Hi Victoria, Absolutely, the forum link is live and questions are welcome, thanks for asking!
In terms of shaping flanks, how we maintain the proper arc with a trained dog can be found in Squaring Flanks here,https://macraeway.com/academy/sheepdog-training/the-triangle-a-driving-exercise/
With dogs learning to drive, we only employ a gentle opening of the flanks as we don’t want to risk opening them too quickly (lest their natural width kicks in and it makes them too wide).
By using The Circle,https://macraeway.com/academy/sheepdog-training/the-circle-a-versatile-and-excellent-driving-exercise/, it allows us to gently suggest how to maintain the arc if our dog is slicing, as we are in a position to always help our dogs. We simply step forward from the center cone towards our dog, to help and return to the center cone as soon as our dogs opens up. We don’t shape flanks until 16 months or so, once our dogs have come with their natural width, but we do discourage slicing.If your dog is further forward you can use the same method in “Squaring Flanks” for the circle exercise, if you’re shaping flanks in earnest. It’s important to follow the same premise as The Triangle, only opening flanks in the direction of the outside of the Circle.
For young dogs just starting in the round pen, we are not too fussed about being tight, however, if they are slicing you can see how we address that with several different types of dogs in the Course, Starting Dogs.Please let me know if you meant something different with your question, cheers,
