Frequently Asked Questions

 A sheepdog of any level of training requires individual time spent with it, if only to MAINTAIN its current level of training. TIME must also be spend to build a relationship of trust and teamwork.

Hey! that's great! works a treat going down the road where the sheep can't split up.  But! do you feed your sheep from the Quad/vehicle?  Yes?  Ever looked at it from the Sheep's point of view?  This scenario can cause such confusion and stress in your sheep that it may well be costing you Money in lost income from your lambs.

 Unless you have the TIME and KNOWLEDGE and PATIENCE to train a sheepdog it is far more cost effective to purchase a trained dog  

An untrained or badly trained dog will cost you far more money in wasted time, STRESSED sheep, which will loose, condition, milk and lambs.     

Time is money these days, and whether it is your time or the sheepdog trainers time which is spent on the dog.      

In the end you get what you pay for and the level of effort you put into your own training etc.

If selected carefully, an experienced fully trained dog, that has been well schooled, will not  require the same amount of work as a dog, with lessor training.      

A dog is not a tractor or piece of machinery that can be ignored when not needed.      

You will get far better results by having the dog with you as much as possible and actually creating work for your dog by putting him , in a quiet and controlled manor, around the stock every day whilst checking or feeding the stock.     

Not only are you then keeping the dog fit and responsive but you are also ensuring your flocks are used to regular but calm activity from your dog, thereby reducing their stress levels on the days you will actually move them or work them through the handling pens.

 Well that's great!  Often works a treat when there is NO GRAZING.  

What do you do the rest of the time?  The Family? The Neighbours?  Lots of stress?     

Why not keep a Border Collie as a family pet /farmers companion and it will always be willing to help you out in time s of stress.      

Mind you ! you had better train it or your sheep won't be very happy  creatures.

When you purchase a Sheepdog you get very much what you see, and the sheep will usually be trained /tame/dogged or at the least well used to being worked by dogs and also by an experienced handler/trainer.     

Beware - on normal big flocks or un-dogged flocks the dog may well become a terrorist. There are never any guarantees that a dog will behave any better or worse for its next handler.

There can never be any guarantee that the dog will perform in the same way for you.  

The dog was demonstrated to you being under control when you purchased it - you need to learn the techniques yourself to get the same responses.  

If you have any issues with the dog seek help BEFORE bad habits are formed (three repetitions is sometimes enough for a dog to know he can self reward), don't condemn the dog.  

Regardless of the amount of training or experience a sheepdog has had when you purchase him, he is a thinking reasoning animal whose real wish is to fulfil his instincts and enjoy himself  

There can never be any guarantees that a dog will behave or work any better or worse for its next handler.  

When you purchase an adult Sheepdog you get very much what you see, a clever handler/trainer may easily hide all the faults in a dog. 

The sheep used to show you the dog working will usually be trained/tame/dogged or at the least well used to being worked by dogs and also by an experienced handler/trainer.  

Therefore:-  Beware when you get your new dog home - on normal big flocks or un-dogged flocks (sheep that have never been regularly worked by a good dog) your new dog may well become a running disaster area especially if you do not take the time to bond and get to know your dog AWAY from sheep first.  

There can never be any guarantee that the dog will perform in the same way for you.  

If the dog resorts to bad habits like:- Biting, Running off, not stopping - Please go back to basics AWAY from sheep  

Work with the dog on a long line, getting him to stop, lie down, come when called, stay in one place until asked to move etc.  

Then do the same in the presence of sheep (BUT still on the long line) - sometimes it can take several weeks before you start to gain the respect, trust and obedience from the average dog - sometime even longer - the more time and patience you put in the quicker the transfer period will be  

If the dog continues to dis-obey you - seek help FAST.  

Don't condemn the dog. 

After all, the dog was demonstrated to you being under control when you purchased it - you need to learn the techniques yourself to get the same responses.  

"Money will buy you a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail." --Josh Billings  

A Sheepdog when trained to any standard may or may not work in a proficient way for its new handler, there can never be any guarantees on compatibility due to the diversity of human and canine temperaments, but we will always help to show you how to get the best from your new dog.  

A trained sheepdog needs to understand, trust and respect any new handler before working proficiently for them.  

If there is a problem, it will almost always be coming from the handler and not the dog.

This is why we offer FREE training for 4 lessons valued at £50.00 per session to help you get the best from your new dog purchased from us. 

A dog of any age but usually under 12 mths, that is showing interest in stock.     

To be more precise the dog must show good strong instinct to herd/chase stock establishing in no doubt that the dog has eye, style, gather etc..  

It may or may not show tendency to grip or single, drive or gather.  

The dog may be ready to train or not depending on its maturity (mental and physical) and confidence.

A dog of any age, though usually around 12 mths of age, 

this dog has been encouraged to show proper balance, and pace.  keeping the stock at the handlers feet no matter which direction the handler is walking/standing.  

Whilst the handler is in close proximity this dog will take sheep off the fence, lie down or stand on command approx. 80% of the time, will go left and right according to the body movements of the handler,  will be starting to learn the direction commands and will start to pace behind the sheep.  

Will have a good call off the stock on the same side as the handler and will still be working with a long line.     

Everyone appears to have a slightly different description of what a started Sheepdog should be able to do.   

These are the following reasons I have been given when a prospective purchaser requests a started dog  .there are usually two reasons for wanting a started sheepdog.  

• "A trained dog is too expensive" 
• "I don't have the work for a trained dog"

If your reason is covered by any or all of the above quotes, I urge your to reconsider why you require a sheepdog in the first place.  Is it not to save you TIME and Frustration?  

