Dog Attack On The Farm
This morning I was doing my checks on the sheep as usual. I noticed my favourite ewe, who has successfully raised triplet lambs, stood on her own in the field with just one lamb. As I approached her I saw she had her head down and looked distressed. As I looked closer, I was horrified to see a lump of fleece pulled out of her right hind leg. This was clearly a dog attack. The sheep will be sheared in the next few weeks and so it was obvious that a huge piece of fleece was missing.
I quickly went back to get my blue spray. When I caught her, I saw that more fleece has been ripped off her back – a classic sign of something trying to pull her down. The exposed skin was then attracting flies on what was a muggy day. Her other two lambs were in another field with the main flock. They had obviously run away when the dog attack took place but I have been able to reunite them.
There are no public footpaths across the farm. All I can think is that someone walking with a dog in the neighbouring fields had allowed their dog to chase a duck or a hare through my fence. It had then turned on my sheep.
I am furious. Yesterday this sheep was happily in the field with her lambs. Today she is in pain, distressed and frightened. All the effort I have put in to rearing sheep that can graze contentedly in the fields has been disrupted by one selfish dog owner who does not have control of their dog.
Dog Recall Training
As a dog trainer I find this attack particularly frustrating. I speak to people all the time who say that their dog has good recall. If your dog will not stop chasing whatever it is after and come back to you, it does not have good enough recall to be off the lead. It is wilful ignorance on the owners behalf and look at the damage it causes.
I have now lost hours out of my day taking care of the sheep. I have had to make a trip to get Crovect to prevent fly infestation. It has also made me justifiably concerned for the safety of my flock. It’s a message that doesn’t seem to get through. If you a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your dog on a lead around livestock.
Please watch my YouTube video showing the severity of the attack.
Posted: May 17, 2022