Sheepdogs can take to worrying sheep; training of sheepdogs....
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1969.188.A2
Original Tape ID
Summary
Sheepdogs can take to worrying sheep; training of sheepdogs.
Dogs, especially collies, can be sheep worriers, killing or damaging up to 80 sheep at a time. Some sheep would be killed by a bite to the windpipe, others drowned, and others so badly injured that they would have to be destroyed. A dog that starts worrying sheep has to be shot.
Andrew Gibson would start training a dog at 6-9 months, or even older. Dogs have to have confidence in their master. Some herds were so harsh that their wives had to coax the dogs in at night. Some herds would tie a whelp to an older dog to train it, but Mr Gibson liked to wait until the dog was ready. A dog of four months might seem ready, but would start yapping because it couldn't keep up with the sheep: a dog should be silent.
Item Subject/Person
Gibson, Andrew
Item Location
County - Peeblesshire
Village/Place - Pentland Hills
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good