Livestock Chasing

Worrying Livestock

It is important to define "livestock worrying" as some owners don't seem to get it. If your dog is simply in a field where there are livestock animals, it breaks the law and gives the farmer the right to shoot it. Most farmers are actually very good, and would try to catch or chase away your dog first or give you a chance to catch it yourself. However some don't.

The attitude of some Farmers is based on having animals killed by roaming dogs, or even facing abuse from irresponsible and selfish dog owners.

A dog simply running around in a field of sheep or goats can cause shock resulting in aborted lambs or kids and injuries caused by panic. Your dog doesn't have to be directly chasing the animals to cause death.

You are responsible for the decision to let loose a dog that has poor recall and a history of chasing animals, not the Farmer. If your dog keeps escaping, do something about it, don't wait until the Farmer has no choice but to shoot it and then complain as lots do.

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Training for livestock killers

There is no point in allowing or even encouraging your dog to kill rabbits and squirrels or chase cats out of the garden and then complaining when it kills a cat or sheep. Dogs do not consult the "Penguin Wild Animals of the Countryside" book before chasing.

You have to stop it all and control it all.

For some breeds, it is in their nature to chase, kill, retrieve and hunt prey. Owners often use the "it's natural" defence. This isn't a defence, your dog is well fed and doesn't need to hunt its food. If it is bored, there are plenty of hunting type games you can play with its normal food and far better brain entertainment than killing things. Just because something is difficult to stop doesn't make it impossible.

I have trained many killers successfully. In some cases the best result is control when out, you can't always take away the desire. Control means your dog has a better quality of life, can go more places and do more things. It is down to you to judge a situation and control your dog accordingly, but the point is, it can often be a problem that training can help with.

Don't let anyone (sorry, but this isn't just Farmers saying it) tell you that once they've "tasted blood" they'll never be stopped. This is rubbish, many dogs have been successfully retrained after killing.

I have had to work with some cats too, who have hunted neighbours pet rabbits or gone and slaughtered numerous chickens or poultry, even cats can usually be retrained.

This needs professional help, not from the "man in the pub" or the someone saying "I couldn't stop mine, don't bother". Do the best for your dog and all other animals too.

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