Questions & Answers on Sheep Herding "In the Tending Style" I try and answer every question I receive on dog training. I may often come across a little on the blunt side, (some may call it brash). That is because I consider myself an advocate for dogs and not dog handlers. I am an advocate for common sense dog training and not the latest fad that appears on the horizon. Good dog training is not rocket science. dog breed choosing miniature dogs It's common sense. My young bitch will not release the grip, what should I do? I don't want to kill her drive to herd. QUESTION: Dear Ed, I wrote to you before sometime ago about herding GSDs. I have a very young bitch who is quite promising in herding with strong schutzhund lines and herding lines in her pedigree. She is working a two sided border rather independently on a long line, but from time to time she is dog pens miniature dogs still breaking in on the sheep. In herding, it is acceptable for a grip on the sheep when appropriate, the problem we have is, Janna our girl has a great grip and in the proper places on the sheep. She is a very intense dog and works quite independently. We don't have a schutzhund background ourselves, but we do obedience and herding -- what I thought you might be able to advise us on is how dog fighting miniature dogs to get a dog to release the grip. Is it just a matter of obedience training? I know in schutzhund you use the sleeve for protection work and how do you train the dog to drop the sleeve? Any reading material recommendations for this work or advice. We also do the two hose game where you throw one hose and then the other and she is great at it. She listens very well. We can have her miniature dogs miniature dogs drop the hose and