[Lostlambs]

I have a 2 year old border collie\great pyrenees cross female that has taken a liking to lamb chop. She has been coming along well for me working with the sheep and cows before this. My daughters older german shepherd cross started this as she was left out of the house unattended by accident and is known for her hunt characteristics and was caught grabbing a lamb. I've tried what I know of but am losing as I've lost 2 lambs. Keeping her in is not possible here as well as tying her as she goes batty if left tied. She will only go after a lamb when no ones around-overnight. she knows what she's done as when I come out she slinks away when she see's me.My guardian Pyrenees who she's been raised with doesn't interfere maybe because he doesn't see her as a threat being raised with him.

[Fleecewife]

We had two crossbred bitches, Anatolian Karabash x Irish Wolfhound (the karabash is a sheep guardian pretty much like the Pyrenees), 2 yo.
 
One was superb as both a guardian and because she got on with the flock and didn't stray.  Her sister was not superb - she fought viciously with our other dogs then escaped and attacked our neighbour's flock, requiring 3 ewes to be put down.
Our view, and that of the neighbour too, was that it would not be possible to change her liking for chasing and attacking sheep (she never attacked ours, but then she knew them individually).  We could have sought to rehome her away from livestock but because of the fighting with the other dogs on top of the sheep worrying, we took the very difficult decision to have her euthanased.  She seemed to be two different animals - the quiet and loving indoor dog, then a killer outdoors.  We couldn't risk her being rehomed with children or other pets, so it was our responsibility to make the decision.
 
My feeling, in spite of having one of the sisters as a wonderful guardian dog until she died of natural causes, is that crossing a dog which has been bred for one purpose such as guarding sheep with another which is bred for something different - in your case herding sheep, in my case killing wolves - can lead to offspring which don't know which way to turn and end up having to be put down.

[Old Shep]

options:


tie her up

build her a kennel with a run attached


put to sleep


electric collar (although if you cant watch her all the time this wouldn't work)


rehome


Sorry but none of these are very nice :-(

[Alistair]

If Shes a good house dog I'd pursue the rehoming, just not through RSPCA etc.., but if it was me I'd be building a kennel & run somehow, my lurcher is not even slightly stock safe, he never goes off the lead, bearing in mind he was a proper stray when we got him and went completely loopy whenever he was constrained by any form of tying or leash, he's now much more relaxed with it all, still it took a year and he's still work in progress, so if you've got the time, loads of lead work etc, then introduce tying up when she's tired, leaving for progressivly longer periods etc and eventually the dog should accept being tied but it goes down to the time and effort you honestly have available

[doganjo]

This is the ONE instance where I would advocate using an electric collar - get a professional dog trainer who uses them though.  The dog is allowed to run loose in a field with the sheep and the second it goes after one it is zapped. It usually works teh first time, but A friend who has done it said one dog he had in needed three sessions.  But they never go near sheep again. 

The alternative is as above - keep the dog in a secure run when you are not with it.

Re-homing is NOT the answer as that is passing on the problem to somebody else and that is unfair

If you don't do one or the other then the final needle is the only way.

[Alistair]

Re-homing is NOT the answer as that is passing on the problem to somebody else and that is unfair

Reply number 4,  typed this 3 times already.....

Just NO, rehoming CAN be the answer, I've rescued a dog, he's a challenge but it's rewarding, it just needs the right home, he'd be dead now otherwise... Oooooo I'm getting on one of my hobby horses now

That dog, isolated from livestock (town or city) would prob ably do well, I don't know the dog so couldn't comment further

[Mammyshaz]

I agree. If the dog is fine in situations other than around livestock then rehoming away from this situation with people who have time to keep up training would be a good solution. If there is no livestock then there is no problem. Obviously making the perspective owners aware of the problem so they can avoid such situations.

She may make a town family very happy and be much happier herself once livestock and urge to chase them are removed from her life.

[doganjo]

Ok, you re-home the dog, you tell the new owner, for a long time all is fine and dandy, then they relax, they forget and go on a caravan holiday on a farm, the dog gets out, the dog kills a sheep, the dog gets shot, the owners get sued. Far better to cure the problem.

[sokel]

I have to agree with Doganjo on this one, A sheep killer is always a sheepkiller in my opinion, they may stop for a while and you build up a false sense of  trust but the second you let your guard down they will kill again

[doganjo]

Yes, but an e-collar can cure the problem.  I wouldn't touch them for any other reason and as I said a pro trainer is required, but I have seen it work.

[sokel]

Even the electric Collars only work for so long, once they stop doing it and they are behaving you stop putting the collar on and they soon learn that no collar no shock
Someone I know of used one on the border terrier that kept going off hunting and not coming back when called.
It got to the point the dog never left her side when off the leash but as soon as she stopped putting the collar on the dog was away , still if she puts the collar on and not once pressing the button the dog never leaves her side but take the collar off and the dog vanishes into the distance 

[Mammyshaz]

For a young dog ( which at 2 yrs a pyrenees is ) which only manages to kill lambs when left unsupervised at night, I can see no reason why a town home wouldn't suit. Even holidaying in sheep areas it wouldn't be left out with lambs.
I would give her a chance.

[doganjo]

Even the electric Collars only work for so long, once they stop doing it and they are behaving you stop putting the collar on and they soon learn that no collar no shock
Someone I know of used one on the border terrier that kept going off hunting and not coming back when called.
It got to the point the dog never left her side when off the leash but as soon as she stopped putting the collar on the dog was away , still if she puts the collar on and not once pressing the button the dog never leaves her side but take the collar off and the dog vanishes into the distance

That is the wrong way to use the collar.  It must be left on the dog for a minimum of two weeks without using it in any way whatsoever so that the dog does not realise the collar is the cause of any vibration.  ONLY then should the dog be allowed near what you are trying to avert it from. As I said before a professional trainer should be enlisted for assistance on this. 

[happygolucky]

For a young dog ( which at 2 yrs a pyrenees is ) which only manages to kill lambs when left unsupervised at night, I can see no reason why a town home wouldn't suit. Even holidaying in sheep areas it wouldn't be left out with lambs.
I would give her a chance.

You can walk in places where there are no sheep,.....and those collars are good, we know a lady with Deer Hounds, she had colars made.
Plenty of excesses maybe get the dog trained to pull you on a trolley thing like they do around here....you may end up in a field of sheep though  ...joking apart, plenty of excesses and kenneled with a good run is better than being chained up.......I hate that idea as they can get tangled if not careful, the dog needs re training and sounds like it also has separation anxiety, so only leave for a short time then make it longer and longer!!!!
Can you take the dog with you in the car? mine love a car ride!!! I would certainly invest in an electric colar and try to get a farmer with a huge ram to help out.......although you will need a lot of patience but please make sure the dog is never allowed out near any farms!!

[happygolucky]

I love the fact that where we enjoy a walk the farmer has electric fences now, our dogs will not go near them, there are only horses in the field though as we do keep away from sheep!!