PSR Stockdogs

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PSR Stockdogs

Award-winning herding dog training for Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, and other breeds. Clear, calm methods that create thoughtful, reliable stockdogs.

At PSR Stockdogs, we believe great working dogs aren’t rushed—they’re developed through calm, thoughtful training that builds confidence, trust, and understanding. For decades, our family has raised and trained Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, and other herding breeds—building dogs that think, not react. We’ve earned numerous titles and awards, including ASCA Hall of Fame Excellent Kennel #25, by focusing on clear communication, good timing, and respect for both dog and stock. Our online herding dog courses are designed for all breeds but pay special attention to the unique challenges of loose-eyed dogs like Aussies and Kelpies—breeds that learn best through calm leadership, not force. Each lesson is filmed with real livestock, showing step-by-step progressions from off-stock foundations to timing, flanks, take pens, and driving stock. We understand every dog works differently. Whether you’re starting a young Border Collie or refining an experienced Aussie, we’ll help you build a true working partnership—based on trust, clarity, and calm, correct work. Learn more and start your journey at: https://psrstockdogtraining.com

10/23/2026

Someone is judging you right now.

Someone else is completely inspired by you.

But here’s the thing… neither one of them is paying your entry fees, buying your dog food, putting in your training hours, or walking in your shoes.

So do YOU.

Live your best life. Chase your goals. Train your dogs. Enter the trials. Make mistakes. Celebrate your wins. Enjoy every moment of the journey.

There will always be people with opinions. Some will cheer you on, and others will criticize every move you make.

Don’t let either one determine your worth or your direction.

At the end of the day, it’s your journey, your dog, your dreams, and your hard work.

Don’t let the outside noise steal the joy from something you love.

Keep showing up. Keep growing. Keep doing YOU.

Because the only approval you truly need is your own. ❤️🐾

10/22/2026

Focus on the GOOD! 🐾

When we’re in the herding trial ring, we feel every little bobble, every mistake, and every moment that doesn’t go quite as planned. And most of the time, those mistakes feel WAY bigger than they actually are!

But here’s something I want you to think about.

What if, instead of walking out of the ring focusing on everything that went wrong, you focused on everything that went RIGHT?

Our dogs feel our emotions. When we finish a run and immediately focus on the mistakes, our dogs pick up on that disappointment. They may become unsure, wondering what they did wrong and why we aren’t happy with them.

They don’t see the run the way we do.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Every time you walk out of the trial ring, find THREE things that went RIGHT.

Maybe your dog took a beautiful flank. Maybe you handled a difficult situation better than you have before. Maybe your stop wasn’t perfect, but your dog tried hard and stayed connected to you.

There is ALWAYS something good to find!

The more you practice looking for those moments, the more your mindset begins to shift. You start seeing progress instead of perfection, opportunities instead of failures, and the incredible partnership you’re building with your dog.

And that shift doesn’t just change how you feel about your runs. It changes how you train, how you handle, and how your dog feels working with you.

Celebrate the good. Learn from the mistakes. Then move forward!

Your mindset is one of the most powerful tools you bring into the herding trial ring.

Now tell us, what’s ONE thing you’re proud of from your last run? ❤️

10/21/2026

Speed and Instincts — Shape Them, Don’t Strip Them! 🐾

Two things that, once you take away from your dog, you may never truly get back: SPEED and INSTINCTS.

These are things our stockdogs are born with. They are part of what makes them incredible working partners, and we have to be careful not to strip them away in our pursuit of control and mechanics.

As trainers and handlers, our job isn’t to take away what comes naturally to our dogs. Our job is to shape it, develop it, and teach them how to use it!

We want a dog that thinks, feels, reads stock, and works with confidence. Not a dog that has become so mechanical that it loses the very instincts that make it a stockdog.

There is a fine line between developing control and suppressing natural ability. Learning to recognize that line is one of the most important parts of becoming a better handler.

This week’s PSR Stockdogs blog dives deeper into this important topic and explores how we can preserve our dogs’ natural speed, confidence, and herding instincts while building the precision and control we need.

🐾 Go check out this week’s blog!

10/20/2026

PSR Trick of the Month – Week 3! 🐾

🎬 October’s Trick: PLAY DEAD!

It’s time for Week 3 of our Trick of the Month series! Our PSR trainer, Chris Knorr, is taking you step-by-step through teaching your dog how to play dead!

Teaching dog tricks might sound like something silly that’s just for fun, but there’s so much more to it!

