Chloe is up for rehoming - updated!

[kalem]

I cant add anything cuz I know nowt of how to handle this, but just to say

        (((hugs and  ))) to you both
And hope your feeling "a" okay now 

[Top Barks]

I just hope things don't go horribly wrong and either dog or sheep don't get hurt.
Not saying it won't work, because in Mary's case it obviously has, but in my opinion it could be risky.
It's true dogs learn from experiences such as this, in fact I introduce feisty pups to Douglas in the same vein who tells them off but I know how he will react and can predict his behaviour. I am also covered with public liability insurance. Don't forget because it works for one dog it doesn't mean to say others will have the same success.
Alfie chased sheep when i got him but I taught him to be steady round sheep by doing lots of obedience work around them, he also has a rock solid stop whistle.
A combination of these two things were enough for us without ever putting my dog or livestock at risk.
Who pays for the vet's bills if it ends in tears?
Best of luck Sue, but be careful.

[wrenside]

It's true dogs learn from experiences such as this, in fact I introduce feisty pups to Douglas in the same vein who tells them off but I know how he will react and can predict his behaviour.

Very true, and a good sheep farmer who is happy to oblige with tups will know their tups characters and reaction to dogs very well. I sincerely doubt that either dog or sheep will get hurt because this exercise is very much along the same lines as using an older dog to tell a younger dog off, and neither party have any interest in injuring the other 

Good luck Sue!

Mary xxx

[JohnW]

Hi Sue, I am waiting to find out how you got on with this exersize as it's actually a very interesting thread for the rest of us, I live around sheep farms too and i have to be carefull with 2 of mine they are prone to sheep too. I think Mary as ever gave great wisdom in her advise I look forward to reading how you got on.

[SkyeSue]

Spoke to Mary last night (the crofter); we're not using tups we're using a suffolk ewe with a lamb that is in an enclosed area in front of Mary's house. We're also going to have Chloe in her shed with her goat. This is how Mary has trained all her dogs (one of which is a working cocker). I've to have her on lead and Mary is going to help. I'm just praying this will work and that the professional trainer who has been recommended to me will be able to do some work with us too. I am ashamed to report Chloe got off her long line down the croft this morning and chased again  I was doing some work with her, getting to be steady in sits and downs in the field where the sheep were.  She was doing really well, then all of a sudden she bolted and the long line unravelled and slips through my hand (burning me in the process). A lamb landed up in the wee burn; fortunately I was finally able to catch Chloe and tie her up and got the wee lamb free. I feel like I'm living in a nightmare scenario at the moment - the thought that I might not be able to cure this problem is too much to bear. I love that little dog to bits and cannot imagine being parted from her, but if we can't stop this I shall have to rehome her otherwise she will be shot. One of the crofter shot his own dog the other day, cos it had killed a lamb and he reckoned once the dog got the taste for blood it could never be trusted around sheep again.
Thanks for all your replies and please keep all fingers crossed for us 

[vikki.k]

I love that little dog to bits and cannot imagine being parted from her, but if we can't stop this I shall have to rehome her otherwise she will be shot. One of the crofter shot his own dog the other day, cos it had killed a lamb and he reckoned once the dog got the taste for blood it could never be trusted around sheep again.
Thanks for all your replies and please keep all fingers crossed for us 

Ok I know nothing about this subject, but is it really necessary to shoot a dog (even his own dog) could he just not have re homed the dog?

I'm sure you will work through it and deal with the situation, before there was any possibility of having to re home Chloe. Good luck.

[SkyeSue]

I love that little dog to bits and cannot imagine being parted from her, but if we can't stop this I shall have to rehome her otherwise she will be shot. One of the crofter shot his own dog the other day, cos it had killed a lamb and he reckoned once the dog got the taste for blood it could never be trusted around sheep again.
Thanks for all your replies and please keep all fingers crossed for us 

Ok I know nothing about this subject, but is it really necessary to shoot a dog (even his own dog) could he just not have re homed the dog?

