Raspberry Ridge Sheep Farm

Raspberry Ridge Farm has been one of those experiences that will stick with you. Bo and I came out for a week-long herding boot camp, not really knowing what to expect. I’m a city person. I’ve never spent a day working sheep, and honestly, I wasn’t sure how it would go. But from the moment we arrived, Carolyn, Rob, and the entire team made it clear this was a place where you could just show up as you are. And that ended up being the best part. There’s no pressure to be perfect here. You can make mistakes, ask questions, try things that don’t work, and just keep learning. I felt respected the whole time—not just as someone trying to train a dog, but as a person. We all come from different backgrounds, and that never felt like a barrier. If anything, it made the experience better. Bo is learning a ton. I am too. But beyond the training, this has been an incredible bonding experience for us. Watching him work, figuring things out together, and then being able to let him run and decompress in the fields at night—it’s something we just don’t get at home. His confidence is up, his recall is better, and I can see him thinking in a different way. They also let us bring our 34 ft RV and stay on the farm for the week, which made it feel like we were really living it, not just visiting. There’s a rhythm to the place. The sheep come first, there’s always something going on, and you just kind of fall into it. And I’ll be honest—it’s fun. Like, genuinely fun. I never thought I’d enjoy spending a day moving sheep around, but I love it. It’s the kind of experience that will make going back to the office feel a tough. If you have a herding dog, or even if you’re just curious, I can’t recommend this place enough. Bo's not likely to be herding sheep back home, but these lessons will follow through to his daily life. You and your dog will both grow here, and you’ll leave with more than you expected. Update - I forgot to mention how cool it is to look over throughout the day and see actual border collies in action on the farm and even work with one a little bit. This is dog training at it's finest.