Just thought I would start a topic...

does anyone do this? I know Kirsty expressed at interest in some discussion on this.

My Tess works sheep in her spare time (although my OH would say she does agility in her spare time LOL)



She's dual purpose, agility for me, and she works sheep for my husband, along with his sheepdog, Floss. Tess is extremely driven with the sheep, but I have to really work hard to motivate her for agility. She's gone advanced this year, but with her, most of my training is motivational. I think it's because she was Richard's dog to start with, and started off on sheep work. I tried her out on agility and she seemed to get quite excited so carried on.

I'm really interested in it, i think Maya might be great at it. but it's a question of time

Hi

I trian Sheepdogs for people ( farmers / Triallists / Smallholders etc ) and do one to one lessons. I have also been Trialling my dogs for about 12 years.

I'd love to work sheep with my boys. Big Jack went on a colliwobbles training day a few years age and he was super but I think he's probably too old to start doing anything now (his idea of a good day is lying by the fence with his ball watching the farmers sheep!)

I'm going to maybe find someone to do some training with for Gizzy next year, there's meant to be quite a few trial people round here (northumberland) and theres an ex-international trials judge who I met a bit ago, he said they get grants to do training. Might be funny tho cause there are sheep in the field next to our house and Gizzy pays no attention to them! and aren't sheep dog people meant to think white dogs can't work sheep or something (Gizzys white with a bit of red)?

Sam

That sounds like a bit of a hangover of the same attitude as those shepherds who thought a red dog couldn't work sheep - that the sheep wouldn't respect it because of the colour (looked too unlike a 'normal' collie and too much like another sheep perhaps?). I reckon Craig, the 2004 International Supreme Champion who's a red tri, will have made some of them eat their words!

Some sheep/rams don't respect any dog, Black or White runningdog rundog . . or Red
It can also depend on whether they have lambs or how old they are.

The thing about a white dog is that the sheep can be drawn to it, not so much the dog can't be trained to work.

I dont remember seeing a Red at the Trials, from experience, they can be a bit lively on sheep.

The Craig that won the Supreme, wasn't that the Irish dog, bred and trained by the Handler.
I was helping as a Steward at the Supreme held in Carmarthen that year, and saw him get his Trophy. If I remember rightly he was the 1st red to win it.

Yep that's the one, bred and handled by Toddy Lambe.

Here they are:



Must admit he's the dog I've half got in mind for Bliss - I've seen a few pups sired by him, and they're lovely.

Thats a nice looking dog!

Theres a red & white dog that works on the farm next door, he's not a trials dog or anything, just a farm dog but he's a good dog.

I wouldn't say sheep are drawn to Giz, but he's just not fussed with them. Someone left our gate open yesterday and he got out into the field, by the time I noticed he was chasing phesants around the field, never even looked at the sheep though wierdoo !

Sam

I'll always remember a trip into the western Highlands just after new year 2000. Coming over a rise, we saw a group of sheep up ahead. They all had shaggy brown fleeces. As we overtook them, I realised that the one at the back was actually a red collie! But such a shaggy coat that it looked just like the sheep it was following!

Sorry - I haven't been on the site in a while and just noticed this new section chearleaders Thanks!

I am training my collie on sheep. My main aim is to make him into a good work dog, but would love to have a bash at trialling him. I am hoping we will be ready for next winter's Nursery trials.

Here are a few piccies:-

Regarding white dogs working sheep, it all depends on what the sheep get used to. Most work dogs are black/white or tricoloured and therefore the sheep get used to this colour of dog working them and therefore they may not have the same respect for a white dog - unless of course a white dog was working them regularly.

Good pictures, where are they taken ?
Some of the sheep look like Welsh Mountain

Some of the pics were taken at Quernmore near Lancaster and the others were taken at the Lammermuir Hills in the Scottish Borders. The sheep are Scottish Blackface and the others are Cheviot crosses.

Whereabouts are you?

S.W.Wales

wot brill piccies!i love your boy! :wub:

Kirsty - I don't suppose you know of anyone in north Northumberland who does training do you?
Sam

Do you trial? Any pics of your dogs please waggingd

Thanks Mish - probably about as much as I love yours ... both of them :wub: :wub:

I will ask around Sam. Where are you - or where could you travel to? My boyfriend is a shepherd in the Lammermuirs above Duns, and he may know of someone.

