Am feeling like a bad owner today!

I took Loki for a walk last night with my dad who is here on holiday, he loves walking and has been doing some exploring whilst Im at walk so he picked the work. It was a lovely walk and Loki obviously really enjoyed it he stayed really close the whole way, waited whenever I told him too to stop him getting out of sight, and really enjoyed playing in the stream along the walk.
On the way back he went nearly the whole way back in the stream as we walked alongside, as we neared the end of the walk I called him and he didnt come, his recall is usually excellent and had been for the whole walk so I started to worry, then my heart stopped as I saw him in a field alittle way ahead chasing the sheep my first thought was obviously to get him back but also hes going to get shot!
I dont know how he got in there I checked as we passed the gate way that he couldnt fit through, but still kept him on the lead as we passed and had intended to have in on the lead when we passed again at the end of the walk! I called Loki who came but couldnt fit through the gate so ran off again my dad managed to prize the bottom of the gate open enough for him to get through and he went straight back on the lead. We had a look and it looks like the stream where we were lead onto the back of the field and there was a gap there hidden by the gorse.
I feel so bad that Loki upset the sheep and hope they are all ok, he didnt bark at them or show any agression but I know the shock itself could have killed one off them if they were elderly or ill, I know I was very lucky he wasnt shot and feel so awful about the whole thing!
Loki showed no interest in the sheep at all on his way past and I was so careful to show I was more interesting then the sheep because we live in the countryside I really wanted to teach him to not be interested in sheep and it was working, but I think when he came through the gap into field he may have startled the sheep nearby who ran, and Loki loves chasing so that was it he was off! Now I cant go back there because he'll know how to get in and that chasing sheep is fun so its too much of a risk, and im going to have to be even more careful around sheep.
I feel like ive let Loki down by not seeing the gap, and could have lost my baby yesterday! :smt022

Sorry for long post just feel so awful, have tried so hard to be a good owner to Loki but obviously not hard enough!

I know exactly how you feel. But don't beat yourself up over it. Does not make you a bad mum at all ! Angel managed to get into a cow field one day. Quite sure she wasn't in danger of getting shot, and the cows were not scared, but my heart sank and i thought she might get trampeled ! ! Honesly thought I was going to be sick! NOw everytime I pass that field she is on lead. You just to look at it as a lesson learned, that's what I did. But PLEASE ! Don't think of yourself as abad owner, these things happen and the most vigilant person i the world could possibly miss something our wee pooches will find.

So cheers up hun, no doubt Loki still loves ya loads

Don't feel bad ...hes a dog doing what they do ..you thought you'd got him past the gaps ..it was an accident ...not something you recklesly let him do ....you are a good owner ..the fact that you're upset by this shows it (((hugs)))

The fact you got Loki back on lead as soon as you did shows you are a good owner, and in no way have you let him down - if anything quite the opposite as you now know there is a gap so will take extra care so he doesn't go in the field again.

Put it behind you, try not to worry. xx

You have learned a lesson and taken the experience to heart - that makes you a responsible owner. You will be that much more aware and prepared in future.

I hope the sheep are none the worse for their encounter with the lovely Loki.

oh hun, dont feel bad, you are obviously a good owner because Loki is a wonderful dog and you should be proud. Accidents happen, Loki was just being a dog and you couldn't have forseen that happening with the gap out of your view. Dont get at yourself, nothing happened and all turned out to be okay, this experience is something to be learned from now you know theres a gap

Dont be too hard on yourself its an easy mistake to make

Don't think of yourself as a bad owner - it was an accident, purely and simply. A similar thing happened to me once, although it did end in tragedy for my dog It was an accident then too, but I felt like a bad owner for a very long time afterwards and still feel guilt to this day.

Since that day, all my dogs are stock broken, so they are safe around livestock and don't chase - as we live in the countryside too.

It might be worth thinking about training Loki not to chase sheep and then you won't have the worry hanging over you all the time you are out for a walk.

Thanks everyone, you kind words have helped alot!

I was trying to teach him sheep wernt interesting and I was far more interesting when we went past the sheep at the begining of the walk, and seemed to be working because he didnt show much interest in them except to look at them funny when they bleated, but all thats been undone now, so how do I teach him not to chase sheep now he knows its fun?

With my 3 bc's i have to be soooo careful around sheep. Mine are on the lead at all times. I worry that much i don't let them off in fields i haven't been through before.
2 of my friends dogs were shot at by a farmer. One was in Ireland. Her dog was instantly killed . My other friends dog wasn't hit. She was walking ny my friend, she wasn't even running around.
Also working on a farm i know how much stress the sheep induce. Weve had sheep die from shock.

I would of thought Loki would of been more interested in the feathery kind not sheep!

I've certainly learnt through my mistakes with my dogs