We strive towards getting our students ready for USBCHA trial competitions. We don’t train for AKC competitions, and we only work with Border Collies. We also work with farmers who need help preparing their border collie for farm work on big flocks, Gordon also gives advice on stock management.
Here on our farm, we provide lessons and clinics for border collies and handlers of all levels. We do a series of clinics through the winter months, young dog clinics and handlers’ clinics. Come spring we do more of shedding clinics, getting our students ready for the trialing season. In-between the clinics we provide daily lessons. When summer arrives, we head for the open road for our trialing season and out of town clinics.
You can book a lesson at Irish Woods through our online lesson schedule. Our lesson pricing here at Irish Woods is $75 per dog. The time frame for lessons can be anything from 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the individual dog. We require dogs to be 10 months or older. In some cases, Gordon will work with the dog to establish the level and the understanding of the dog on sheep, he will then introduce the handler at a later stage when the dog is comfortable on sheep. Payment maybe made by PayPal, check or cash. Please write checks out to Gordonwattsheepdogs , once you book your lesson or clinic online you will get a conformation email with payments details.
Our clinics here on the farm provide excellent instruction for both handlers and dogs. Pricing for our clinics here on the farm are $250 for a weekend which includes a lunch also tea, coffee and snacks available all day. For those who feel they are not ready for a clinic just yet, we do allow Audits for a charge of $40 per day. Our most popular clinics are puppy/young dog clinics, pups must have reached the age of 10 months before they can register for a clinic and of course they must be a border collie breed. Dogs no older than 5 years can be registered for the puppy/young dog clinics.
Our handling clinics are for young and older dogs from the age of 2 years and upwards and handlers of all levels. We sometimes hold novice clinics which is for handlers and dogs just starting out.
Registration forms for all clinics on the farm will be posted on the clinic page at Irish Woods tab above.
When coming to the farm for clinics and lessons we ask for you to exercise your dog in the fenced off area only and nowhere else on the property, we would also like it if you could leave sick or unwell dogs at home weather, they are taking part in an event here or just along for the ride.
At this time please do not book a lesson or sign up for any clinics if you are not fully vaccinated for Covid, Gordon will only work with handlers that are fully vaccinated
Refer to the Out-of-Town clinics, in the tab above, for offsite clinics. Contact the clinic host directly for information and registration for those clinics.