Leading Your Dog to the Post – How I Set the Run Before It Starts by Mark Banham
Why The Walk To The Post Matters In Sheepdog Trialling
Before the dog ever leaves my side, the run has already started. The walk to the post isn’t dead time and it isn’t something to rush through – it’s when I decide what sort of outrun I would like to achieve. At Banham Sheepdogs, I treat the approach to the post as the handover from waiting to working. If the dog isn’t mentally right here, you spend the rest of the run fixing problems that never needed to exist. This is Part 1 of our sheepdog trialling series. The next stage is Part 2: The Outrun.
The Walk To The Post Sets The Tone
Before walking to the post, take your dog for a walk away from the trial area if possible. This gives time to empty out, a dog that stops on the trial field to empty will lose a lot of points, and can be the sign of a lack of preparation on the part of the handler.
Approach the post from the side you want to send your dog from. If you are sending to the right approach the post from the left hand side, the dog will learn this is the direction of the outrun.
Some dogs will walk to the post on their own, especially the older and more experienced they are. I like my dog to walk “in behind” me.
Your Body Language Matters More Than You Think
I walk to the post at the same pace every time. Relaxed, no rushing, no drama.
If you walk up braced, you’ll get a braced dog. Having a plan in your head will help, although plan A can quickly go to plan B due to many reasons.
Where The Dog Walks Matters – Pick One And Stick To It
The dog should know exactly where it belongs on that walk. Guessing creates tension, and tension shows up in the outrun.
A dog that understands the routine doesn’t waste mental energy.
Approach the post from the side you want to send your dog from. If you are sending to the right approach the post from the left-hand side, the dog will learn this is the direction of the outrun. It gets to the post thinking:
“I know what’s coming. Tell me when.” That’s what I want. Some dogs will walk to the post on their own, especially the older and more experienced they are. I like my dog to walk “in behind” me.
Stopping At The Post Is Not A Pause – It’s A Reset
The stop at the post is one of the most important moments of the trial.
I want a clean stop. No creeping. No bouncing. No spinning. The dog should be still and focused.
Sit or stand doesn’t matter much to me — stillness does. A dog that can’t settle at the post is telling you it’s not thinking clearly yet.
I’m not afraid to pause. Sometimes it’s two seconds. Sometimes it’s longer. I wait until I feel the dog settles. If the dog is not settled or focused walk a few metres away from the post and approach it again, this can help to re-set. Rushing the send is one of the biggest mistakes handlers make.
What I Check Before I Send The Dog
Before I give the outrun command, I check three things — quickly, but deliberately.
Sheep
Are they stood still at the post? Are any leaning away or drawing to one side or back towards the let out pen? That tells me how wide the dog needs to be behind the sheep.
Wind
Wind affects sheep, whistles, and how clearly the dog hears. Ignore it and you’ll pay for it later.
Ground
Dips, heavy patches, slopes – all of it can pull a dog off line. I want to know what the dog is about to run into. Preparation starts pre-trial, if possible by walking the course. Watch the runs before yours, this will give an idea of deaf or blind spots.
None of this takes long, but skipping it costs points.
Young Dogs Need More Routine, Not More Commands
With younger or greener dogs, it is important to prepare at home, training is everything. Slow everything down.
If the dog is too sharp, pause longer and say less.
If it’s unsure, be confident and quietly encourage the dog to be confident.
What I don’t do is chatter. Over-handling creates pressure, and pressure shows up as bad decisions once the dog leaves the post.
The Mistakes I See Most Often
These are the big ones:
Over-excited dogs: handlers rush the post instead of settling them
Unconfident dogs: handlers apply pressure instead of clarity
Anticipation: handlers are predictable with timing
Rushing: handlers treat the post as a formality
Most problems blamed on the outrun actually start before the dog is sent.
Why This Moment Matters
When it’s done right, the dog leaves the post calm, confident, and listening. The outrun becomes cleaner, the lift quieter, and the rest of the run easier.
I want the dog to leave thinking, not reacting.
That starts at the post.
This article is part of my complete guide to The Eight Stages of the Sheepdog Trial.
Continue the series with Part 2: The Outrun