Every time you teach your dog something new, you’re building communication, strengthening your relationship, and learning more about how your dog thinks and learns. Those skills transfer into everything else you do together, whether it’s herding, agility, rally, obedience, or everyday life!

And the best part? The dogs seem to love it, and it’s FUN for us too! ❤️

🏆 NEXT WEEK IS CONTEST WEEK! 🏆

This is your last week to practice before our Trick of the Month contest!

Next week, we’ll be asking everyone who has been participating to submit videos of their dogs performing their Play Dead trick! We’ll pick a winner, and there will be a prize! 🎉

Don’t worry about perfection! We want to see you and your dog learning, working together, and having fun!

So get those practice sessions in, keep building that connection, and get ready to show us what you’ve learned!

🐶 Who’s been working on Play Dead this month? How’s your dog doing?

10/19/2026

PSR Skill of the Month – Week 3!

Steps to a Solid Stop!

It’s Monday, which means another lesson in our FREE Skill of the Month series!

This week, we’re taking another step toward building a reliable, consistent stop on stock!

Up to this point, we’ve been allowing our dogs to offer the stop and then adding our verbal command as they perform the behavior.

Now it’s time to start ASKING for the stop!

At this stage, your dog should have a clear understanding of what your stop command means and what is expected of them.

We’re still working in a small pen, and there’s a very important reason for that!

We want to be able to follow through!

When you ask your dog to stop, you need to be in a position where you can help them make the correct choice if they don’t respond. Working in a smaller area allows you to control the situation, maintain consistency, and reinforce the behavior you’re asking for.

One of the biggest keys this week is making sure your stock is under control BEFORE asking for the stop.

We don’t want to ask our dogs to stop when the stock is getting away or when stopping would cause them to lose control of the situation.

Remember, we’re building a partnership with our dogs, not just mechanical obedience. We want them to understand when and how to stop while still maintaining their responsibility to the stock.

Take your time, be consistent, and make every repetition count!

A solid stop isn’t built in one session. It’s built through clear communication, consistency, and lots of correct repetitions!

We can’t wait to hear how your dogs are progressing!

10/18/2026

🐾 What’s Your Favorite Herding Trial Tip?

Trialing can be nerve-racking! You’re out there with your dog, everyone is watching, and there’s pressure to perform. Over the years, we’ve found that some of the biggest game changers have nothing to do with the actual skills on the course!

Here are a few of our favorite trial tips!

1. Find Ways to Calm Your Mind!

Your mental state has a huge impact on your dog. Whether it’s breathing exercises, going for a walk, or simply taking a few quiet moments to yourself, find what helps you get centered. The calmer and clearer you are, the better you can communicate with your dog. Remember, your dog is counting on you to be their partner out there!

2. Visualize Your Course!

There’s a LOT of waiting around at herding trials, but that time can be incredibly valuable! Don’t just memorize the course. Visualize yourself handling it. Think through where you want to position your dog, how you want to approach each obstacle, and how you’ll handle different situations. Walk through the entire run in your mind before you ever step into the arena.

3. Develop a Pre-Trial Routine for Your Dog!

Every dog is different! Some dogs need a quiet walk, a few warm-up exercises, and a calm environment before their run. Others might benefit from playing ball, moving around, or burning off a little extra energy.

Learning what YOUR dog needs to be mentally and physically ready can be a complete game changer!

The goal isn’t just to be prepared for the course. It’s to have both you and your dog in the best possible mindset to work together!

Trialing is about so much more than ribbons and scores. It’s about building a partnership, learning to handle pressure, and becoming a better team every time you step into the arena.

💬 Now we want to hear from YOU! What’s your favorite herding trial tip? It can be something big, something small, or something you wish someone had told you years ago!

Share it in the comments! You never know who your advice might help at their next trial! 🐑🐕

10/17/2026

BELIEVE (verb)

To accept something as true, real, or possible, even without having absolute proof.

To believe means to have faith, trust, or confidence in someone, something, or yourself.

To have faith: Trusting in something even when you cannot see the outcome.

To have confidence: Trusting in someone’s abilities, character, or potential.

To hold something as true: Accepting something as real based on your knowledge, experience, or conviction.

BELIEVE. Such a simple word, but such a powerful one.

It’s something we all need to think about a little more.

Believe in yourself.
Believe in your dog.
Believe in what you can accomplish.
Believe in your trainer.
Believe in your friends.
Believe in the people who make up your community in this incredible sport of herding.

So often, we get caught up in what we CAN’T do. What our dogs aren’t capable of yet. The skills we haven’t mastered. The mistakes we’ve made. The things that seem out of reach.

