understand what kind of dog Freya really is.

That's for now!

MLPF