Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Hairyloon
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Training a SheepdogMy friend has a young dog, she is a Huntaway (New Zealand Sheepdog) X Labrador.
She is currently having trouble persuading her not to chase sheep.
However, the other day, she ran off and did an excellent job of rounding up the flock next door.
From what I gather, she made no attempt to nip them, and the sheep did not seem at all distressed, they just did what she was wanting them to.
It seems she has an instinct and a talent for it (or it might have just been lucky).
But what to do with her?
We've got no real use for a sheepdog, and she's a devil in other respects as well.
Not sure what to do.
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sammylou
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I would say that unless they need to have a workng sheepdog they should teach her to leave sheep alone. It really isn't fair to train or allow a dog to work sheep unless it will be allowed to work often as an unworked sheepdog will get bored and find something to do - usually working sheep - remember that a dog does not need to attack the sheep to hurt them, there have been cases of sheep being smothered because they have been driven into a corner and held there for a long time.
They basically have two choices - sort her out and teach her what is right and wrong or rehome her. Sheepchasing can be cured, it's hard work but not impossible - if they want to know what I would do just shout.
How old is she and in what respect is she a 'devil'? all of mine are devils in one respect or another. She sounds a nice mix though, a friend of mine has kelpies which are Australian but similar to huntaways.
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Jo S
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Agility seems to be a good conduit* for non-working sheepdogs.
*might not be the word I mean 
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Hairyloon
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| sammylou wrote: | | How old is she and in what respect is she a 'devil'? |
She is nearly a year old, so old enough that she should be learning by now.
She is a devil for chewing things. I expect her "mum" is too soft, and the old dog is too old to deal with her properly: he taught the previous dog really well.
| Quote: | | She sounds a nice mix though, a friend of mine has kelpies which are Australian but similar to huntaways. |
She is a lovely dog, just IMO the wong dog for the lady (or perhaps the wrong lady for the dog).
I'll try & post a picture later.
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Cathryn
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She will be teething at the moment so you should make allowances for her chewing.
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Treacodactyl
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If it's a sheep dog x Lab she was probably herding the sheep into the nearest kitchen... 
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sammylou
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Chewing is easy, she needs a range of toys, bones and chews (raw hide, pigs ears, cows hooves etc), when she is seen showing an interest or picking up something she isn't allowed it should be swapped for something she is allowed and she should, if she is trained a 'drop' or 'leave' then tell her to leave it, give her one of her toys and make a big fuss. A loud 'AH' or 'what are you doing' usually stops any of mine in their tracks and then they can given something better to do and praised for doing it. If she is chewing she shouldn't be left anywhere she might get something she isn't allowed - this probably means being left crated if left.
Chewing can also be a sign of general boredom - does she do anything other than be a pet, agility is good (my lot all do it - also very adictive  I only had 4 weekends at home from easter to september as I was always at shows  ).
Chewing can also be attention seeking behaviour, unfortunatly most of us will ignore good behaviour and only react when the dog is misbehaving. This can lead to the dog repeating the 'bad' behaviour to get the attention it is lacking - often negative attention is better than no attention. (alot of people do this with their kids as well)
sorry I have gone on a bit haven't I
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chez
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Agility would be a good outlet for all that energy. If you teach her to round up sheep, she'll want to work and you'll have trouble stopping her.
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VSS
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If the owner cannot control the dog or teach it no to chase sheep then they had better re-home the dog.
I'm afraid I have no sympathy for owners of dogs that chase sheep. We have had quite a number of sheep killed by dogs in recent years (some of our land is public access) and no sheep deserves that fate.
We also had a occurrence of two dogs working as a team to worry the sheep, a border collie holding sheep in a corner, while a jack russell chewed at the hind quarters. They pushed 30 yearling ewes up against cattle grid which, thankfully, they were agile enough to jump over. If they hadn't been, there would have been broken legs galore and lots of dead sheep. As it was there were three dead and three with big chunks of leg missing.
We didn't shoot the dogs, although we were there, because the piece of land in question had a road running through it and that could have left us in a legally difficult position, but dogs were re-homed to Wolverhampton and we were compensated for the dead sheep and the vets bills were paid for the injured animals.
The owners of the dogs were mortified. I should hope your friend would be too if her dog did a similar thing. Its not a situation that should be allowed to continue.
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wellington womble
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If the dog is intelligent enough to round up sheep, it's intelligent enough to be taught not to. At least it knows what it's not supposed to be doing.
A distraction would probably be a good idea, and lots of dogs really do love agility. A lab collie cross should be a piece of cake to train - lots of play and tasty rewards out to have it beautifully behaved in know time at all.
I wish I could train our dogs that sheep are really not that scary, and they don't need to make half mile detours to avoid them. I must have the only dogs in the country that need to be on a lead within site of sheep for their own safety. This would be a great deal less embarrassing if they weren't border collies!
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Hairyloon
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| VSS wrote: | | If the owner cannot control the dog or teach it no to chase sheep then they had better re-home the dog. |
The first dog learned perfect behaviour with sheep.
Out in the fields he did not even look a them.
In the woods where they are supposed to not be, he would give chase. Usually out through the fence, but on the rare occasions he had them cornered, he would just stop.
He taught the second dog (now sadly passed), but as I said earlier, he's just a bit too old for it now.
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