sheep ~the great cumbrian round up !!

[averley]

We took our 12 month old cocker spaniel to ullswater today for a run about and he proceeded to try and round up a herd of sheep ! something he has never shown a tendancy to do before . He has been curious with cows too but never chased anything before and he wasn't aggressive just seemed to want to run with them ~ very embaressing and could have been fatal for him if a farmer had seen him ~ has anyone any tips to train him he is generally very well behaved just a bit exhuberant.

[lankeela]

There is a remarkable new invention called a lead. It is particularly useful where there are livestock. It can prevent a dog from being shot dead by an angry farmer who may have lost young or unborn animals to dogs who want to 'run' wth them. Sheep in particular are very vulnerable to losing their young if made to run.

[brachiopod]

Sorry, can't really add any more to the above.

For anyone else in a similar situation-
"never chased anything before" ok, there's a first time for everything.

"wasn't aggressive, just seemed to want to run with them" - that's enough to cause livestock distress and the farmer to shoot.

I'm sure you've got the point now, averly, but I hope you are not too upset by the answers here !!

As an explanation - I was brought up aware of livestock (yes, I'm Welsh and used to the sheep jokes), and know from experience the damage a dog can do. Then (many years later) I actually had my first dog.
I tell you now, if in doubt about your ability to control it in any situation, put it on a lead !!

Hope this hasn't come across as too harsh - but it is literally other livestock's lives on the line - if not your own dog's life, (and your money if you still get taken to court even after your dog is shot dead !!)

[andyjevs]

We have two Springers and at the bottom of the garden, there's a beautiful field with a stream which the dogs love. But it's a cow field and if the cows are in there, we go to the park.

All the above advice is good and it will hopefully save your dogs life.

[copippin]

This answer has nothing to do with chasing sheep!---I live in the lake district too and any of the dogs we have had have been very sedate and been put firmly on a lead wherever livestock was involved----however,the first dog we had came from Battersea and was a sweety ;as we lived in Richmond at the time,she used to love her walks on Sheen common and in Richmond park and it was there that she thoroughly disgraced herself by rounding up the deer!! we could do nothing but temporarily disown her and canine deafness set in big time.Fortunately for us,the buck sorted her out as he chased her with evil intent in mind I think! equally fortunately,she could run like the wind and she reclaimed us just in time before becoming impaled on his antlers.Needless to say,she never ever forgot the incident,but I dread to think what would have happened to both us and her if the wardens had witnessed the scene!

I have to agree with all the other answers averley and it's good that no harm was done ,please use the lead if there is any livestock around--including Deer!!!

[Eels]

Fully agree with everything already posted, but thought I should add that it isn't uncommon for dogs to be seriously injured or even killed by cattle. A cocker would be easy enough for a sheep to batter hell out of too.

Try joining some training classes and learning about recall, so that next time you see sheep you have a chance to put his lead on before he risks the lives of numerous unborn lambs.