But what if we spent that same energy believing in what we CAN do?

Believing that with enough time, effort, consistency, and dedication, we CAN accomplish those goals.

Believing that our dogs are capable of more than what they’re showing us today.

And just as importantly, believing that the people around us are capable of accomplishing incredible things, too.

That belief, that support, that genuine confidence in ourselves and in each other, is a GAME CHANGER.

Because when someone truly believes in you, it changes things. And when you truly believe in yourself and your dog, it changes everything.

Belief doesn’t mean the journey will be easy. It doesn’t mean there won’t be setbacks, failures, or moments of doubt. It means having enough faith in the process to keep putting in the work, even when the results aren’t there yet.

When you truly believe that you CAN accomplish something, you’re already 90% ahead of the game.

So believe a little bigger. Believe a little harder. Believe in your dog, believe in yourself, and don’t forget to believe in the people standing beside you.

You might just be the person whose belief gives someone else the confidence to keep going.

Believe in the possibility. Put in the work. Trust the process.

— PSR Stockdogs 🐾

10/16/2026

What Is Your BIGGEST Struggle in the Herding World? 🐑🐄🦆

We want to hear from YOU!

Herding is an incredible sport, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. Whether you’re brand new to working stockdogs or you’ve been competing for years, we all have things we struggle with!

Is your biggest challenge finding a place where you and your dog feel welcome? Finding a herding trainer you can work with consistently? Or is it something specific in your training?

Maybe it’s:

• Getting a solid, reliable stop
• Keeping your dog settled
• Building confidence and engagement
• Learning to read livestock
• Getting a consistent gather or walk-up
• Driving and maintaining a line
• Working cattle, sheep, or ducks
• Preparing for herding trials and handling competition nerves

Or maybe it’s something completely different!

This week, we’re not necessarily looking for training questions. We simply want to know what YOU struggle with most in the world of herding.

At PSR Stockdogs, we believe that understanding the challenges handlers face is one of the best ways we can continue to help our herding community learn, grow, and succeed.

👇 Tell us in the comments! What is your single BIGGEST struggle in herding?

No judgment, no wrong answers. Just an opportunity to share, connect, and realize that you probably aren’t the only one facing that challenge!

We can’t wait to hear your answers! ❤️

10/15/2026

Learning to Set the Line – A Skill That Takes Time, Patience, and Understanding!

Setting the line is one of those herding skills that sounds simple in theory but is actually incredibly complex! There are multiple components that have to come together before a dog truly understands how to set a line and maintain it.

It all starts in the fetch. This is where we begin teaching our dog what our “there” command, or whatever command you choose to use, actually means. We want our dog to understand that when we give that command, we are telling them, “This is where I want the stock to go.”

As that understanding develops, we can begin applying it to the drive.

When driving, we use our “there” command once the heads of the stock are pointed toward the obstacle, gate, or direction we want them to travel. From there, the dog’s job is to maintain that line until we ask them to change it.

Sounds easy, right? Not quite!

This requires the dog to understand pressure, read the stock, recognize the intended direction of travel, and make constant adjustments to maintain that line without needing us to micromanage every step.

This is where instinct, mechanics, and maturity all come together.

It takes time. It takes repetition. It takes consistency. And it takes a certain level of maturity for a dog to truly understand the job and commit to holding that line.

We aren’t just teaching a command. We’re teaching understanding, responsibility, and independence.

The goal isn’t to have a dog that needs constant direction from the handler. The goal is to build a partner who understands the job, knows where the stock needs to go, and takes responsibility for getting them there.

Don’t rush the process. Build the understanding, put in the repetitions, and give your dog the time to mature into the skill.

10/15/2026

🐄 AUDIT SPOTS AVAILABLE! 🐄

We still have audit spots available for our upcoming Carol Gerkin Cattle Clinic at PSR Stockdogs!

This is a great opportunity to come watch, listen, learn, and gain valuable insight into cattle herding, stockmanship, and working stockdogs!

📅 Dates: October 26th & 27th, 2026

📍 Location: PSR Stockdogs – Dewey, Arizona

💲 Audit Fee: $50 per day

Whether you’re looking to improve your cattle herding skills, gain a better understanding of reading livestock, or simply learn from an experienced clinician, auditing is a wonderful opportunity!

📩 Please contact Megan or Dawna if you would like to attend!

We look forward to seeing everyone for two great days of learning and working dogs! 🐾

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Dewey, AZ
86327

Website

https://beacons.ai/psrstockdogtraining, http://www.psrstockdogs.com/

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