Blog post by Nij Vyas
NIJ AND JAKE WITH TROPHIES FROM THE WIN AT THE PRESTIGIOUS LONGSHAW TRIAL
In 2009 I was persuaded by a friend of mine to write a book on sheepdog training because he felt that the methods and style I was using to train him were somewhat different to that which he had encountered before. Being a published writer himself he offered to write the book for me and I agreed. By the time I returned home some 20 minutes later I had planned out some of the book, whilst driving and reached the conclusion that it would be impossible for me to describe to Doug that which was in my mind and for him to accurately reflect this. My father too had been a prolific writer and I had dabbled in poetry and song writing. I decided to write the book myself.
I wanted the book to be an honest account of my experience and also to capture what influenced some well known and respected handlers. I heard Ceri’s father Glyn mention many a time that: “you can kick a quad bike, but talk to a Border Collie” – and this struck a chord with me.
I wanted to share the many tips and bits of advice they had kindly shared with me as well as talk about elements and concepts I had discovered along the way, through working with my own dogs and also my work with other breeds.
Four years later the book has sold well and last Christmas was reprinted by Crowood Press and it continues to sell well, in both Hardback format and E-books.
Many people have contacted me, having purchased the book and asked if I had a DVD and so it seemed to be a natural progression that I should make this my next project. People learn so much better through visual means and it gave me a chance to chart the progress of two young dogs from start to useful farm dogs, and then hopefully they will become my future trial dogs.
I have a reputation for selecting my dogs in a very calculated and methodical manner and sticking with them through thick and thin, simply because I could not afford to spend the sort of money some people do on dogs. I am also more tolerant and forgiving of my own mistakes. Success is paramount to me but not failing my dogs is more so paramount and I would like to think that by persevering with quite challenging dogs has enabled me to share my knowledge with the many clients I have in the UK and abroad and to give them hope when they too have struggled to teach aspects of training. It is hoped that the DVD will now be available in the new year as having been to three different countries, judging and running clinics, in recent weeks, time has not been devoted to the project quite as I would have liked.
Find out more about Nij Vyas:
http://www.bertiedogs.com
http://www.sheepdog-training.co.uk
Bertie Blog: http://bertiedogs.blogspot.co.uk/
Sheepdog Blog: http://nijsheepdogs.blogspot.com/
Online Shop:
http://shop.sheepdog-training.co.uk/
If you’d like to buy a copy of my latest book ‘Sheepdog Training and Trials’ you can purchase it online at: http://www.sheepdog-training.co.uk/book.html
CSJ “We can’t recommend it highly enough”
More sheepdog news on our website
The Arfon Working Gundog Club held a 16 dog AV Novice Spaniel stake at Glasfryn Estate, Nr Pwllheli, Gwynedd on the 18th November 2014 by kind permission of Mr Gwilym Jones. The judges were Mr Adrian Slater and Mr Noel Parry. With a steady supply of game flushed by the dogs and good shooting by the guns and the sun shining we had a very successful day.
CSJ blog 