I can definitely relate to being put off by the paddle. Young Diva is very sensitive, she is intimidated by even a crook and will wander away from the stock and sniff when it comes out. Pretty much all I can use with her is a little 3-foot sorting stick. Luckily she doesn't generally come in to close or hot, so I don't normally have to put much pressure on her. We have recently started working with call ducks, though, where she really does want to pounce in and make herself some duck soup sometimes :o
Buddy, OTOH, is sometimes completely oblivious to the paddle, flag, crook-with-a-shaker-bottle, thrown crook, etc. He's a very strong-willed little dog. I guess you have to be if you are 26 lbs and you were bred to move 400lb cattle.
