Would you take your dog into a field with sheep and lambs in?

[Circletime27]

We have some lovely countryside accessible from our home, all with public rights of way through them. However, the fields now have sheep and lambs in. We’re new to dog ownership (pup is 7 months old). Our friends frequently walk their dog (on lead of course) through these fields. Our puppy is good around livestock ie.he won’t bark at them. We walked through 2 of the fields today as they were empty. We got to the 3rd field which had sheep and lambs in and I couldn’t bring myself to go in there, it didn’t feel right so we came home. I don’t know if we’re being silly or not. Our pup is from a farm and I know his mum and brother are always in the fields with the sheep (that’s where our pup has had his experience with livestock from as we take him back their to play).

edge of the field, on a short lead, under control, calm, and no barking is ok.

Yes. We walk in the Dales and Lake District a lot. Obviously the dog is on a lead and under control if there's any possibility of livestock and we wouldn't proceed if the sheep were eg 'trapped' in a lane. And bloody careful with cattle, will turn back if necessary.

All the people yelling 'no' despite many sheep farmers on the thread saying it's fine if the dog is on a lead under control ... maybe best they stay away from sheep.

I'll shout 'put your dog on a lead' at anyone who has one off lead near livestock or on moors etc with ground nesting birds.

I can understand why WolfieFan doesn't though, there's a clue in her name (no, it's not actually a wolf...)

No, you did the right thing by going home.

If your dog is a collie then the idea of gradual introduction to sheep is a good one. Their breed instinct is to herd sheep and a young pup will want to do this and so may be very excitable and barking and pull on it’s lead. Your pup’s mother will have had years of training to be able to round up sheep and some sheep dogs will never be able for this task. @Honeyroar has a picture of two beautiful labs. They are fun dogs and generally don’t have interest in chasing sheep. However take them to a lake with ducks and they will be chasing them in the water like a shot. Knowing your breed of dog is also useful as well as considering the natural environment you will be walking the dog in.

Gun dogs, not fun dogs although they are a lot of fun too.

I live in the Lake District and walk through sheep fields pretty much daily. You have no choice here unless you only want to walk around housing estates - and even then you might see some lost sheep - they're forever getting out and wandering 😂

As long as your dog is on a short lead it's absolutely fine. Ignore the hysteria.

NO

Listen to the farmers on here, we do but strictly follow the rules, the cows on the other hand, no chance. They like to try and groom me.

On a lead maybe depending on your dog - most dogs no. Mine’s a collie cross so I definitely wouldn’t. My mums slow elderly tiny Jack russel cross who needs picking up for a rest every ten minutes anyway, fine.

I would walk around the edge of a field with sheep in yes providing it was 100% a footpath.

Never off lead though and I wouldn’t take a barky or lunging one in. I’ve worked with many livestock and sheep don’t just drop dead when a dog on lead walks past usually

Sheep seem pretty canny at assessing threat, and what's not a threat. I guess anyone who is in doubt should be cautious and check their reaction and behave accordingly.

We once had an odd encounter when walking on a causeway path past a salt marsh. A part-grown lamb was standing in the middle of it baaing loudly, and didn't wander away to the side as we approached, as you'd normally expect. We looked around and saw a ewe stuck on her back. So (having learned about such things from The Archers) I stood with the dog and sent DH to right her. Mission accomplished, the lamb skipped off to rejoin mum who seemed none the worse.

There are some nutty responses on here.
It’s fine, as long as your dog is on a short lead and under strict control and you don’t walk through the middle of the field.

Mission accomplished, the lamb skipped off to rejoin mum who seemed none the worse. Well done Errol
Once my DF and I were coming home from delivering a donkey to another farm (don't ask ) He ordered me to screech to a halt because he spotted a couped ewe in a field.

Yes - if there is a PRoW through the field. On a short lead, and away from where the flock are.
Well-behaved dogs under close control are not the problem.
My dog accompanies me on my farm visits, with the farmer's permission.

a couped ewe

Is that the correct term? What I want to know, off topic, is how the heck they end up like that - are they trying to roll for a back scratch but get weighed down by their (somewhat unnatural) amount of fleece?

When I walk my dog through a field with lambs in it the lambs often stalk my dog. They’re very curious. The sheep don’t give a shit and carry on eating.

I agree that I think sheep are clever enough to assess a threat and a quick glance tells them the dog is on a lead and they carry on.

My dog is the size and colour and texture of a lamb so possibly the lambs are confused! 😁

Here you go
www.fas.scot/article/couped-ewes/

I am frequently walking through fields containing livestock, and it’s not always predictable - I’m following maps with public footpaths on them and suddenly the path you need to take is through a field of sheep, lambs, through a herd of cows, through a knee deep bog, through a field with a “warning- bull” sign. Skipping a section can mean a several mile detour or a ridiculous, dangerous, noisy route down the grass verge of an A road.

When there are lambs, the signs usually say KEEP DOGS ON A LEAD or KEEP DOGS UNDER CLOSE CONTROL or WARNING LIVESTOCK.

I don’t come across signs saying you can’t cross, or you can’t enter with a well controlled dog. Not on public rights of way.

Thanks derxa. The advice about using sloped fields isn't much use for salt marsh sheep! I'd not realised that they could expire in as little of an hour, so presumably it's best for anyone who comes across a couped sheep to help it ASAP if they can, not waste time trying to find the farmer.

I come from a rural farming community and grew up on a farm with sheep and cows, if the sheep are out on regularly used public footpaths of course it's fine. A sheep won't die because a dog on a short lead is walked quietly through their field, they get herded up by them ffs. Obviously never let them off.

Avoid cow fields though when they have small calves. I've had my car charged at on numerous occasions while driving through and it's quite scary even with a metal box as a shield 😆

Avoid cow fields though when they have small calves.

Skipping a section can mean a several mile detour or a ridiculous, dangerous, noisy route down the grass verge of an A road.

I'll take the detour or turn back rather than go close to cows with calves if there's no escape option.

Absolutely not.

Is that the correct term? What I want to know, off topic, is how the heck they end up like that - are they trying to roll for a back scratch but get weighed down by their (somewhat unnatural) amount of fleece?

Farming terminology is very regional- we'd call it rigged here.

As for the dog thing, if there is no right of way then I'd stay well clear. Not just because ewes can abort if frightened, but also because I've seen a protective ewe break someone's leg when they went near her lamb! At this time of year I don't even let my own dog near our sheep. If there is a right of way, then it's fine to go through but stick to the path and obviously a short lead. I would never put newborn lambs in a field with a right of way personally, but I appreciate that there isn't always a huge choice.