Stock Breaking

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I am going to take my pup to meet some sheep tomorrow for the first time. He is just 3 months old and is very well socialised, met loads of dogs, people, different situations etc. I regularly take him to the shops at school time so he's used to kids and so on.

 

Couple of questions...

 

1) Where I will be taking him is a large field with alot of sheep, it has got a public footpath through it. Are there any laws regards walking a dog on public footpath? I'm guessing it's okay? I asked a few farmers for permission to walk dog through sheep and no one wanted to know.

 

2) Short lead or long lead? Any tips? Let him get close to them? Just let him see them from a distance? Throw a toy and play with him with sheep around?

 

Any advice appreciated,

 

Gaz.

[heart of wales 19]

If You are walking Your dog through a field with sheep in it he should be on a lead,personally I would ask permission explain to the farmer why you want to, before You enter the field,If You gain permission take him as many times as you can I would start him on a short lead then progress to a long lead,It is one of the best things You can do with a Young dog is break to stock early.

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Thanks for reply.

 

I have tried asking farmers and they don't wanna know. That's why I've been trying to find somewhere with public footpath. I'm guessing there's nothing wrong with walking your dog on lead on public footpath is there?

 

What reaction can I expect from 3 month old pup around stock? I think he will just wanna play. I guess the objective is to just get him used to them so that he is used to them being there and the urge to play or chase them dies down?

 

Cheers

 

Gaz

[rikjd 8]

hell be keen to have a good sniff if nothing else, just be sensible in what you do, with mine i just let them have a sniff through gates etc this way i avoided arguments with farmers and knew if the dog decided to get boistorous i could just step back make him sit and calm down for a while.

[Bobba_fett 117]

i just walk them to heel on or off the lead if it can be trusted and just just say "oi you" in a low gruff voice when every they look at the sheep anywhere from o10 yards from a sheep to 300 yards and its work out fine for me, im sure other people do it diffrent.

[hargreavesheber 93]

I'm fortunate enough to have a Farmer for my father-in-law, so having sheep, cows and hens to practice stock breaking on isn't a problem with lurcher pup. I have always found that a stern voice when the dogs showing a bit too much interest works’s a treat. I think plenty of contact is the key in the first few months. Even so my JRT has had a couple of chasing do's when she was younger, a good roasting and a clout, she good as gold now... A public footpath prob the easiest option for you i guess, would keep on lead at 1st, so too much interest can be corrected...

 

BEST OF LUCK

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

Thanks for replys.

 

We went tonight for half hour and just walked the lane and let him see them through the fence at first.

 

He showed about the same amount of interest in them as he does everything else, traffic, kids, blowing leaves etc. As soon as I whistle and offer a bit of cooked liver he forgets them.

 

I will take him on the 15' lead tomorrow and see how we get on but I think he is just curious and definitely has no aggression.

[rikjd 8]

ye everything is new to him still so thats to be expected, he will wanna know what all the new smells are but once hes had a good nosy he'll forget about em just take it slow too much and he might get excited which is not what you want at all. Sounds like your onto a winning method though.

[Country Joe 1,411]

The method I use, and its never failed yet, is walk the dog on a leash with a rolled up Newspaper in one hand, when he makes a lunge, a stern NO and a light smack on the nose with the paper, after a few times, he or she will get the message.