Livestock.

[Laura]

I just wondered, we all train our dogs to sit, be polite etc how many of us train them to act "properly" around livestock?

In my opinion its very important that dogs know how to act around sheep, horses, cows etc. My two dogs have been brought up around horses and so forth and we have no issues with any type of livestock. I walk mine for a few hours a night around palacerigg and quite often we stop to speak to the horses and cows (if they are friendly). I always considered it an important part of my dogs socialisation. I never attended training classes we always did our own thing, Staffords are not sociable dogs in the way others are they do not conform to the "pack" theory their whole 100 years or so of inbreeding and history has made sure of that. However I do believe it is important that no matter what breed of dog you own you can have control over them and more importantly as a pup they are exposed to as many outside influences as possible.

I just wondered how many folk go to the bother of introducing their dogs to cows, sheep etc. No issues if folk dont but to me it is important, I come from a farming background and I dont know if you are aware but any dog that "worries" livestock can be shot on the spot by a farmer.

[Deborah Hamilton]

Laura, I was just talking to Robert on the way down the road today about that. We were wondering if there would be any 'brave' farmers willing to allow us to take Mishka to their farms. Don't expect there would be. I used to live in Palacerigg it was great for socialising the dog I had then.

[John Thomson]

Debbbie ,
a long line would be a MUST!
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Deborah Hamilton]

We would only try something like that with permission.

ALWAYS on a lead. Never ever off so don't panic

[Janice]

We've managed to introduce Dale to a variety of animals, but living in a town means its not so easy

We started at 12 weeks by taking him to Muiravonside Country Park where they have a variety of animals and sympathetic staff. Mind you its a two way affair. Dale managed to scare their bull on his first visit! So they decided it was time this bull learned about dogs.
He's showing surprisingly little interest in sheep, considering his father is a working sheepdog but he's very curious about cattle. Like our previous collie he seems bothered by horses being ridden but is fairly uninterested in them in fields.

Still I wouldn't trust any dog completely around livestock. With training dogs can be very reliable while their owner's present. Our previous collie walked regularly through sheep and never left my side. However even the friendliest pet can do awful damage in a flock especially at this time of year. Chasing can cause a miscarriage without a dog even touching the sheep.

I've heard various suggestions about how to discourage chasing but i haven't enough confidence to put a pup in with a ram or use an alarm when they see a sheep. I'm worried that if I got the timing wrong I'd make him feel more aggressive to sheep. Hopefully obedience training and common sense will avoid problems.

[Allan Campbell]

just to show you all that even working lurchers can be trusted around livestock if given the right training ..



this is moya and the very laid back pixel relaxing in the sun with some friends (chickens). any dog can be trained ... it just takes some a little longer than others .. by the way ... remember these guys live with cats and ferrets as well as the chickens ... and still do the work when required
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just because yer paranoid ... doesn't mean they are not out to get you
the place for rhodesian ridgebacks
http://ukridgebacks.prophpbb.com/

[Laura]

Thats a fab picture, I would have thought working lurchers due to the nature of their job would have had to be especially reliable in the livestock area especially when covering ground on farmers land etc?