Thread: Stock-proofing????

Originally Posted by BRADS

Wasn't trying to start something...........
As for the vet comment a sharp knife is the cheaper option in dog vs sheep.

Never thought you were me old darling.


:>) It is just that Jaffas do pay more for "Boutique" sheep, not that I consider the Wiltshire is as "boutique", just more suited for the small block owner.Sadly, veterinary expences in Jafasville are "over the top" and I will try to recover them if possible..

However, from my perspective as a pure breed breeder, when it comes to costs directly caused by uncontrolled marauding dogs savaging my breeding stock, I choose the cheap bullet option for the dog and the court system to recover the vets fees if the stock is "save-able", plus legal expences from the dog owner."

Hence my simple comment made earlier......"4...Heed the advice given to control your dog."

Prevention is better than cure.

Oh fluck, "boutique" sheep bred by a curmudgeon, what next

I don't know why some dogs suddenly do it. I had a hunt away once that was like a switch was flipped in her brain. She was a work dog about six. Very good dog from strong working lines and showed no end of promise. Never used to catch sheep and aside for the odd nip on the nose or hock of a pain in the ass ewe never savaged sheep.

One day I came home and she had killed two ram hoggets. I was 99% sure it was her but held off on shooting her that day. The next day she killed the orphan calf I was raising next to the house...

Thing is with worrying, like a lot of unwanted behaviours in a dog, is that it is self-fulfilling. Dog performs the action of it's own volition, and is rewarded by the result. Such a reward induces more of the same, a self-fulfilling cycle.
Most of the common so-called cures focus on before the act, such as tying him up with a stroppy ram, or after he has developed a habit, trying to break the self-fulfillment with an e-collar - both have severe holes in the theory. The best option would be to do as stated above is to control your dog. Since you aren't sure of this dogs history, being his third owner that you are aware of, and since you are not able to stop your dog in the act with a stop whistle, your best option is to simply never trust him, have him tied out whenever he is in the proximity of stock.

Originally Posted by Pointer

Thing is with worrying, like a lot of unwanted behaviours in a dog, is that it is self-fulfilling. Dog performs the action of it's own volition, and is rewarded by the result.........................................

Well said that man. I could not have put it better myself.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

If kiwi sapper can get me a thousand dollars for my sheep,I will supply him with as many as he wants.

at 1k a head I can see Sappers career as a stock agent going through the roof!

Remember how much goats were selling for in the 80s? $1000 buck sheep would be cheap compared with those!

Sadly, there appears to be some who believe I said a ewe is worth $1000.

I can only cut and paste this from my earlier post and hope they read it:

"....a claim for the value of the stock killed or having to be put down because of theri injuries following your dog attacking them, which can in the case of pure breed breeding stock exceed $1000 per sheep...."

To those fortunate never to have had to pay for on property veterinary call outs , I can tell you that a couple of visits attending to savaged stock very quickly passes $500. Add this to the value of an in lamb pedigree breeding ewe not responding and having to be put down, $1000 is easily reached as a starting point for a claim in court against the owner of the attacking dog.