After years of relative tranquility and no problems, the last two years have been flawed with other people's dogs attacking and chasing the sheep.  Last year saw the first attack by two large dogs which left me with a bill for £800 ofcourse the dogs could not be traced and you've never got a gun with you when you need it!  Having moved the sheep away from the field where they were attacked (in case the dogs came back), they were then chased and worried on four occassions by totally different dogs.  We did know who owned these and it was reported to the police.  Again this year I have caught one of these dogs chasing and have again threatened the owner with shooting it!  The powers that be seem to have no powers at all or are not interested!  Is it just me or is anyone else seeing a increase in this problem?

 

Having just had surgery to repair my wrist i have spent alot of time reading, in the August edition of TheField there is an article called killers in the pasture which shows sheep with horific injuries. I seems that the major culprits are pet dogs. Where are the owers of these dogs. i am dam sure i would know if one of mine was missing. They must know if their dogs are not good with livestock so you would think they would be sure to make the could not roam without supervision.

Sorry to hear about your wrist and hope you have a speedy recovery, having been there and done that I can sympathize with you.

I would also know if one of my dogs was missing, but then I try to make sure that they are in a secure area when they are not working.  In a way I actually feel sorry for the dogs, do their owners not care enough about them to let them just roam?  Or have they become a disposable status symbol?  The original two that caused such havoc were a bull mastiff and an irish wolfhound, neither are cheap to purchase.  They must have returned home absolutely plastered, I know myself and the vet were, so unless they were left all day and had cleaned off the owners must have known they had been up to something.  Admitedly those two have not been back since.

Obviously, if The Field have run an article on this mine was not an isolated cases!

The owners dont care.  Our neighbours dogs often used to come into the garden and into the sheep paddock.  When we warned the owner that if we caught the dogs worrying the sheep we reserved the right to shoot them (hoping this would spur him into keeping his dogs under proper control) he just said - if they get shot, they get shot and refused to do anything about keeping the dogs in.  Fortunately, to date, they have not gone anywhere near the sheep.

I cant say ive had problems with strays attacking my sheep as i dont have any,

but in the last month or so i have noticed a rise in the number of dogs in which i see just roaming about.

As a dog owner my self i would most definatley know if my dog where missing and i know what he is like!

He would never hurt a sheep heaven to bid that but i do know he would chase them and for that fact if i ever walk him any where near any livestock i am sure that he stays on the lead and is kept under control as i have worked with livestock and i know that it can stress them greatly.

 I think dogs have just becoming boring in a sense to "townies" as it were. (not offence townie)

and i would say that you should definatley stay by your word and shoot any dog cause problems for your cattle!!!

Just felt i should give my opinion as i dont keep lievstock but am myself a dog owner and id like to say i do care!!

 Farmer_chic

Afew weeks ago I went to check my sheep and found three dead and four injured, the dog was still in the field. My husbands shot gun was in the back of the truck, I loaded it and shot the dog. The owner then appeared, rang the police on his mobile and the police appeared within 15 minutes.The police told the dog owner I was within the law and he had no redress for his £600 dog. The police then wanted to see the shot gun certificate which was OK but gave my husband a stiff lecture for leaving the gun in the truck. The only shooting I have ever done was skeet,it is amazing what you can do under pressure. Word went around the village and nearly all the local dogs are on leads when the come past our farm   

It would seem dogs have become too available to people who just don't know how to care for them. I have 2 springers and an old collie, all of whom need proper supervised exercise. This seems to be too much of a bore for some, who just let their dogs out and don't care where they go or crap. Fortunately our lot are sheep savvy (the collie is hopeless with sheep, but a brilliant cow dog!) I've even had occasions in the past where a pet lamb has travelled with the springers! Maybe one way around this would be to bring back some sort of dog licence, the money being spent on more dog wardens to mop up the waifs and strays, i mean how often do you see a dog warden in the countryside? They operate in towns 'cause it's easier!

Crazysheep

I agree with your comment that dogs seem to have become too available, they have also become expendable.  I have four collies that are all livestock savvy but I would not dream of leaving them unsupervised. 

Your comment about bringing back some sort of dog licence to fund more dog wardens, would mean that only the responsible owners (as usual) would purchase them, the irresponsible would not bother.  Having been involved with the local dog warden after my sheep were attacked, I know that they have no powers.  They can approach those owners that let their dogs roam and politely ask them to keep their dogs under control and that is about where it ends.  If they can catch the dogs they can impound them and charge a fee for release. 

I do live in the countryside and our local council does employ a mobile dog warden.  I just wish that they had more enforcement powers!

now then crazy sheep,ive a young red collie pup about 8 months that im just starting on sheep,ive read plenty of books on the subject and i get plenty of advice.the chap i got him off saidhis parents were good cow dogs ,with you having a brilliant cow dog can i ask if it just hapend or is their a nack orif there is will it be detremental to his sheep training,i cant find owt about it and the dog whisperer whent quieter when asked.

Don,t waste time with threats, just shoot the dogs, get the police involved so you have a crime number then sue the owners. We had to give up overwintering sheep because of the local cretins, and lost a really good 2 year old heifer to a pack of dogs, but solved the problem by always having a rifle with me for 6 months whatever I was doing on the farm. Shot 9 dogs, 3 with no known owner which I hung up next to stiles, and got our local paper onside too.Not had any problems for 9 years now, (touch wood ) and I still get support from our regular dog walkers.

Hi 9eyes,

Herding in collies seems to be an inherent trait, if it aint got the nouse, it won't work! Conversely at work, they have an average shepherding collie who is terrified of cows! you will soon know if your dog has the 'knack'... good luck!

we've had the same problems- lost two ewes to dogs, and a few lambs- we are now in the process of getting a gun, its the only way those people will learn. we tried electric fencing for the lambs, but the ********* just pul them out of the ground. we can't win! this is getting expensive!

I am kind of impressed your government will let you shoot dogs.  They aren't entirely bad evidently.

In the 50's my late father was a police constable in a small town. He had a call from a local farmer who was having trouble with a dog worrying his sheep.

Father went with the farmer to the field, no dog about, they waited no luck, the farmer went off for his lunch, leaving his shot gun. not long after the dog appeared and had a go at the sheep. My father duly shot the dog, went back to the farm and told the farmer to take a shovel and bury the dog coller and all.

The dog was on the missing book for years in the local police station.

The moral, my father told me was not to tell anyone what had happened as it always caused bad feeling when a pet dog was shot