I was not really sure what to expect from the dogs after such a long layoff but pretty much they both gave me about where we left off. True to their differences in personality, Piper would not take her eyes off the sheep from the moment we arrived and literally quivered with anticipation before being sent on her first outrun. Rylee was quite happy to be sent on an outrun but still did not want to come to my feet while working - at one point even deciding that the open back of the truck was a good place to go during a work session - at least until I dragged her out and back to work.
Sent on her first outrun Piper launched from my feet and went nice and wide. But when she started to come in a bit early I had to give her a bend out whistle. Since it was the first serious whistle she had been given in nearly three months I was a little apprehensive whether it would have any impact but she bent out nicely. Amazingly she even took my stop at the top and when the sheep came off line on the fetch she gave a nice wide covering flank when whistled on the fetch. But - just when I was about to comment that she was paying more attention than before the layoff - she decided to blow me off on some driving directions. A slight discussion and she was a little better the next time out.
Rylee started out a bit indifferently in close work but did some nice enthusiastic outruns. She even drove OK once we got the sheep around my feet,. She still does not like coming to my feet with the sheep though. She does not seem intimidated by any livestock but seems intimidated by coming to me on the field.
I could not have found two more opposite dogs in working personality. Piper does everything at 100 mph and Rylee always acts as if she simply does not want to make any mistakes. One needs constant tapping of the brakes and the other needs a foot on the accelerator.
But mainly it was just good to be back out with friends and working dogs,
