Tango got a shock...

Literally.

The cottage we stayed in backs onto a field of sheep.

There is a babbling brook and a fence before the sheep...then another fence so after checking the fences were in place (quickly I admit) the dogs were allowed off lead. We've stayed in this cottage before so thought that all would be well.
Anyway, Tango as soon as she got offlead, showed her absolute love of sheep and got into the brook (she doesn't do water or dirty ) and found a small gap in the barbed wire fence. She ignored her recall and headed up to the next fence, which unbeknown to us was electric. She got zapped.
She let out a yelp and ran back to us (thankfully as I suppose she could have panicked madly) but my oH had a time of it getting her back through the gap. Not as much of a time as he had getting Cosmo through though (who had followed her to see what was going on he didn't go near the other fence though).

As I say she was fine after about 20 minutes (she was very quiet) and her recall has improved dramatically. She still has a thing about sheep though.

The people who owned the cottage quickly sorted out the fence (they are lovely). It was such a small gap that she'd found. I feel awful that we hadn't spotted it on our initial check. The third fence panel along was put there to block the small gap. The wall is quite high...and the embankment on the other side is very steep, especially further along. She had to force herself through the hole. She was sooooooo determined though. I admit I was pretty shocked given she is an ex working gundog.

Bless her. She didn't go anywhere near it afterwards though.


It is good that the second fence was there otherwise the outcome could have been worse (there were lambs in the field and the farmer lives close to hand). I have to say though I was shocked at the number of elcetric fences I then spotted. On one of my walks with the dogs a horse came bounding over to say hi to us and I spotted it was also in a field with an electic fence. I was so worried it would get shocked, or that the dogs would get shocked that I didn't stop to say hello to it (which I felt awful about as the dogs are horse friendly as am I!!!)
A normal, study fence would do the same job surely? I am wondering why so many choose an electric fence. Is it cheaper? I can see it might be.
Anyway...next time I will check the fence with a fine tooth comb before madam is allowed offlead in the garden. ;(

poor Tango, sounds horrible - hope she was ok.

She was..I felt awful it had happened in the first place though bless her. She really did yelp.
She's fine though.

Aww poor Tango, Wilson's been zapped before as well! I think electric fences are used as they are moveable and I know sheep are moved around quite frequently and also sometimes on rented land which would not be economically viable to securely fence (as it's rented) so they stick electric fences round the edges to prevent the sheep getting out.
Becky

Thanks Becky. Poor Wilson!

I guessed it must be financial. I wasn't sure why the horse field had it though. I felt for this poor horse. It was so friendly.
This particular field at the cottage always has sheep in (well...we have been Spring/summer and autumn now..will need to check on winter!) It is also owned by the farmer ( it is a different person who owns the horse field though).

I wondered with the sheep if it may be something to do with foxes? Mind you all they would have to do is jump the gate!!

Poor Tango, glad she is no worse for wear though. Our old Meg was zapped once at my mates fields where she kept her horses, the guy that own the livery stables used to turn them off as a rule when people turned up in the mornings, only this time he forgot, gave her a bit of a jolt I can tell you

Bless her,they do seem to pack quite a punch.
Did he use them to keep people out of the field then?

In Somerset I know they used electric fences to strip graze the field with horses maybe that's why?
Becky

Not sure.
The fences ran all round the perimeter of the field though.

Our boys get zapped all the time Ailsa... their tails seem to at like dodgem car aerials

It's mostly horse fencing they get zapped with... it's never done them any harm, but they are slightly more wary about white-strip fencing than usual!