Anyone on this list anywhere near you Sam?

LIST OF TRAINERS

EASTERN ENGLAND
Graham Baldry, Norfolk
Sarah Jenkins 01842 762555 or 07778 731581
Val Powell 01604 740266

NORTHERN ENGLAND
Richard Atkins 01535 646037
John Atkinson 01977 680891
Atholl Clark, Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria 015396 20061
Derek Scrimgeour, Threlkeld, Cumbria 017687 79603
Stuart Walton, Kendal, Cumbria 015394 48589
Lake District Working Sheepdogs

SOUTHERN ENGLAND
Ray Edwards/Carol Worgan 01798 342188
Hilary Jones 01647 440368

WESTERN ENGLAND & WALES
Aled Owen, North Wales 01490 460225
Anna-Lou Daybell, St Davids, South Wales 01307 721677
Dick Roper 01451 860257
Ceri Rundle 01745 710470

SCOTLAND
Janet Beale 01307 818028
Viv Billingham 01750 42248
Bobby Dalziel 01750 62242
Julie Simpson 01466 730242

IRELAND
Brendan Ferris 00353 6697 61610
Seamus Gormley (Kilcreen Sheepdogs)
Gerard Graham
W J Irwin 028 828 31288
J McCullough 07740 722159
Con McGarry 00353 907 51172

Yes, I do quite a bit of Trailing.
I have 3 Trialling dogs at the moment, ( Harley, Cap & Bonny ) all from the same litter.waggingd 2 brothers and their sister. All of them have been in the county team this year, and the 2 brothers on previous years. I'm training up a son of Bonny's at the moment,( Rock ) to be my next Trials dog. He is coming on well but unfortunately he has cut one of his pads, so training has been put on hold.
I used to trial the mother of the 3 litter mates, Cass, Rock's Granny, but she is 13 and retired now. *sheep123*

I trian a lot of sheepdogs for other farmers and Triallists and also give one to one lessons. *sheep( *run!*

You will no doubt know my trainer and the breeder of my boy, Moss. Thomas Longton.

I know of him but don't know him personaly.

Oh . . you missed me off your list of Trianers . . did you get that from the ISDS mag. . I'm in there .. Celtic Sheepdogs*thumb*

I used to train Tigger many years ago. But a two hour trip down to Devon and not having access to sheep here meant it was not fair to keep the training going.

I was very lucky with Tigs in that he had a very good "off" switch and he was fine if we passed sheep on walks - not that I took any chances.

It would be very interesting to see if Grace and Loki have working instinct. However time and health..... lol

I have done a little, though I want to do more, there just isnt much oppertunity around here. though my girls were great when they got to work for the first time, the trainers said that Misty was better then average, but their jaws dropped watching Happy.

Misty(she was bred for Cattle so she is rather upright):


Happy:






"that'll do"

Sorry Tel - that wasn't intentional. The list of trainers was on the ISDS site, not from the magazine.

What a shame you had to give it up - but I totally agree that it is the kind of activity that you can't just do now and then. Moss has a good off switch too, thank goodness, so we can still happily walk the hills of the Lakes without having too much to worry about.

Great photos. Looking at the sheep, I would say you are in the US? Is that right? What is Happy's breeding?

:D just having a laugh

I'm on the website too *speak* :P

Canadian prairies Actually, those pics were taken just outside of Saskatoon Sask.
Happys breeding is mixed, her mom was just born on a farm, her parents worked hogs, so that half of the pedigree I havent the foggiest idea. her sire is of show/obedience/sport/working breeding lol and apperntly inherited none of it, not even a drop of herding instinct in that dog. his sire is Ch Shorlands Critter Getter STDs ONYX who works on a ranch now so I hear he is out of OTCH Heelalong Igniter and Highlands Whats Shakin.
his dam is Cyllo Chase N Ewe who is out of Sagebrush Sage and IMP. Fergie.

the breeding itself was purely for Flyball and Happy is a complete and utter fluke.

Rocky on sheep

Scroll down ......
That man isn't me though!!

Aww lovely Rocks - who do you train with Julie?