Dog worrying sheep - help!

[Millie1]

Can we nip this in the bud? And, if so, how?

Brief history. He's a male Border Terrier, 10 months old. We got him as a pup. We live on a farm. He spends his days both in and outside. We have a very large garden which he has the run off. It is fenced but with sheep wire which he can get through into the fields. It is impracticable to fence our property all the way around with a 6' high, solid fence.

We haven't had any problems until now. The farmer next door, whose fields back directly onto our garden has had older store lambs through the later summer and autumn. Pup didn't worry them at all. He would spend time in their field, join next door farmer and his Lab at feeding and stand eating sheep meal out of the troughs alongside the lambs! He's crazy!

Fast forward to last week, and I heard that he had herded my own ewes and young lambs into a corner of their field. Our fields are further along the road. I didn't believe the man who told me as he is inclined to exaggeration. However, this afternoon I caught the pup in action, chasing our close to lambing ewes. He came to me immediately I called him off.

If he was chasing any other man's ewes, that man will likely shoot him. Clearly I don't want that. For now he is confined to house and will be walked on the lead but that isn't a long term solution.

Is there any hope for us? Any advice appreciated. Incidentally, where we live I haven't a hope in of a dog behaviouralist - the closest is 60 miles away. Thanks!

I have no advice but I think the fact that he came back when you called a very good sign!

Could you fence a portion of you garden off?

My dog did the same, no interest at all then one time chased. He is always on the lead now around livestock as I just can't take the risk.

Just a thought but is there anyone who trains sheepdogs in your area? Perhaps if you could actually train the terrier to herd sheep - which I would guess is possible if he's doing it spontaneously - then you might be able to direct this behaviour productively. Turn it into work not play?

60 miles for a good behaviourist is nothing, I travel vast distances to see clients - contact them they can give you a tried and tested approach to solve the problem. Cheaper and easier in the long run.

Thank you for all your suggestions. Sorry, I didn't mean to post and run but found it was kids dinner, bath and bed times before I knew it.

Minimuu - going by your comments, I take it that with the right help and work on our part, we will be able to sort him out? What is the best way of finding a good behaviouralist? I live in N Ireland and when I googled, they were few and far between. The other thing I was going to do, is to ring his breeder and chat it through with her - she may know of someone but she is at the other end of Ireland - eek!

I've been taking him out on the lead this evening and he will not go to the toilet for me as he isn't used to being on the lead to do his business. If I let him off, he will disappear into the night and I mightn't see him again for hours. What a dog! It's been a really bad day - looks like our very much loved 14 yr old Lab is nearing the end

Watching with interest... same problem. Why the frig do they suddenly start doing this after being good for so long? Grrr.

Put him in a stable/small space with a ewe - if he shows any interest in her she'll give him what for. It worked a treat with our lab who was overly interested, the ewe didn't physically touch the dog, but the eye contact, stamping and coughing was sufficient warning.

A small headbutt or two wouldn't do too much harm either, but obviously you mustn't leave him unattended with her as she could do serious damage.

Hmmm I have thought hard about this Frosty. One of our ewes delivered dead twin lambs 24 hrs after he chased them. I can't help but wonder if he was the cause. I could put him in with her - obviously wouldn't put him in with in lamb ewes and don't want to upset my newly lambed ladies. I did speak to his breeder today. She thinks we have been giving him too much freedom in that our garden is large and he can access the fields behind and beyond at will. We will supervise him closely and do lots of recall training over the next few weeks as a starting point. We had to have our Lab PTS on Thursday so that will have unsettled him too. His breeder is putting me in touch with another B Terrier breeder who lives on a smallholding so I'm hoping for some practical advice from her too. Thanks for your suggestion!

So sorry about you lab - how heartbreaking.

I'd recommend steadiness training; teaching him to control his chasing instincts. It'll not be easy with a Border- but it is possible. I have a friend who's a professional deer stalker who uses his Border to stalk with him. He crawls along on his belly completely silently with his owner and ignore all smells and temptations until he's sent to do his job so it's definitely possible!

Drumalig and Copperbirch Labrador kennels are both good places to start -they're both in NI and google able. Explain your problem and I expect they'll be able to help - working Gundogs have to be absolutely rock steady and ignore all distractions ie things to chase until they're sent to do so.

Thanks DaisyDot. I'll google those two kennels and have a look. I'd love to be able to solve the problem, no matter how much work it takes, than to just avoid it which is pretty difficult living where we live and I certainly don't want a farmer getting trigger happy!

Ooooh, I think we need Keith Matthews to come and live with us for a week or two! Do you have any experience of him Daisy? He 'sounds' expensive!

I'm sorry about your lab, that's so sad. Do consider putting your terrier in with a ewe before you start spending money on a trainer - it sounds drastic but really isn't. Terriers do have an "attitude" and for him to meet something that isn't frightened of him will do him good, and also to realise that they don't always run - I think half the time it's because sheep and cats usually run that dogs chase (not necessarily in order to kill), it's a very strong instinct. If he discovers that Mrs Sheep isn't scared of him, and is likely to turn round and glare he may decide it isn't worth it.

Walk him on a lead through the sheep and if he shows an interest a firm no may also help.

I don't think he'll be too expensive tbh - he needs customers so won't be pricing himself out of the market. I'd expect no more than £30 a lesson absolute, abolute max. He is v good, I've heard - and I've seen his results in working labs.

It is about the thrill of the chase - but I wouldn't recommend putting him in a pen with anything. I could backfire badly.

Steadiness is what he needs; equipping him with the skill to manage his instinct so that you know he is under control at all times, in all situations, no matter what's bolting in front of him.

I expect my dogs to be with me no matter where we are and not react to a bolting bunny, or a squirrel, fox or deer dancing in front of them. If I send them to chase, that's a different kettle of fish entirely BUT, even then I know I have the ability to call them back to heel, even in mid chase, because they've learned steadiness, ie self control, and can 'hear' me without those instinct taking over entirely.

That training, to me, is priceless. Teaching a dog that an animal can hurt it, IMO doesn't actually equip it with any useful skill, nor will it give you control if he takes off after a bunny or similar.

Thanks both for your comments. Daisy - sounds very promising indeed. Your dogs must be so well-mannered! Spoke to other Border lady this morning and she says pretty much what you say - they need to be steady around animals, instinct is tom chase but need to be so well trained that they will stop in their tracks when you call back. Going to spend a week or so working with him ourselves. Lots of on-lead walks, treating recall etc and then hopefully will ring Keith Matthews. Thanks again.