Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese Herding in NY
Posted By Sandy Wilson on July 18, 2010
Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese (Hera v. Fafnerhaus X Diesel v. Schulmeister, SchHI)
Our boy Aiko is out of Hera v. Fafnerhaus and Diesel v. Schulmeister, SchHI. Aiko has some of the most outstanding herding dogs in his pedigree that ever lived and I am so happy that these strong genetics have passed down and are still so strong in these lines. Aiko’s mother, Hera, is a daughter to Alf v. Fafnerhaus, also known as Nicky. Nicky was the last dog produced from Manfred Heyne’s original herding lines. We are so proud to see these herding genetics come alive in these dogs.
Each day we worked the dogs early morning and late in the evening to avoid the extreme heat. Just so happens there was a heat wave, but that didn’t matter much to the dogs, they were totally committed to their job.
We worked different grazes each day and evening. It was the first time Aiko had worked a flock this large and had never been to the Catskills to work in a strange place with other dogs. Aiko was only interested in the sheep and his work. He definitely had alot of ground to cover on the boundary to contain the sheep in these vast grazes. The grazes that we worked were surrounded by all open space and the sheep could have taken off in any direction, so this was a good indicator to us that Aiko was strong enough to keep these sheep contained and he never lost one sheep. It was really nice to see what a strong and dedicated worker he really is. I think herding that many sheep is really a challenge to a dog, but it was one that he was up for and we were so proud that he handled it so well.
Boundary around grazing area is wide and good for multiple dogs working.
These grazes were a considerable size as they had to allow for over 300 sheep to spread out and graze and so it was a lot of ground to cover all the borders, but Aiko is very much a thinking dog. He would watch and observe closely to see where he needed to go to cover the boundary. These dogs are so smart and they know instinctively where to be to put the pressure on the boundary to keep the sheep in the graze. Mostly the lambs were the biggest challenge as they don’t always follow the rules, so Aiko had his work cut out for him and I think he did a fantastic job – we were so excited just watching him work.
Aiko worked very independently with a bit of help from his handler, but all in all he showed us that he can work a large flock with no trouble. He works independently and very confidently along the border and definitely has the respect of the sheep. The sheep were able to graze very close to the border with Aiko patrolling, but if a sheep was outside the boundary, there was Aiko to place them right back in the graze. I think these dogs take their jobs so seriously, but they also get great joy in proving they are in charge of the flock. I would many times see a border closely packed with sheep and Aiko would race down the boundary and you could see all the sheep move back You could just see the smile on that dogs face as he pushed the sheep back and he knew he did a good job – these dogs just love their work.
Aiko vd Kleinen Wiese (Nicky Grandson) and “Luki” Dux v. Fafnerhaus (Nicky Son) working the boundary together!
When it was very hot outside, we took Luki and Emma in to just let Aiko work the flock alone and he really took pride in taking charge of the whole flock. I could tell he was really growing in experience and confidence in these few days that we really let him work! It was great to see that he could work like his grandfather once did and now work along side Luki, a Nicky son.
Luki, Dux v. Fafnerhaus, was a professional HGH dog, who lived most of his life in Germany herding sheep as a full time job working with Manfred Heyne, a professional shepherd. Luki was a great mentor for Aiko. Both dogs patrolled along the boundary keeping the sheep perfectly under control. I always find it fascinating to watch how these dogs work together and communicate silently – one dog covering one area of the flock while the other dog covers another part of the graze.
It’s just so beautiful in the Catskills with the surrounding mountains and waterfalls, but what makes it memorable to me is watching these dogs tend to the sheep – it really gave me goosebumps as I observed Aiko move along the boundary, as I so fondly remember watching Nicky, Aiko’s grandfather, do the same years before. All you hear is the sound of bird’s singing, sheep munching on grass, and the feel of the breeze on your face – doesn’t get better than that.
Sheep all munching nicely while Aiko patrols the boundary!
During the days we spent herding in the mountains, I think too, my husband learned to trust his dog more and direct less and just let Aiko work. It is so important in the relationship to empower your dog and make them feel good about what they are doing; this is achieved sometimes saying nothing at all and just let them enjoy working! These dogs do not need constant praise. It is what these dogs were bred to do – work!
Below are some candid shots taken while in the Catskills and also around the grazes while Aiko worked the flock! You can see the lovely scenery of the Catskills in many of the pictures – the mountains are immense, the waterfalls are shimmering in the sunlight, and lay of the land just beautiful with rolling hills covered in lush grasses, wildflowers, and clover.
Baaaaaaa, Baaaaaaaa!
