We can learn from remarkable people who have worked with remarkable dogs: training and learning are not the same thing at all.
What We Get Right About Dogs
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online learning community
Sheepballs® Apr 2026
starting 16 Apr 2026 ~ 8 weeks
A practical online course with individual coaching to develop your skills and those of your sheepdog to enjoy a fulfilling and active life.
Lessons will include:
➤ Activities that simulate everyday sheep work that will give your dog an outlet for their inherited skills. Gathering their flock, controlling the escapees, sorting lambs and taking them to market.
We may call them Games but your dog will consider it Serious Work and tackle the job with their whole heart.
➤ Planning a long term future of compatible living, satisfying their working needs and learning to enjoy this amazing dog.
➤ A Day at the Trials: a special live event watching the masters at work where you can appreciate the heritage that shares your sofa.
This course includes access to The Flock. If you are already a Flock26 Member you will get a £30 discount when enrolling for this course.
The Flock:
➤ The essential reading material for getting to know your Collie and the course. When you enrol you will get access for pre-course preparation and a deep dive into learning about your dog.
➤ Learn how the sheepdog brain views the world and what they consider worthy of responding to and why: learn to manage their responses without conflict.
YOU WILL NEED TO READ THE GETTING STARTED MATERIAL IN THE FLOCK
This course suitable for:
Dogs over 5 months old of Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs. Feedback and coaching is available for one dog per person.
Lessons include a range of practical activities to learn with regular feedback on your progress. This is through videos you upload (maximum of 9 minutes total in 3 sessions per week) and progress reports.
If you are enthusiastic about learning, developing and building your relationship, connection and skills then you will be very welcome.
Enrolment opens 16 Feb
£280.00
Format of the Course
✦ Practical Activities: selected to suit individual progress through the sheepdog instincts.
✦ Weekly Live Sessions: recorded held on Thursday at 8pm UK (1900 GMT/UTC), for discussions, focus on specific topics and your questions.
✦ Individual Feedback: upload up to 5 minutes of video per week.
✦ Course Material: available for 8 weeks after the course.
✦ Participants only: no auditors or spectators.
✦ Attendance Certificates: available for active participants: joining the live sessions, questions, contribution to forum discussions etc.
✦ Flock Chat: the happy place for Border collie enthusiasts.
course FAQs
Finding a Balance
Living with a collie is both a privilege and experience that brings tremendous pleasure when learning together and not in opposition. They are amazing dogs with generous passion to work with people and fulfil their role as the Other Half, whatever that job may be.
Many dogs have a working background heritage or a mixed package of sports and show dogs.
There is NO REASON why a dog whose entire parentage over many generations only knew life in a shed with irregular or seasonal events cannot enjoy a life with you, but we do need to make allowances and adjust routines to not let their Issues, or Reasons for Living, go beyond a healthy enjoyment.
Many a happy collie lives well in a front room enjoying full time company of people and some regular activities of the right sort.
Are you an Active Learner?
Are you getting your money’s worth for online courses?
It would not matter what subject we are talking about: cooking, shopping, playing golf or training your dog if you are not working at getting better then you are getting worse. Cruising without paying attention is a sure way to let your skills slip. Driving by habit with no recollection of the journey: did you see that waving potato by the road?
Read more ….
Experience and empathy
Life with Collies for Kay began in 1973 and has travelled over 9 generations and 19 wonderful dogs with a sprinkling of second-hand guys.
Participation in dog sports from a beginner to Crufts championships forged a passion for training and skills for combining accuracy and joy. Sheep farming and shepherding for 12 years bought a new understanding of our collie heritage.
Kay has been teaching people teaching dogs for over 40 years in a great variety of activities. Online learning has developed into a first class learning format where daily individual feedback is blended with the richness of learning as a group. Great questions, varied lifestyles and adaptation through application brings together our passion for these amazing companions.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions: email kay
SheepBalls® Trade Mark is protected from use by any other business, group, individual or organisation without the express permission of Learning About Dogs Ltd. Trade Mark No: UK00003901470
Not for you
If you plan to be a passive spectator, auditor or intend to harvest material generated by the work of others then this is not for you. You will be given two weeks to demonstrate active participation with your dog after which your access will be limited.
If this type of commitment is beyond your interest then please do not join us.