09/27/2026
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ด ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ผ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด.
Almost all dogs are one-sided when they start. Over the years I've paid more attention to this, and I think dogs are a lot like people. Most favour the right. A smaller percentage are lefties.
I can't promise the left-handed dogs are as gifted as left-handed people. You'll never guess which hand I use! ๐
One thing I've learned is not to make a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to one-sidedness. Once I know which way my dog prefers, I use it to my advantage.
Forcing a young dog to go both ways in equal amounts often causes stress. And stressed dogs slice, grip, or quit.
So I let the dog go in the direction they prefer. I ask for a little bit of the uncomfortable side. Then I let them go back to the side that feels natural.
They quickly realise the uncomfortable side doesn't feel bad at all. And once they get to balance on their own (rather than being forced), I have two ways to reward them. They get their sheep, and they get to move on their natural side.
It's a trick that's worked well for me over the years. When I don't make a big fuss about it, the dogs figure it out on their own. And they see me as someone helping them, not forcing them.
Have you noticed your dog prefers one way over the other? Have you struggled to get them going both ways? Tell me in the comments. โบ๏ธ
This is part of one lesson in my Start Your Dog On Sheep course. More info on how to find me in the comments
