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Moobli
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02-10-2011, 03:20 PM

Sheep worrying dog

Not sure whether here or the training section was more appropriate - so feel free to move it if necessary mods

What is the best way to stop a dog worrying sheep?

I have trained my own GSDs to ignore sheep but had a battle for a while with Yogi when he was a teenager. However, he is a biddable sort of chap and with extra training around unflappable ewes and tups he is fine now.

However, the dog in question (a gamekeeper's lurcher) is not such an easy prospect. It doesn't just worry sheep but badly attacks them (always on the face) and so far three sheep have had to be shot because of these attacks The keeper has been spoken to and from now on is going to keep his dog either leashed or with a muzzle on when around sheep. However, it would be far easier all round if this dog could be taught that sheep are taboo. Now I don't yet know what crosses are in this dog as I haven't yet met it, but by the state of the sheep it has some seriously powerful jaws.

My hubby is quite keen on putting it in a pen with some fairly aggressive tups, but I don't like this idea - as I have heard of dogs being badly beaten (broken ribs and the like) when this method has been employed.

So, if anyone else has any ideas, I would like to hear them.

Bear in mind this is not my dog and I get the feeling that a quick fix is what might be needed!
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Collie Convert
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02-10-2011, 03:51 PM
I would say you need to find out what breeds this dog is crossed with, as that may help to work out what is the motivating factor in the dog attacking them in the first place.

My mums dog was a major livestock worrier and killer, we needed a quick fix and with the help of the farmer whose sheep he killed he was put on a longish line and muzzled and walked into a pen of fearless sheep. There were three people in the pen with him to ensure neither the sheep nor him were hurt badly, it really freaked him out and he has never shown any interest in livestock since (he's a lurcher- RR x Grey/deerhound).
We only did this because it was either that or him be shot- my mum lives on a narrow boat so is in the country alot, so we needed a quick fix.
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Ben Mcfuzzylugs
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02-10-2011, 04:00 PM
I deff wouldnt be up for putting him in the pen!!
take him out every day on the lead near the sheep but not so much he wants to kill them, even tie him up close enough when you aere working them till he becomes bored?

but really i would say kepping him onlead is the quickest fix in his case due to the damage done already
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smokeybear
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Moobli
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02-10-2011, 08:05 PM
Originally Posted by Collie Convert View Post
I would say you need to find out what breeds this dog is crossed with, as that may help to work out what is the motivating factor in the dog attacking them in the first place.

My mums dog was a major livestock worrier and killer, we needed a quick fix and with the help of the farmer whose sheep he killed he was put on a longish line and muzzled and walked into a pen of fearless sheep. There were three people in the pen with him to ensure neither the sheep nor him were hurt badly, it really freaked him out and he has never shown any interest in livestock since (he's a lurcher- RR x Grey/deerhound).
We only did this because it was either that or him be shot- my mum lives on a narrow boat so is in the country alot, so we needed a quick fix.
I will definitely find what crosses are in the dog - but I am already thinking some sort of staffie or suchlike - simply because of the mess made of the ewes. Anyhow, I will find out for definite.

Surely there was more to it thank walking the dog in a pen of fearless sheep? Did he get a beating from the sheep? I think we need a quick fix in this situation too, as the dog's days will surely be numbered 1) if it can't be worked around sheep and 2) it ends up attacking/killing more.
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Moobli
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02-10-2011, 08:06 PM
Originally Posted by Ben Mcfuzzylugs View Post
I deff wouldnt be up for putting him in the pen!!
take him out every day on the lead near the sheep but not so much he wants to kill them, even tie him up close enough when you aere working them till he becomes bored?

but really i would say kepping him onlead is the quickest fix in his case due to the damage done already
He isn't my dog though, and not sure how his owner would feel about me taking charge like that. I will speak to him though and see what he thinks.

The biggest problem I can see at the moment is he is a working dog, and I fail to see how he will be able to be any use as a keeper's dog if he can't be trusted to work offlead around stock
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Moobli
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02-10-2011, 08:15 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear View Post
http://www.dog-partnership.co.uk/livestock.htm
Thanks for the link to this page - I have seen it before.
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Ben Mcfuzzylugs
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02-10-2011, 08:18 PM
Originally Posted by Moobli View Post
He isn't my dog though, and not sure how his owner would feel about me taking charge like that. I will speak to him though and see what he thinks.

The biggest problem I can see at the moment is he is a working dog, and I fail to see how he will be able to be any use as a keeper's dog if he can't be trusted to work offlead around stock
yes i undestand its a tricky one
on collie forums i have heard lots of talk about the putting a dog in a pen with feisty sheep
it does work sometimes
but i have heard from enough vets on there to think its too great a risk imo - and if you think he has some real power in him he might just enjoy the fight

i guess its down to how much work the owner is going to put in
he might not be suited to his job??
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Moobli
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02-10-2011, 08:24 PM
Originally Posted by Ben Mcfuzzylugs View Post
yes i undestand its a tricky one
on collie forums i have heard lots of talk about the putting a dog in a pen with feisty sheep
it does work sometimes
but i have heard from enough vets on there to think its too great a risk imo - and if you think he has some real power in him he might just enjoy the fight

i guess its down to how much work the owner is going to put in
he might not be suited to his job??
Yep I would agree with all of the above. Just not sure what would happen to him if ultimately he is found unsuitable for the job
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Lizz
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02-10-2011, 08:29 PM
If he has done damage to sheep already he has a taste for it, roundhere the dog if seen worrying or near sheep would be shot

I live in a very rural location and we have all beeen warned by the farmers around us what they would do and my 3 Border Collies are only out when I am out and always supervised fortunately I work hard to keep them occupied

Perhaps the dog could be muzzled - My old BC was put in a pen with a Ewe with 2 lambs and he never looked at sheep again nothing broken but he learned a lesson - he was deaf so it was a lot harder to get him back when he got a scent
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