• "I don't have time to train the dog" = A sheepdog of any level of training requires individual time spent with it, if only to MAINTAIN the current level of training. 
• "A trained dog is too expensive" = Time is money these days, and whether it is your time or the sheepdog trainers time which is spent on the dog.  In the end you get what you pay for.
• "I don't have the work for a trained dog" = An experienced fully trained dog that has been well schooled will not  require the same amount of work as a dog, with lessor training.

 Can be any age, some dogs start very early and some quite late. 

This dog will now understand the direction commands, will be starting to drive with the handler still close by, the outrun will be to a distance of approx. 150 metres, the dog will stop on command and recall off sheep in 95% of circumstances irrespective of where the handler is.

Everyone appears to have a slightly different description of what a part trained Sheepdog should be able to do.  These are the following reasons I have been given when requesting a part trained dog.

there are usually two reasons for wanting a part trained dog.

1. "I don't have time to train the dog"
2. "A trained dog is too expensive"
3. "I don't have the work for a trained dog"

If your reason is covered by any or all of the above quotes, I urge your to reconsider why you require a sheepdog in the first place.

1. "I don't have time to train the dog" = A sheepdog of any level of training requires individual time spent with it, if only to MAINTAIN the current level of training.
2. "A trained dog is too expensive" = Time is money these days, and whether it is your time or the sheepdog trainers time which is spent on the dog.  In the end you get what you pay for.
3. "I don't have the work for a trained dog" = An experienced fully trained dog that has been well schooled will not  require the same amount of work as a dog, with lessor training.

When you purchase a Part Trained Sheepdog you get very much what you see, and the sheep will usually be trained /tame/dogged or at the least well used to being worked by dogs and by an experienced handler/trainer.

Beware - on normal or un-dogged flocks the dog may well become a terrorist. 

There are never any guarantees that a dog will behave any better or worse for its next handler.

If this happens seek help, don't condemn the dog.

We offer a free lesson with every dog we sell.

Also in this Category are Some School Masters, and Crofter's sheepdogs for Smallholdings, those dogs who for some reason do not show masses of drive to work or power on large or difficult flocks.

 This dog will now most probably be on both voice and whistle commands,

It will gather around 300 metres with the stock in sight, will drive sheep competently around a trials course, penning and in most circumstances will still be learning to shed sheep and turnback on command.

This dog will not necessarily have any flock experience.

This dog will still be in the High School phase of its training, but is still very impressionable and could still easily develop bad habits when introduced to new situations.

This dog will certainly be ready to GO TO WORK, provided that the handler continues to guide and encourage the dog to cement its confidence and reliability.

This dog will have all of the above Nursery dogs skills and be capable with "help, patience and guidance from the handler" be able to gather flocks of sheep seen and unseen (on KNOWN GROUND).     Drive and gather up to, but not necessarily, 500 metres or any direction.  

Shed and turn back, work in the handling pens and load transport vehicles.  

Will have some flock work experience, and be ready to go to the hill but may not have had that experience.  

May have started a Nursery or an Open trials career.     

Also in this Category are the School Masters, and Crofter's sheepdogs for Smallholdings.

Experienced sheepdogs are the most difficult category of dog to source, they can be reasonably priced (older dogs close to retiring) or very expensive.

These dogs have had experience of, ANY or ALL, working flocks, on the road, in the pens, at trials. on the hill.

These are dogs of any age, even retired dogs that can be useful as schoolmasters as most will want to continue to work until they pass away.  

Also in this Category are the School Masters, and Crofter's sheepdogs for Smallholdings.

Please remember that sheepdogs are animals, they need constant training and supervision, just like children.

They react differently to every person who handles them, and to each different type of sheep or field until they become familiar.

They do best under routine conditions, and will form bad habits in as little as three exposures to that habit, this trait also makes them easy to train. 

But you have to remember that like all animals (humans most definitely included) the dog is only interested in self reward, so if you give him an inch he/she will take advantage and if the inch gave him the opportunity to revert to his natural base instinct of "hunting" and he managed to split off a sheep and bite and have loads of highly stimulated fun, he will continue to seek this fulfilment until you gain complete control and respect.

After-all the instinct to herd sheep is a modified HUNTING and KILLING instinct.

Fully Trained Dogs will STILL try to test you to find your weakness as a handler.

ALWAYS get help from the person who trained/sold you the dog FIRST. 

Simply because they know the dog best. 

No guarantee can be given on how the dog will work for the next person.  Because you must build a relationship of trust and respect, with some dogs this can take months and months.  It can be speeded up if you get help from the person you got the dog from BEFORE the dog learns bad habits with you. 

My policy, for the last 25 years, on selling a dog, even at an Auction, has always been, 

4 FREE lessons valued at £50.00 each, if you live too far for weekly session, why not stay a weekend etc. and put all this into a consolidated course. 

These lessons are best taken after you have BONDED with your new dog for several weeks but BEFORE you and the dog have developed bad habits or lost faith in each other, prevention is better than fixing a bad habit. 

After the free lessons have been used, I will continue to help train the handler, at reduced rates, to work with the dog, I will, if needs be take the dog in for more training  or rehabilitation, at reasonable cost.  

Provided the handler makes the effort to work with me and learn, I will help them, but I will not waste my time, even if they are paying me for training, if we do not get results.   

Homework must be done.  

Good practice makes Perfect - bad practice produces bad results. No practice gets NOWHERE. 

However, occasionally, if, after the person has tried, putting in the homework, and it is not working out, it is then agreed that the dog is not suitable for the persons ability and workload, I will exchange the dog for one which is more suitable with any price adjustments either way. 

If all else fails I will take the dog back for re-sale, but if the dog needs re-training in order to get them back to the same standard when sold, this will come out of any money the dog is sold for, as will the time and commissions, I cannot guarantee when the dog will be re-sold or for what value. 

It is possible to set some parameters on this after i have had the dog back for one week's assessment.