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Sheepdog Training and Handling

Katy Cropper Sheepdog Training

Sheepdog Training

It takes time, patience, experience and dedication to train a dog properly. Dogs are creatures of habit and will learn the wrong things just as quickly as the right. So it’s essential that their first introduction to stock is done correctly.

“Dogs are like people, they are all different, I need to get inside their heads and understand them completely, they need to trust me. I need as a trainer to recognise their individual attributes and bring them out.

Any dog will chase sheep, but when a Sheepdog comes to boarding school he needs to be mature enough to take his training from me and handle sheep correctly. I am controlling an instinct to kill basically and all Sheepdogs have different levels of this.”

Katy takes in dogs from 6 months old and all pupils are kept in warm, dry kennels and are fed exactly how they would be at home.

The pupil needs to be vaccinated and wormed. In general it takes 6 to 8 weeks to get a young dog well started.

Sheepdog Assessment

The first two weeks are spent bonding with the dog and finding out if he is ready for boarding school, as well as ascertaining if he has the attributes needed to make a good Sheepdog, whether for work or trial. Katy will always be upfront with owners on the dogs readiness for boarding school.

The dog should know his name and be used to a lead before coming to school.

If the dog is suitable Katy will keep him for a further few weeks, once he is ready Katy demonstrates him working as well as showing the owner how to handle him.

Sheepdog Handling

Katy Cropper Sheepdog Handling

With over 40 years experience under her belt and a whole host of titles including One Man and His Dog and the National Championships, there is no-one better qualified to teach you Sheepdog handling than Katy.

Katy runs courses for Sheepdog handlers of all abilities from experienced handlers hoping to compete on the national circuit to complete novices.

3 day courses run most months of the year usually Tuesday – Thursday.

Katy can also work around dates to suit for single day courses and sheepdog experience days working on the fells and shepherding with a well trained dog.

Whether for trialing or work Katy can help you reach your full potential, she is a good teacher and will teach you how to get inside your dog’s head, the sheep’s head and how to handle sheep, how to connect with your dog and develop a great partnership! A lifetime’s study explained quickly and easily!

Get In Touch:

If you would like talk to Katy about any of the services she offers please call her on 07836 586878 or follow her on Facebook for updates.