Sheepdog trials. Can other breeds participate? (e.g. Dalmatian)

I'm watching one man and his dog - the sheepdog trials...

It looks so much fun, great exercise and mind stimulating for the dog and i've always wanted to do it - but I have the 'wrong' type of dog...

Do you have to use BCs? Would they laugh at me if I wanted to train T to do it? I also assume you can't enter trials with another type of dog? (If a pig can do it...)

I'd really like to just see if T could do it and I do know someone who keeps dalmatians on a farm but I don't know if they take an active part in the farm...

Am I being ridiculous? Why can't other dogs do it?

Hiya Lottie

There is training involved (obviously) but a dog has to go off it's natural instincts initially, I can't see a dalmation doing it as they won't have the natural inbred herd instinct which is the most vital aspect - not all collies have this either which is why people who work them go so strongly off the "line" of the dog.

That said there are other breeds that can herd (kelpies for one!) and are just as good at is as collies - but unless that instinct is there it's a waste of time trying...

sorry it is great fun and fantastic to see your dog do what they were bred for, ziggie loves it... weren't dalmations originally used to run beside carriages? or is that just something I picked up somewhere?

H xxx

sorry meant to say - if you are serious about having a go there are workshops held occasionally where you can train your own dog (herding breed) or have a go with an already trained dog if you're serious about having a go!

H xxx

The official trials are run by the ISDS-International Sheep Dog Society for dogs registered with them & most other trials are run by sheppdog/sheepdog trial societies

There may be a clue in the title of the competitions they are Sheepdog Trials as to the breeds expected & allowed to compete-ie sheep dogs

If T is a dalmatian then sorry no I doubt he/she would have the natural ability & drive to work sheep Don't forget Dalmatians were actually developed as a carriage guard against highway robbers

A dog has to have a natural desire to hunt the sheep & you have to be able to prevent the dog from touching the sheep in trials(gripping)as the dog that touches a sheep is immediately disqualified

It looks very easy to get the dogs to run out & stop etc believe me it isn't & it takes months/years to get a dog upto ISDS level competion standard-I've been there & never had the nerve to enter my National qualified dog in the English National trials as I knew I would let him down.

For example my 7 month old ISDS BC puppy already has an outrun, left & right flank & a stop all totally natural but he has yet to be allowed around sheep outside of a training pen

If you think your dog has natural ability, find a trialist & ask to be trained using a training pen(this protects the sheep from the dog & keeps the dog at a working distance from sheep)Then be prepared for daily training as to do otherwise is a waste of time(BTW I will be up tomorrow at daybreak before I go to a show to let my boy round sheep in the snow !)

Rjj's dad gathering a flock

Rjj's dad facing sheep

Flair Facing a ewe

Rjj learning his walk up

I Have to agree with the above, if you want to do something outdoors and energetic/competetive with dallies then personally I would do carriage dog/road dog trials, after all thats what dallies are ment to do, it will come far more natural to her than to work sheep and she will love it.

(great pic's joedeeuk)

Well that would be a first, Lottie!

I agree with the above. Certain breeds have natural instincts to do certain things. Dalmatians are "in tune" with trotting horses (they seem to do it without thinking) and are highly protective towards "their" people. There is a lot they can do, but to train to a high level you need to harness their natural instincts and abilities and I think that a Dalmatian would simply find herding alien, as a herding breed would find trotting beside a carriage a strange and boring thing to do. BCs are way more intelligent than most other breeds, too, IMO. Dals are no good at retrieving game either - they are more likely to eat it and sick up the remains on your feet that's if they didn't run away on a mission of their own in the meantime!
However, someone might come on here soon and prove me wrong!

Thought so!

I didn't think she would do it but thought it was worth asking...

I'd like to do the carriage dog trials eventually and would have got her used to horses around my aunt's horse but the calm one died and she only has a mad skitty one that I think would scare T to death!

I can't find anywhere round here that I can take her to do carriage dog trials but I'd like to train her up for it! Is there a site you could direct me to for workshops? I'd love to see T do something she's bred for!

(I suppose as well she might learn to run by a bicycle if she learns to run by a carriage...)

As far as retreiving goes, Takara absolutely loves playing fetch! I've not trained her properly with a dummy or proper gundog training, but she retreives a ball (luckily she didn't follow her ball into the boating lake this morning!) so I don't agree about the retreiving (although Polka, her dad, won't play fetch).

So if anyone knows about a site for carriage dog workshops, I'll also ask on the dally forum....

Thanks!

They have carriage dog trials each year down near me ... It's just outside Fordingbridge on the Dorset/Hampshire border. I dont know of any workshops but I have seen one class and it was EXCELLENT, there was loads and loads of dally's doing their work and they had to follow the pony and trap round a course, doing different excercises, there was a section for non-Dallies as well, that was fun, I think a GSD won that class. I used to get a driving mag and I think they had info in that .. will look into it for you

the carriage dog trials were held at Tenantry Farm, Rockbourne, Hants, but i believe in 2006 they are going to be at Kelvedon Hatch, Essex (8th July), they normally have the BDC funday on the sunday, but as its a change of venue it may not happen, you will find ongoing info about the carriage dog trials on the BDC website or the carriage dog website, there is to be a training weekend in the spring but not too sure about ongoing workshops as all the people I know practice with thier own horses and carriage on their own land. my guess is that you would be ethier best having your own horse and carriage or at least part sharing with someone else because of the practice you would need. PM Anne Dickens on the BDC website if you wanted more info as I'm sure she would advise you how best to go about it, and as to whether there are workshops available.

Thanks,

I thought the horse would be a problem...

My aunt has a horse but she's very strong and last time I knew not many people rode her because she was a bit wild.

I wouldn't want Takara to get trampled...

I'll have a look around, being a city girl is such a bummer! My parents refuse to move to the countryside...