Teaching a dog to catch

jemski

Member
Location
Dorset
I've taught mine by getting them to hold a lamb in the corner, then catching it myself but hyping up the dog and encouraging them to join in. It doesn't take long for them to get the idea if they are strong enough. If they are good at it they love it! My best catching dog is tiny but very very determined - she very rarely lets go, and if she does she is mentally locked on so if they run through a group of sheep she doesn't lose them.
 

rhuvid

Member
I can sell you a 18month old dog, that catchs. My main dog started catching without much training. Now my younger dogs just join in when their confident and strong enough. Then they catch on their own.
 
Most of mine will catch, to varying degrees. He one is like an Exocet missile and will hit anything you aim her at and it WILL come down, no matter how hard it fights, or how big it is. One other will catch but is a bit gutless, and another two will catch on command, but a little more sensible than the first, but again, both will get down what they need to.

You're local to us I think, if you want, you're welcome to bring the dog here, and we can take it out with dogs that will catch an it will probably get the message!

As sais, I find that stopping them is the hardest bit!
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
On one of the Scottish Hebridean islands, dogs were used to catch the sheep as they did not have an instinct to flock. I forget which island off hand. The dogs had their canine teeth pulled so the sheep were not injured. I suspect there would be an unroar if someone did that today. I think I read about this in an old book of photography written by Richard Kearton, "At Home with Wild Nature", but it's been a while and the book was nicked!
 

Downton_shep

Member
Location
Leintwardine
On one of the Scottish Hebridean islands, dogs were used to catch the sheep as they did not have an instinct to flock. I forget which island off hand. The dogs had their canine teeth pulled so the sheep were not injured. I suspect there would be an unroar if someone did that today. I think I read about this in an old book of photography written by Richard Kearton, "At Home with Wild Nature", but it's been a while and the book was nicked!
Think there's still a few people about pulling dogs teeth! Not something I could do. Just the thought of it gives me toothache!!
 

Shearer stu

Member
Location
Sedbergh
I start of getting my dogs to catch lambs when out lambing then move on to ewes later all I do is try to catch the lamb or ewe and just keep saying catch They usual get the idea have one dog that I don't have to say catch he just seams to know
 

Downton_shep

Member
Location
Leintwardine
I start of getting my dogs to catch lambs when out lambing then move on to ewes later all I do is try to catch the lamb or ewe and just keep saying catch They usual get the idea have one dog that I don't have to say catch he just seams to know
It funny my main dog just seams to know when and what sheep I want to catch! I guess he must just pick it up from my body language but it always amazes me.
 

milkloss

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
I'm curious: how does a catch work? How do they hold them and does much flesh go missing in the process? I'm guessing a ewe would know she's beat and go down without damage.
 

Smudge1791

New Member
If they grip ewes in training or during close work that's a good start, bring the command on when they grip. If they tend to eye more, winding them up and chasing down a single animal may be your only way forward. It can be quite sensitive as it can bring out the worst in them. My Huntaway x Collie has such a soft mouth she's never drawn blood and will catch and carry young lambs back to me, while in the same breath hold onto a ewe and drag it to the floor, where as my young kelpie will bite into anything that gets close to her and slice it open, not so good on the lambing fields. All down to the animal IMO.
 
I think any collie focusing on the sheep can be taught to catch without really trying. Separate an old cull ewe after the young dog has been doing some good work and is feeling good about things and all I do is encourage the dog to chase the one ewe and command 'grip it' which somehow sounds like an aggressive come on to the dog, the blood comes up in the dog and bang thats it! Then the next time you have one sheep stuck in the brambles on its own you have a devil of a job getting the dog to clear off so you can get it out. I think the dog starts feeling a bit like we do when we throw stones at cats, it feels wrong but also loads of fun.
 
My dog would catch if I let him, unfortunately can't guarantee it'll be alive at the end

IMG_0856.JPG
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 34.8%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 29 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.2%

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

  • 1,286
  • 1
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/
Top