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Author Topic: Sheep attacking the dog..  (Read 7772 times)

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Sheep attacking the dog..
« on: December 08, 2012, 03:26:59 pm »
How do I get the sheep used to having a dog around please? Just took the pup for a walk and while 4 sheep quickly walked away, my bossiest tame ewe ran at him and it could have been quite nasty. Is it just a case of everyone getting used to one another and how would you approach this please?  he had no interest in chasing so it was quite unprovoked (but I guess she felt threatened)
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2012, 04:09:40 pm »
Plums I am no expert on this and I am sure others will be along with the 'proper' way to do things but with mine I just found it was a case of them getting used to each other. The dog has always been on the lead when in with the sheep, albeit a long lead, and after a while they all ignored each other.
Mine have all been away with the tup for 2 months and I am due to get them back next week so I will probably have to go through it again.
Sally
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

oaklandspigs

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • East Sussex
    • OaklandsPigs
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2012, 04:20:36 pm »
Have always run our pups in a field of ewes - the easiest way to stop them becoming chasers - they quickly learn that ewes are to be to avoided whilst they're still very small.  A bossy ewe is quite useful, they'll come froward to the pup, if you're worried have it on a lead and pull it out of the way.  Most of our pups have been gently butted by a bossy ewe - they're made of rubber at that age, and soon learn !
www.Oaklandspigs.co.uk
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plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2012, 04:22:16 pm »
Thanks both, that is reassuring. The ewe really landed on him and he yelped which terrified me! thought some damage was done
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2012, 06:30:42 pm »
Pups are quite resilient in the same way that little kids seem to bounce.

Is the pup a pet, or to be a sheepdog?

If a pet, as people are saying, it doesn't hurt it to know to leave sheep alone and a bossy ewe will do that effectively when a pup.

If a sheepdog, it doesn't need to learn to be afraid of sheep, in that case, you need to turn very scary and frightening and yell, wave things around and generally frighten the sheep when you've got the pup with you, so that they back off the dog and they associate the dog with scariness - and it feels 'powerful' and effective around the sheep.

My silly un-dogged sheep all ran up to my neighbour's sheep dog to see what it was! And we quickly had to 'turn scary' and back the dog up, so it didn't lose confidence.

happygolucky

  • Joined Jan 2012
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2012, 06:44:53 pm »
Just keep him on a lead and walk him with the sheep all the time,  I would be scared too but a pup is better off having a scare than killing a sheep or lamb......I go to dog training and my dogs are fine with sheep but the man who has the land has a tup that will tell any dog off and he suggests those dogs go into that paddock supervised and learn a lesson from the tup!!!  Good luck!!

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2012, 06:58:36 pm »
He's to be a pet Jaykay so would like to be able to walk him quietly within our own land sometimes. She kept trying to get to him to attack him - shall i just walk him near the fence a few times to get them used to seeing him before venturing in there again do you think?
he's a Samoyed crossed with terrier (don't laugh!!) so not sure if the samoyed herding instinct will kick in or not. Am hoping the terrier in him will see a few rats off though  ;)
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2012, 07:02:34 pm »
I would walk him by the fence then, so she gets the idea he's no trouble, and he understands that sheep are big scary things that you don't chase.

Sheep do get used to 'their own' dogs and are calmer round them than strange dogs, so it must work, getting to know each other.

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2012, 07:08:54 pm »
OK I will try that for a bit. Today was pretty horrible and I don't want a repeat of that, I thought she'd broken his back! reassuring in a way that she'll put up a fight though against  a bad dog I guess  :-\
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2012, 07:12:43 pm »
I think that will acclimatise them a bit more, without him being in danger.

She sounds as though she'll be a good mum, protect her lambs well  :thumbsup:

Tudful Tamworths

  • Joined Aug 2009
    • Liz's website
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2012, 12:05:15 am »
I would walk the pup on a lead every day near the ewe and, when she comes close, I'd feed her some nuts. That way, she gets used to the presence of the dog being a good thing.
My sheep baffle the neighbours, because they run towards my dogs, because they associate them with me - and food. However, the dogs did have a couple of nasty shocks when I had goats a couple of years back. One headbutted one of the dogs so hard in the ribs that he rolled over three times down a hill. After that, he gave the goats a wide berth!
www.lizshankland.com www.biggingerpigs.com
Author of the Haynes Pig Manual, Haynes Smallholding Manual, and the Haynes Sheep Manual. Three times winner of the Tamworth Champion of Champions. Teaching smallholding courses at Kate Humble's farm: www.humblebynature.com

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2012, 06:33:28 pm »
My Springer runs in with all my ewes and I am sure they think she is just another sheep - even at feeding time.   The only time they get protective is with new born lambs - which is fine. 
He needs to respect them and keep out of their way, just get him used to them gradually with you there to back him up if necessary.
Enjoy your puppy  :thumbsup:

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2012, 06:34:53 pm »
Thanks all. Well I've been taking him alongside the fence where the sheep feeder is so that they see him and they get nuts same time. Soon I'll be brave enough to maybe go in again with him (with nuts in my pocket...)
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #13 on: December 12, 2012, 06:38:55 pm »
Our soay sheep used to stamp their feet at our puppy sheepdog but she's bigger now and although she behaves completely around them they don't come near her, just within a few metres.  Our take no nonsense pygmy Aunty Gherty pins her up against the big tree though  ;D  dog doesn't go near her.
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep attacking the dog..
« Reply #14 on: December 12, 2012, 06:41:29 pm »
I've seen the foxes running amongst the goats and sheep and they don't blink an eye at them so I guess they must get used to having canine types around? all down to familiarity I suppose?
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

 

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