Author Topic: Training dogs around sheep (Read 1067 times)

Vonny · « **on:** April 26, 2019, 09:50:33 am »

Morning I am just about to embark on my new life . My first challenge is to see if my two border collies will behave around sheep. I am looking at getting a few Hebridean ewes. I am in the south east, and would like to get some sheep dog training in preparation. Can anyone advise please.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2019, 12:37:09 pm »

Make sure the Heb ewes you get are from a breeder who uses a dog. I believe with Hebs, the sheep need to be trained as well as the dog, or they will scatter and the dog doesn't cope well. Having said that, the only dog I have used with my Hebs is a Jack Russell, not trained as a sheepdog. They respond to the special yips he gives when it's sheep gathering time, and they give up the fight promptly just to stop the yipping

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2019, 01:06:14 pm »

In my experience, most of the primitives and a lot of the hill types need a dog experienced with that type of sheep. It takes finesse to drive these sheep, and yes they will decamp if pressed too hard. And yes, sheep that are habituated to be driven by a dog will be much easier to herd than those which do not see much of working dogs. Wethers are generally easier for a novice than ewes, and weaned lambs at 4-6 months old probably the best to start.

I used to do training in Sink Pits Bottom, had a wee course set up. The ruddy sheep (young Mules) learned the course, and would run round it while the dog and I still were on our way across Sink Pits to them

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2019, 01:09:04 pm »

Have a look for a trainer near you in the ISDS list.

CarolineJ · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2019, 02:35:10 pm »

Jack and I used to go and practise on my neighbour's Hebridean small flock of wethers she bought specifically for training her dogs on. It was a very rare day that we got them anything like under control, they're buggers for splitting apart in every direction! Jack always slept well afterwards though

harmony · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2019, 09:18:08 pm »

Not quite sure whether you mean you want to see if your dogs will work the sheep or whether they will behave around your sheep?

If it is the first then you need to go to an experienced handler who can assess your dogs, assess you and decide if you and they can be trained. If you only have a few sheep and all you want to do is herd them in or along then a well behaved dog that can stay beside you, sit and stay will probably suffice. Equally, bucket training may well do the trick.

I bought heb wethers to train a dog and I found them fine. I know people who rave about them and people who don't. Of course, some blame the sheep, some blame the dog but they never blame themselves.

You don't say how old your dogs are or how they generally behave around livestock?