Lazy collie

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
I've found the heat has been a real factor, we might not feel it but then we aren't chasing back and forth around the back of sheep! And its been very heavy air too.
My young one is feeling it, tongue out way sooner than normal.
Yours is still a baby in some ways. Agree with doing wee repetitive jobs with likely success, the odd free run as co-worker while other dogs (no commands if possible, let her find her place). Then quit! Keep it fun and no scolding. They take it hard, their brains are still developing and making sense of it all. Good luck!
 

Wood field

Member
Livestock Farmer
I've found the heat has been a real factor, we might not feel it but then we aren't chasing back and forth around the back of sheep! And its been very heavy air too.
My young one is feeling it, tongue out way sooner than normal.
Yours is still a baby in some ways. Agree with doing wee repetitive jobs with likely success, the odd free run as co-worker while other dogs (no commands if possible, let her find her place). Then quit! Keep it fun and no scolding. They take it hard, their brains are still developing and making sense of it all. Good luck!
I don’t do any sheep work whilst the weather is so hot. (Unless absolutely necessary)
Not good on man nor beast!
Had a wee run out around a few hoggs last night and she was much livelier with a bit of shushing and encouragement
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Excellent! A small mob of hoggs are ideal, they're lively and like to bunch. I started mine off when she was young penning the same mob of hoggs every night. They got to know where to go - more or less! so it made a good job for all and builds confidence. We're working on old ewes off and on now, a few right stomping b*stards. I will definitely need to bring the older dog in so she can see how you handle it 🤣 Defo not trial stuff 🤣
 
The other problem is there are a lot of folk jumping on the fashion of breeding and training collies. Umpteen young women with a dozen dogs professing to be experts. As a result there are lots of average to crap dogs about, being bred from etc.

Coupled to that, a lot of farmers are average dog men, who dont know what a good one looks like.

Ive got fairly high standards with dogs and often see folk enthusing about how amazing someone’s dog’s are when they are just bog standard.

I’ve been lucky to have a couple of amazing dogs in my life but also a couple of also rans which haven’t made the grade and have been put in pet homes, they would gather sheep etc but just not work to the standard I want.
Years ago down here old farmer's used to breed a bigger stronger Collie which was a more useful cattle dog able to take a kick from a cow but stand it's ground .
Now it's all a smaller type which are fine for sheep or live in a town house
 

Wood field

Member
Livestock Farmer
Excellent! A small mob of hoggs are ideal, they're lively and like to bunch. I started mine off when she was young penning the same mob of hoggs every night. They got to know where to go - more or less! so it made a good job for all and builds confidence. We're working on old ewes off and on now, a few right stomping b*stards. I will definitely need to bring the older dog in so she can see how you handle it 🤣 Defo not trial stuff 🤣
It’s funny how these bunch like well dogged ewes, yet they have hardly seen a dog
I was pleased with her last night , but it’s was very warm so didn’t give her long
Our older dog and the newer collie we have will both give a ewe a lesson in who’s boss, fortunately they seem to know the command get up and more important let go
It’s invaluable with stamping old hill ewes
 

Wood field

Member
Livestock Farmer
Don’t under estimate how much the heat kills a dogs enthusiasm. I just had some fun penning up a group of ewes wirh a bunch of dogs who were clearly thinking “what the F are we doing boss man”.
We had to gather a bit of moor for clipping and dipping a few weeks back , 7 am and it was oppressive heat , fortunately most of the flock only had to go a few hundred yards to a field gate so the dog was in his kennel by 8-30 , local chap lost his dog by running him during the day in the last heat wave 😖
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Trials dogs aren't ruining work dogs.

How a trialist or weekend enthusiast breeds or works their dogs have zero impact on my dogs.

Breeders are choosing to breed a softer more trial oriented dog because that is what makes money at sales. "breed for the market" is a term often posted here. That's what these people are doing.

No one is coming over putting a gun to your head and forcing you to use a certain sire or line a certain bitch.

If this softer type dog isn't to your liking, then don't buy one. As with any stock purchase find someone who's values and breeding vision aligns with your own, then buy from them.
 

sean m

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Northants
Trials dogs aren't ruining work dogs.

How a trialist or weekend enthusiast breeds or works their dogs have zero impact on my dogs.

Breeders are choosing to breed a softer more trial oriented dog because that is what makes money at sales. "breed for the market" is a term often posted here. That's what these people are doing.

No one is coming over putting a gun to your head and forcing you to use a certain sire or line a certain bitch.

If this softer type dog isn't to your liking, then don't buy one. As with any stock purchase find someone who's values and breeding vision aligns with your own, then buy from them.
this 100% and most people can't handle or need a tough one
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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