[BenBhoy]

How many    before you can justify a working dog?

[landroverroy]

Depends how easy your sheep are to handle.
I have 19 ewes and have  just got another dog as I'm retiring my old one. I'm now selling most of my sheep and will probably keep about 6 but I shall still keep the  the dog for handling and checking them as it makes life so much easier.


Can't beat standing in one place and having the sheep brought to you, instead of chasing them round yourself.

[farmers wife]

100 plus.  We had 400 ewes and didnt have a dog.  The dog is going to be bored stupid if its not working its not good to have a dog not working week after week especially if its young its going to get lazy and be difficult to train.


Then its the overhead cost and training it.


We have solar panels so need a dog to get them in otherwise they scatter.  its a disaster.

[BenBhoy]

That's my main concern, bored dog. Im working with 350(something) ewes so by no means is everyday a busy sheep day. But are times when I feel it's be useful. And (selfish) I just really want that bond of working alongside a dog.

[sheeponthebrain]

surely asking is a dog necessary? is the wrong question.

my questions would be
is a dog advantageous to me?
do i want a dog as a companion? and
do i have the time to train a dog?

ive seen some folk with 100 sheep with trial standard dogs and folk with 1000 qho manage with a quad bike (somehow)

[Lingon]

Instead of waiting for enough sheep for a sheep dog like the border collie, why not get yourself a multipurpose breed like a Swedish Vallhund (vallhund means shepherd) or something similar? They can catch rats, you can do some hunting with them, they are smart and easy to train in obedience and they herd.

If you wonder why they look similar to the corgi, it's because the vikings brought these dogs with them to Britain and let them breed with your dogs.

[CarolineJ]

Depends on the dog, to an extent.  I have a border collie whose favourite thing in life is to work sheep, but his second favourite thing is to be upside down on the sofa with his head on my husband's lap, he's a great pet too.  He sees sheep every day, he doesn't get to work sheep every day, and he's okay with that, no behavioural issues.

[landroverroy]

Depends on the dog, to an extent.  I have a border collie whose favourite thing in life is to work sheep, but his second favourite thing is to be upside down on the sofa with his head on my husband's lap, he's a great pet too.  He sees sheep every day, he doesn't get to work sheep every day, and he's okay with that, no behavioural issues.

I quite agree. People seem to think that a sheep dog is out all day gathering sheep. nothing could be further from the truth! You don't gather sheep every day, so a collie will still be spending most of its time without the sheep anyway. My 2 dogs spend their day laid about the house or wandering in and out checking on what's happening in the garden. But when I call them to come out in the Land Rover they're there in a flash. They also love running about and fetching a ball, but don't require any more exercise or "entertainment" than any other active breed.

[SallyintNorth]

That's my main concern, bored dog. Im working with 350(something) ewes so by no means is everyday a busy sheep day. But are times when I feel it's be useful. And (selfish) I just really want that bond of working alongside a dog.

You've got plenty of sheep, you want the bond of working with a dog.  Get one, train it - there's nothing like it. :hugdog:  With that many sheep you can sort out a few youngsters to train the dog on, and to have a practise session with from time to time to keep both your hands (and paws) in.  Once the dog is trained and used to the routine, it will, as others have said, settle into it and be happy to do other stuff with you when there's no sheep work to do. 

Dot loves chasing swallows, riding on the quad bike, playing with a toy, herding chickens and ducks, or just pottering about alongside me whatever I am doing.  She wasn't always like that and when younger I did have to keep a close eye or she'd be off finding sheep if I was busy with something else.  But you'll fathom what works and what doesn't with the dog that you get.

Collies need more down time to think about things than other breeds.  When you're training you will see very clearly that the dog has processed whatever happened last time and thought about what it might do in a similar situation next time.  Provided they get plenty of exercise - of body and mind - they're very happy to spend hours in their pen / crate / stable / kennel or whatever is 'their' place, mainly sleeping and thinking.  The odd bone doesn't go amiss