I'm sure you will work through it and deal with the situation, before there was any possibility of having to re home Chloe. Good luck.

Thanks Vicki...I totally agree with you about the dog getting shot...I could hardly believe my ears when I was told. I know of another crofter that shot their dog because it bit someone...only once....I don't get it at all, but dogs lives seem to be pretty cheap in this part of the world 

[wrenside]

Aww Sue bad luck   I think that the best thing to do is to work very closely with the crofter on this one, and get as much controlled contact with sheep as possible for Chloe to find them less interesting and to learn to ignore them (gun dog trainers use rabbit pens in the same vein, to teach their dogs not to chase the rabbits that they flush   ).
A ewe with a lamb is a good idea because the ewe will be very protective of her baby, although if you're worried that Chloe might be very tempted to chase the lamb and damage it, then it might possibly be a better idea to use a pair of tups who are far more robust and just as anti dog as a mother ewe. Although I'd go with the advice of the crofter as she will know which of her sheep will be the best training aids for little Chloe.

Try to feel positive about all of this   I'm sure that with the help and guidance of an experienced crofter and dog owner, you will be able to curb Chloe's enthusiasm for sheep. This sort of training is part and parcel of responsible dog ownership, and like children, some dogs need a bit more guidance than others  

Fingers crossed for you here  

Best wishes,

Mary xxx

[johndoran]

Please dont give up on Chloe she is still very young and has time to learn. Sorry for me being a bit of a thicko when it comes to sheep matters but can i ask is it a year long problem or just when lambing ? would it be possable to maybe lead walk her where the lambs are and let her free when you are clear of them ?. Fortunately i don't have a problem with sheep where i walk bonnie

[Mudmagnets]

Just want to wish you good luck with the training exercises, hope it all works out, as we all know how much you love little Chloe.

And a question - is a tup an old sheep??

[M4ndy]

Norty Chloe, giving you such heartache, they have no idea do they
Just wanted to say good luck and let us know how you get on. I think rehoming is a long way off so I would put it out of your mind for now and concentrate on all the work you have to do to solve the problem.
 

[tillyson]

just caught up with this thread, no experience on this matter but just wanted to wish you luck Sue with getting Chloe over this urge of chasing the lambs . 

[Helen]

I love that little dog to bits and cannot imagine being parted from her, but if we can't stop this I shall have to rehome her otherwise she will be shot. One of the crofter shot his own dog the other day, cos it had killed a lamb and he reckoned once the dog got the taste for blood it could never be trusted around sheep again.
Thanks for all your replies and please keep all fingers crossed for us 

Ok I know nothing about this subject, but is it really necessary to shoot a dog (even his own dog) could he just not have re homed the dog?

I'm sure you will work through it and deal with the situation, before there was any possibility of having to re home Chloe. Good luck.

farmers can shoot ANY dog on their property if it worrying their sheep - even if you see it as just chasing, the lamb can still drop dead from fright.  As for shooting his own dog I think it's fair to say most Farmers don't  share the same sentimentality over dogs as we do. 

That's why it is so important that Sue works on Chloe 

Sue, Jarv learnt about sheep from a protective mother ewe - he's a real chicken though and one stare, paw of the ground and head down approach from the ewe was enough to put him off.  There was no contact and it was great he learnt from the other animals themselves.  My SIL had orphan lambs after that and he was around them a lot - they actually were more interested in him than he was in them (actually he was VERY wary ).  It worked in his case.

Today we went through a field with heifers....he's had the same treatment from cows in the past (the head down, pawing the ground approach) and he stuck like glue to our legs - and the heifers just looked in mild interest (BTW Farmers son here recommends if charged by cows to stand your ground wave your arms and yell at them  )

While I agree with Top Barks about what could go wrong I have to say in a controlled way this could help Chloe a lot and I'm with Mary on this one 
DON'T LOSE HEART 

[wrenside]

And a question - is a tup an old sheep??

A tup is a ram i.e: a male sheep 

[Mudmagnets]

And a question - is a tup an old sheep??

A tup is a ram i.e: a male sheep 

Thank you