How valuable is your dog to the farm?

DJ98

Have many here got a working dog, if so how valuable is it to the day to day running of the farm and if not why don't you have a working dog?

charolais0153

DJ98 wrote: »

Have many here got a working dog, if so how valuable is it to the day to day running of the farm and if not why don't you have a working dog?

Dog is handy . some people swear by a quad.

razor8

Wouldn’t get any jobs done on my own without a good dog. Since I fenced land into paddocks batch’s of sheep are a lot bigger. A good dog with power is essential for a big group of ewes and lambs or else a few ewes will turn on dog

Have a quad too which is really handy and speeds up checking sheep

OneMan37

DJ98 wrote: »

Have many here got a working dog, if so how valuable is it to the day to day running of the farm and if not why don't you have a working dog?

I hire in a dog and man for shifting sheep from difficult fields about 3/4 times a year. It saves me keeping a dog, working it and feeding it. Also the hired dogs work as 2.

razor8

How much does that cost. Never heard of anyone going that?

OneMan37

20e time. Still cheaper than keeping a dog.

razor8

OneMan37 wrote: »

20e time. Still cheaper than keeping a dog.

You must know him well. I wouldn’t bother for that kind of money and lose half a day messing about

wrangler

razor8 wrote: »

You must know him well. I wouldn’t bother for that kind of money and lose half a day messing about

Few would do it, you'd need another reason....might be a walk for the dog....or maybe wants a chat, you wouldn't do it for 20 anyway

Ard_MC

wrangler wrote: »

Few would do it, you'd need another reason....might be a walk for the dog....or maybe wants a chat, you wouldn't do it for 20 anyway

Yah but its good to get the dog experience in different places. I find if they are on the same pad all the time..when they go somewhere different you can see the lack of experience.

Ard_MC

Wouldnt be without a dog. Couldnt be to be honest, on mountain land your goin no where with out a dog.

sheepfarmer92

Have 3 dogs here, one is a brilliant dog, will do anything, the other is a kelpie and good in the yard and have a collie pup thats coming on well, dfinitly wouldnt manage without a dog, have 3 here in case one gets killed

serfspup

dog essential here sheep wouldn't pay heed to anyone they have been worked with dogs all their life.

my current dog does not shed (seperate out a particular ewe) which is a pain but training a pup so hopefully will get her to do it by next year.

quad is also great but it is not the same herding on a quad there is something closer to nature walking through the flock .

Waterford_sham

Wouldn't have the sheep without a dog....be ****ed if I'm going spend my days off running after sheep and face into doing work with em after

Hillman86

As a hill farmer in Connemara there's no way in hell id be without a dog.
Have 2 at the moment. 9yr old (semi retired) and a 2 yr old.
Old dog is a bit too old for the mountain but is still a genius in the low fields, yard and even in the pen! Hes as good as another person.
Best trick he has is I can send him off anywhere gathering the sheep and if he doesnt come back i know something is wrong. If he finds a ewe on her back, in briars or a drain or whatever, he lies down about a yard away from her and will not move until I come along, no matter how much i call him!
Young lady has energy to burn so when im gathering on the hill i can send her off up to about half a mile away anyway where no quad can go! Will work as if im only 10 yards away.
So yeah....i wouldnt be farming without my dogs!

farawaygrass

Hillman86 wrote: »

As a hill farmer in Connemara there's no way in hell id be without a dog.
Have 2 at the moment. 9yr old (semi retired) and a 2 yr old.
Old dog is a bit too old for the mountain but is still a genius in the low fields, yard and even in the pen! Hes as good as another person.
Best trick he has is I can send him off anywhere gathering the sheep and if he doesnt come back i know something is wrong. If he finds a ewe on her back, in briars or a drain or whatever, he lies down about a yard away from her and will not move until I come along, no matter how much i call him!
Young lady has energy to burn so when im gathering on the hill i can send her off up to about half a mile away anyway where no quad can go! Will work as if im only 10 yards away.
So yeah....i wouldnt be farming without my dogs!

Where do you buy your dogs then or do you breed them? They sound like geniuses! I spent good money on a trained dog, would probably rate her 7.5 out of ten. She lacks a bit of power and a big headstrong. Good with commands and all that. Still damn glad I have her

Ard_MC

Hillman86 wrote: »

As a hill farmer in Connemara there's no way in hell id be without a dog.
Have 2 at the moment. 9yr old (semi retired) and a 2 yr old.
Old dog is a bit too old for the mountain but is still a genius in the low fields, yard and even in the pen! Hes as good as another person.
Best trick he has is I can send him off anywhere gathering the sheep and if he doesnt come back i know something is wrong. If he finds a ewe on her back, in briars or a drain or whatever, he lies down about a yard away from her and will not move until I come along, no matter how much i call him!
Young lady has energy to burn so when im gathering on the hill i can send her off up to about half a mile away anyway where no quad can go! Will work as if im only 10 yards away.
So yeah....i wouldnt be farming without my dogs!

U train them yourself? Have they papers with them?

DJ98

At what age do lads start training a pup?

Hillman86

farawaygrass wrote: »

Where do you buy your dogs then or do you breed them? They sound like geniuses! I spent good money on a trained dog, would probably rate her 7.5 out of ten. She lacks a bit of power and a big headstrong. Good with commands and all that. Still damn glad I have her

Got lucky with the older dog as he was free to a good home on donedeal. Came from Achill. I wasnt working much at the time though so I had loads of time to train him!
Bought the bitch from Joyce Country sheepdogs. Second time I've had a dog from that breeding, great working dogs.
Had pups from the 2, gave them to neighbours and am hearing good reports so far.
But wouldnt be breeding them regularly. Kept her back this time around. Might get another round out of them next year.

Hillman86

Ard_MC wrote: »

U train them yourself? Have they papers with them?

Trained them myself but no no papers. Wouldnt do trials or anything, just want good solid working dogs!

Hillman86

DJ98 wrote: »

At what age do lads start training a pup?

Training starts the day i get them from 8 weeks old!

DJ98

Hillman86 wrote: »

Training starts the day i get them from 8 weeks old!

What do you do at that age? I thought it star until about 8 months?