HIC - what to expect?

[TrishB]

Hi all,

I may be taking Parker to a HIC test. What should I expect? Is there anything that he should know how to do before going?

There aren't many sheep in downtown Toronto so I have no idea of what to expect.

Any insight would be appreciated.

[LikeToRun]

Ah Trish!

Dog with Jobs, on the Life Network, ran the episode where they did an HIC for a young Old English Sheep Dog LAST NIGHT! (Ep. 14) It might come on again this week, they seem to repeat a lot of content.

Good luck with Parker's HIC. I'm sure he'll want to chase cows for the rest of his life!

Cheers,

Trevor

[TrishB]

LOL Figures I missed it. And I don't get Animal Planet (well, sometimes I get snipets of it when they do promos).

We'll be working sheep (I didn't want to try ducks).

[Zephir]

I did this about 2 years ago with Zephir. There were about 5 sheep in a pen. I believe there is a 2/3 minute time limit. The person administering the test will be in the pen with you with their trained dog. He/ she will give instructions to you as needed. You go to the end of the leash, and let your dog do the work. If he doesn't see the sheep at first or doesn't seem interested you can point the sheep out to Parker. Once he spots them, let him follow the sheep. Be careful not to get to close so that he can nip them. Zephir almost did not certify b/c the person conducting the test said he had too much prey drive. I had to show control over Zephir by doing a down stay, which he did on command. I do not believe that this is required in all HIC's. Hope this helps.

[TrishB]

Hi guys,

I made a mistake. I thought it was a HIC and it's a HCT!

I found this description of it:

http://www.ahba-herding.org/hct.htm

Which seems to be a complete description. I have no idea of how Parker will respond to the livestock (sheep). Living in the city - even weekends in the country don't expose us to livestock (he saw horses at 13 weeks and hasn't seen anything else since).

It should be interesting! Any recommendations? Not that I think there are any other than a down and recall with distraction (that I can provide him with).

[LikeToRun]

Originally Posted by TrishB

It should be interesting! Any recommendations? Not that I think there are any other than a down and recall with distraction (that I can provide him with).

Take him to the park and let him chase geese? If you haven't any in Toronto, come on up here and clear my running paths! I'm tired of the hissy buggers...

[diddybopper04]

If I am not mistaken, and this is an AHBA Herding Instinct Test you are talking about, it is very unstructured. Your dog does not have to know ANY commands. This is an INSTINCT TEST only. It is pass or fail. The experienced evaluator will help you, or will work the dog themselves for a period of time to determine if there is instinct present. That is it. Then you can say your dog has an HIC. A Herding Instinct Certificate.

The HCT is part TWO of the instinct test. Once you have a(n) HIC, part 2 of the test the dog must have a DOWN, and you must be able to call them off the sheep to demonstrate the minimum requirements of control. Once you pass this second part, your dog is HCT. Herding Capability Tested.

I believe you still have to have a PT, (PreTrial), before you can enter a herding test. I have not done any training for a PT, so I don't know what that involves, but I'm sure someone here does.

If what you are going to is an INSTINCT test, which is what it will be if your dog has never been on stock before, relax. Have a good time. It is some of the most fun I've ever had with my dogs. You don't have to perform anything, and neither does the dog. It either comes naturally, or it doesn't. And I will warn you. Your extremely well trained obedience dog may behave as if you are on another planet the first several times they are on sheep. I know mine all did. LOL

If it's the HCT, it's pretty informal too. If you have worked your dog with stock, and you have a down and a recall, you will do fine.

[TrishB]

Originally Posted by diddybopper04

I believe you still have to have a PT, (PreTrial), before you can enter a herding test. I have not done any training for a PT, so I don't know what that involves, but I'm sure someone here does.

Yes, I beleive it is with the AHBA. Their site didn't mention anything about a PT requirement. I don't know what that is. Do they do that there? Or is it a seperate event all to itself?

[fbkeays]

AHBA HCT. Leg 1 is purely an instinct test. The dog doesn't need to have been on stock before. It is helpful to have some obedience to stop the dog. The evaluator will tell you anything you need to do. Unless the evaluator tells you to correct your dog DON"T!!!!!! What you think is horrible and terrible and a take down, just may not be. If you correct a soft dog when it is only showing instinct, you can inhibit the dog. You might be in the pen with the sheep, or not. Wear sturdy shoes that you don't mind being ruined. Bring a flat collar in addition to any collar you usually use.
Leg 2, is very similar to the AKC HT. You show controlled movement of stock around some cones, a stop of ANY kind- stand, sit or down and then a recall. Recall is not the formal obedience recall. You can be only a few feet away and no front is required, just the dog come to you and you grab it before he decides the sheep need more movement
In AKC and AHBA, you can start the dog at any level- you can do advanced if you think you can do it. AHBA and AKC have no relation and no agreement on prereqs. A PT is pre-trial test. It is above the HT and below Herding Started (HS). You don't need a PT or HT to do trial level.
I gotta go and practice herding- have all three dogs in an AKC herding trial this weekend.