Posted By Sandy Wilson on January 21, 2012

Today was the first day that we have had snow in January and the dogs just loved it.  It was very overcast and gray out, but nevertheless a beautiful day with the ground completely covered with the fluffy stuff.  It was very cold outside but that wasn’t stopping the dogs from enjoying the weather.

Here are just a few pictures of the Kleinen Wiese bunch!

Delta von der Kleinen Wiese

“Where are all my sticks and balls at now?”

Delta is one that just never stops playing and having fun.  She is non-stop until she is pooped out.  She’ll retrieve just about anything you can throw that she can fit in her mouth!  Delta also possess that natural herding ability that her mother and grandmother and great grandparents also possessed. She is extremely intelligent and so easy to teach just about anything to -I can show her something once or twice and she gets it.  She is my little ball of fire.

Arla von der Kleinen Wiese

Arla was out of our first breeding and she is one of the most obedient, biddable dogs I think I have ever owned.  She will spin on a dime for me when I call her and is just super dog with the sheep and lambs.

Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese, HGH

We are so proud of our boy Aiko as he received his HGH title this past Fall in 2011.    He is an absolute joy and has such a zest for life!  Aiko is one of the best dogs we have produced and we hope to someday have puppies out of this boy.

“Now let’s get back to some serious playtime!”

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Tags: Aiko vd. Kleinen Wiese, Arla vd Kleinen Wiese, Delta von der Kleinen Wiese, German Shepherd

Posted By Sandy Wilson on October 16, 2011

Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese, HGH

Aiko stands for the exit from the pen.

Aiko's placement at the bridge.

Aiko working the wide graze.

Aiko received high marks for his narrow road work.

Entering the narrow graze.

Aiko makes room for the traffic to pass.

We bring the flock home with the re-pen.

Photos by Tom Rabon – Thank you Meghan and Tom!

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Tags: Aiko, Aiko vd. Kleinen Wiese, German Shepherd, Herding - HGH, Sheep Herding

Posted By Sandy Wilson on August 15, 2011

Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese

Aiko is really coming along in his herding  training.   My husband and Aiko are really a wonderful team together and I think it all adds up to a great relationship with you and your dog.  I think it really makes all the difference when you watch a handler and dog who have a great working partnership – their work together just seems to flow effortlessly.

Here are just a few pictures that were taken recently of our boy working!  These pictures were taken by M. Rabon – thank you Meghan for some beautiful shots of our boy Aiko!

Here is Aiko in action moving along the flock during road work.

I love this picture as the sheep are returning to the pen; Aiko is watching his flock as they move past him to finish out his run.

Just one final picture of Aiko moving along the sheep.  He is most attentive to his flock. 

Aiko’s grandfather, Alf von Fafnerhaus, would be so proud of his grandson.  Aiko loves to work the sheep just as his grandfather Nicky had done before him.  Last Summer Aiko was lucky enough to have worked with a son of Nicky’s, Luki  (Dux von Fafnerhaus), in the Catskills of New York tending over 300 sheep.  It was such a beautiful sight to see these two dogs working together side by side, in harmony, tending to a flock of sheep together as a team.  When you see these dogs working together without commands, it is truly a sight to behold.

Luki and Aiko working together in the Catskills of NY! “2010″

Hopefully I’ll have some pictures coming up of Delta working the flock.  She is coming along nicely in her training and is starting to learn the road work.  Certainly sheep herding is something that takes time to train both the dog and handler!   Certainly learning to be a good handler as well as training the dog is a challenge, but one that is very gratifying when it all comes together.

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Tags: A-Litter, Aiko, Aiko vd. Kleinen Wiese, Dux v. Fafnerhaus "Luki", Herding - HGH, Sheep Herding

Posted By Sandy Wilson on December 31, 2010

Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese (Diesel v. Schulmeister, AD, SchHI X Hera v. Fafnherhaus)

Aiko working the sheep in the vinyard.

This week we had our first real snow and it was fun to take the dogs out in the snow to work the sheep.  Even in this weather with the grass down low and the pastures covered  with snow, the sheep are able to forage in these cold weather conditions.  The dogs love this cool weather and are happy to go out and work.

Aiko is coming along very well in his training and will be ready to trial this coming October at the 2nd Annual HGH in Knowlton, NJ at Kerloff Farm.  He is doing well with his road work and certainly has the confidence and power to control a large flock.  He is a dog who is very relaxed and calm around the sheep and is always watching over his sheep.  Aiko is very responsive to his handler, as well as an intelligent worker.  He keeps a nice steady trot while going around the boundary and so he is very calming to the flock so they can eat close to the boundary and eat all the available pasture in the vinyard.

Delta von der Kleinen Wiese (Hawk v. Eichenluft, SchHIII X Arla von der Kleinen Wiese

Delta is just a young gal and a very good size for a working dog.  She is only about 54 lbs. and is as light as a feather and she is very quick and agile.  For me she is the perfect size and build for a working german shepherd who is going to herd sheep.  She can move quickly when needed, she is able to maneuver around the sheep effortlessly, and she can work all day.  She has a very smooth balanced trot when patrolling on the boundary and she seems so light on her feet!  She is really a pretty sight to behold.

Delta working the boundary.

She has been working the boundary and doing well with her commands for changing direction and we have been also working on making her corners accurate.  When she is moving quickly, sometimes she would cut a corner (Post) and so I would go out and show her what I wanted and have her do the corner correctly several times to show her what I want.  At home, I have a graze all set up with a mowed boundary that I use for dry run work and this is helpful for training.  I have posts set up at each corner of the graze and I direct her to move along the boundary and then before she gets to the post, I will remind her “easy” and then she will go around the post with the “come over” command.  She is very obedient and she learns quickly, but when she is moving fast, the tendency is to cut the corner, so I have to have her slow down a bit and then she is  able to think about it and take the corner correctly.  I don’t want to be constantly correcting her verbally and nagging, but I want to remind her and then praise when she is doing it correctly.  She picked up on this exercise quickly and is doing well.

Delta working the cross border.

More on training for the coming New Year!

Looking forward to 2011!

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Tags: Aiko, Aiko vd. Kleinen Wiese, Delta, Sheep Herding

Posted By Sandy Wilson on December 17, 2010

Kleinen Wiese German Shepherds

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!

Aiko von der Kleinen Wiese

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

- Author Unknown

All I want for Christmas . . .

is to find my ball!!!

(Delta under the snow!)

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Tags: Aiko, Aiko vd. Kleinen Wiese, German Shepherd