Selecting sheep for training

[Smalahundur]

This summer I have been using a little group of 5 yearling sheep for training my dogs. This proved pretty difficult, no surprises there; the dogs, me and the sheep being beginners at this. But order is slowly emerging from the chaos, and progress is being made. Though I havent´t been overstressing (short sessions, low frequency) them, I get the feeling these sheep are starting to sour a bit.

 

this winter i will have the following sorts of sheep,

about 66 older ewes

30/35 yearling ewes

3 yearling rams

3 older rams

 

I also have the option to keep a castrated ram, he´s in his second year, didn´t produce well enough.

It would also be possible to let a couple of old ewes live, the ones I would otherwise have culled due to udder/age issues.

 

So the question to the experienced farmers/doggers here is, how would you manage a dog training schedule from these sheep?

Some extra info, the rams are put in in december, lambing time beginning early may. Almost all elder ewes will be with lamb, the yearlings will very likely leave a handfull without.

[Smokjbc]

Are any of the older ewes used to being worked like dogs? I personally would keep a group of dog-broke ewes and use yearling ewes alongside them at first and when you are ready for more challenges, separate the yearlings out in smaller groups.

[Tea]

Second what Smoke said.

 

Are these Icelandics?

 

I am careful with my pups around pure Icelandic and get them pretty dog broke with an old dog first, take out any...uh extreme characters till pups are older and more experienced.

[Smalahundur]

My bad for not formulating my question clearer.

 

The only sheep I have that have been worked with dogs (and I wouldn´t exactly call them dog broke) are those 4 yearlings I talked about in the openingspost.

 

I have limited access to someone with trained dogs, to help dog training my sheep.

 

As purchasing dogged sheep is impossible in my neck of the woods, I am forced to work with what I have;

A. The possibility to visit said person, and work his (well dogged) sheep. Did that once, made a world of difference.

B. Getting a group of my own sheep well dogged, possibly with his help.

 

My original question referred to point b. and what sheep you would select from my flock to do this.

 

And yes Tea those are icelandic sheep who have spend last summer free roaming in the hills surrounding the farm.