This is a question I've been meaning to ask for some time...

[KC and the boys]

I'm totally in awe because everybody here seems to have such model dogs: well trained, jolly nice, gentle, sweet natured, relaxed, good with everybody including the pet mouse etc.etc. But hand on heart: Has anybody here had any real problems with the darker side of our dogs' nature? In particular I'm interested to hear from IS owners who have experienced sheep worrying or chasing livestock/wildlife... And if so what did you do about it?

 

The reason I'm asking is that Errol can be left alone with the cat, pet rabbits, chicken etc but cannot be taken anywhere near sheep! And with the Council now introducing sheep grazing into every public park and local nature reserve this has become a real problem...

 

 

 

[Chantal McIlveen-Wright]

Catherine, in my humble opinion and to be on the safe side, never trust an Irish (and many other dogs) if there is sheep around. You can give him 1 to 1 training if you wish, but it will not change his "basic" instincts to the point that he will be able to go near a sheep without a lead and say hello flock.... so if sheep around, or possibility that they may be some around, Errol should be on lead..... and for the rest of his life   :-(

[Howard Glansfield]

That is very scary.I know the law is on the farmer's side but you'd have hoped the farmer would have some compassion especially if his sheep were not being worried.Most farmers that I know ,unfortunately,don't.

[Jelena Kreitmayer]

Oh, god, my old Irish used to be a notorious sheep chaser & chicken killer. Would go into the red zone. When we'd take him to the weekend house in the village, the villagers would yell one to another "Lun is here, close up your chickens!!!".. He'd go into the red zone and that was it.

Lego, on the other hand, has no idea what the chicken is, only the wild birds, and I don't think he's ever seen a sheep. Cow- he's afraid of, horses are good. He loves other small animals (including mice), but squirrels are starting to get on his nerves as well.

How did I manage it? you just hope the dog's not off the leash when around chickens/sheep :P I used Flexi a lot...