A "working" thought

Over the years I've owned these dogs I've never kept them out on chain in a "yard" set up, not that I disagree with it, just not for me I prefer indoors because I don't have many....now I sat in a beautiful "daze" the other day & tried to figure out why the hell all of my dogs would work a mill from a puppy on up, and wouldn't work a Jenny for me if I roasted a pig in front of em! THEN IT HIT ME! I walk my dogs early on in life on up through adulthood on lead & collar/harness which is a similar feeling to my dog when hooked up to the mill. On the flip side the only people I knew personally that could get theirs to work the Jenny had the dogs on chain set ups which depending how the the doghouse is positioned makes the dog trott in a circle like it would on a Jenny so I guess that is why when they get hooked up to one they just go! Lol may sound a lil corny but damn it took me almost 15 yrs & and an Amsterdam cigar to figure it out!

I don't think it has anything to do with the dogs being kept on a set up. I've had dogs that would never run a mill run a jenny. I've had dogs that weren't even bulldogs run a jenny but look at a mill like WTF is this. The jenny is simply more comfortable for the dog. Feet are on the ground. The dog itself isn't off the ground on something that could possibly be loud with a little rock to it. Having the dogs do different things at a young age will acclimate them to everything. The trick for me and the jenny was to find something the dogs wanted to chase, and for my dogs, that's a Kong toy.

I agree that a jenny is a lot more natural for a dog to run on than a mill ... and a lot more effective too.

Dogs don't have to deal with the height, felling boxed-in, the loud racket, or "sliding back" if they slack off.

JMHO,

Jack

One way to prepare young pups and dogs for future work on the Jenny is to get them use to pulling on a Spring pole about two or three times a week. I had Spring poles set up over my puppy pens with a tough hide/Thick rope or thick inner tubes. Let them have at it every few days. Never leave any torn pieces of hide or rubber in the pen. Do not over do or pups or young dogs can get bored.

Once they get use to playing with a hide/thick rope or even a Kong toy. Will seldom have to use live bait to get one to run the Jenny. Another thing I liked about the Spring pole work. Taught the pups and younger dogs to stay in holds while I tapped them on their front legs and back legs with a long round dowel stick. Would keep those legs back while holding on.

Saw a really neat looking Jenny Mill set up on the You tube. The dog could run the Mill while holding a long piece of Leather etc. in it's mouth. Learned to run and work while in holds.

I was thinking to myself, from the way that dog looked and worked. Would be a tough one to win over. Looked well prepared to hang around a good while. Cheers

Yeah that's why the young exposure to everything is important and its what ive always done, i was speaking to what ive seen. I have also had them dogs that were 6-12 months old that didnt even know how to walk straight on one. And i let mine pick through everything i have access to and find what they work the best, also seen quite a few dummies give away some real decent dogs because they wouldn't run the mill or the dude wasn't patient enough with the jenny work.

Some dogs just hit the ground running on any piece of equipment, others have to be taught/conditioned to that piece and still others just will not do squat. Allowing them to become familiar at a very young age is always the best medicine. For a dog that has never seen a mill and then tossed up on one at two years old can be quite the obstacle to overcome. Making things familiar to them is a must as they transition into 'working' dogs.

Some dogs who have been on a chain their entire life find it difficult to cross over the threshold of a doorway, never mind a cramped contraption that is constantly trying to roll out from under them making all kinds of different sounds.

I am not sure it is a fact that chain dogs do better on a jenny than a house dog or a kenneled dog. I put more stock in familiarity and exposure to different things when they are young. EWO

im a country boy and have a large yard. living in the country you find yourself fighting snakes and rats. the best way to keep the numbers down on both is cats. i noticed that if i put my pups on chains where they could see the larger dogs run the chain at the cat they would start hating them too. BAIT the hook. i run two very different lines and so my methods of training may cause for either are. carpet over tread but cat mill over everything

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Originally Posted by CYJ

One way to prepare young pups and dogs for future work on the Jenny is to get them use to pulling on a Spring pole about two or three times a week. I had Spring poles set up over my puppy pens with a tough hide/Thick rope or thick inner tubes. Let them have at it every few days. Never leave any torn pieces of hide or rubber in the pen. Do not over do or pups or young dogs can get bored.

Once they get use to playing with a hide/thick rope or even a Kong toy. Will seldom have to use live bait to get one to run the Jenny. Another thing I liked about the Spring pole work. Taught the pups and younger dogs to stay in holds while I tapped them on their front legs and back legs with a long round dowel stick. Would keep those legs back while holding on.

Saw a really neat looking Jenny Mill set up on the You tube. The dog could run the Mill while holding a long piece of Leather etc. in it's mouth. Learned to run and work while in holds.

I was thinking to myself, from the way that dog looked and worked. Would be a tough one to win over. Looked well prepared to hang around a good while. Cheers

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Yeah.. :) he made doy in 2004. All on the Jenny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHcT...e_gdata_player

actually we swan him a little to in the creek behind d house member?