Training dogs around livestock

Hello, I'm new to this site and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I need to train my Rescue Rotti to leave live stock alone!! He is not agressive but wants to run and chase them, not the best as I have to keep him on a lead for walks of which he is very very good over but I just want to let him have a run and a bit more freedom than he has now.

He came to me a month ago with no training apart from sitting infront of your when he knew you had food in your hand!! He has learnt so much in just the little time I have had him and really settled down but still has this fascination with animals. I think he has never seen them before as he has such a blanc confused look on his face when he sees them.

I have found a training place in Scotland of which trains dogs to respond and behave around livestock. I live in Gloucester so it is a bit of a treck but will do the journey if it is the only one. However if someone can recommend one closer to where I live then that would be great.

Also can anyone recommend a training centre around my area too which has experience in training Rotti's? I have been looking but it seems there are so many and I am just getting all confused!!

thanks

Alex

Hi Alex

Not sure if this is closer or not, but you could try Angela Stockdale's livestock

http://www.dog-partnership.co.uk/livestock.htm

There is also this place in Surrey:

http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/abc.php

Both have stooge livestock animals.

I think as Angela says, if you live somewhere like Exmoor, Dartmoor etc it is very hard to avoid sheep. However, if you live where sheep are in fields, it is often safer to keep your dog on a lead - not least because of the law in particular the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953

This states that for the purposes of the Act, worrying livestock means not only attacking it but also chasing it and even - and this is the part many owners don't realise - being "at large" in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep. This means not on a lead or not under "close control" which would mean heeling I imagine.

A good training centre near you is LearningaboutDogs, (at least I think it's near you, my geography isn't always that good!)

http://www.learningaboutdogs.com/

Hope that helps and good luck :smt001

Wys
x

That is brilliant, I'll have a look at all those sites. thanks so much for taking the time with replying with some help.

No probs at all, hope it all goes well for you and your rottie

Wys
x

Be aware that a while ago on this forum there was someone who's friend had taken her dog for a walk offlead around livestock. The dog was well behaved, but it was shot by a farmer for being offlead around his livestock.

Farmers do have the perrogative to do this so it's always best to check what the situation is around you before allowing even the best behaved of dogs offlead around livestock.

I have heard excellent things about Angela's livestock courses, so would definitely recommend you contact her.

Let us know how you get on.

The problem is with livestock is they are unpredictable. To be honest if you are walking through an area with livestock you should keep your dog at your side and to be honest on lead. Just a dog a few yards ahead can stir up trouble and cause panic. Having the breed I have I more so be careful. Sheep especially will react with more concern to BC's than any other breed so I air on the side of utmost caution.

I also always keep my shepherds on the lead when around sheep as they are as you say unpredictable & most herding dogs have some instincts which mean they can upset the sheep more It always amazed me when walking through sheep with my shepherds & my friends maremma the different attitude the sheep had to the different types of dog, the shepherds often spooked them even when walking quietly to heel on lead but they would come up to the maremma & show no fear.

Very good points made.

With ref to the farmer shooting their dog this is only legal if the dog is without it's owner. I am a serving Police officer and this has come up in my work. (I had to liaise with the countryside bobby!!) If the dog is chasing livestock and the owner there the owner committs offences of worrying livestock but the farmer has no right to shoot the dog. If the owner is not there then he has the right in law to shoot the dog. If the farmer shoots it when the owner is in the vicinity the he commits offences!! This is all from my trusted countryside colleague!!

I have emailed angela ref her course and will hopefully be taking Bear along to that.

I don't expect him to walk off the lead when we com across livestock I just want him to recall to me when we come across them on our walks and not try everything he can to get into their field!! Also concerned about what he will do with horses. Even though I stick to Foot paths it seems the horse riders around here think they can walk anywere and use the foot paths too, much to our dissappointment.

I think you will find the court would side with the farmer whether you were there or not Unfortunately I have first-hand experience. My first German Shepherd got into a field of sheep, I was one field behind her, shouting her name (the farmer MUST have heard me) and I am afraid he shot her It was horrendous. When the local bobby was called he said that there was nothing I could do (even though there were no sheep in the field where my dog's body was, so there is actually no proof she was worrying stock!).

I am now on the other side of things, as my fiance is a sheep farmer and I work my dogs on stock, so I know the damage dogs can do. Even so, I still think shooting a dog is rather extreme.

I would suggest always keeping your rottie on a lead where you know there is livestock, but also having a 100% recall for the times when you come across stock suddenly.