Contaminated agility arena

[Bart]

My sheep found there way into my agility arena (they can get there by going over two steep slopes and down the side of hill that only a sheep can walk on). My dogs who also herd are now only interested in fetching the sheep into the arena.

Have I lost this agility site for good?

[kelpiegirl]

Get a bigger fence, and keep the sheep away from your agility area. When you herd, keep away from that agility area on the way to herd, and when yuo do agility, keep your sheep away from the dog's sight. I imagine it must be quite a conundrum for your dogs!

Julie

[Bart]

is the site lost for good was my question. I know to keep the sheep away.

[CollieKat]

Your question is just a wee bit vague from what I'm reading. If the sheep are not in sight of the agility arena then there is no reason for you not to do agility there. If however the dogs can see the sheep then the dogs need more distraction training and they should go back on lead for a period of time until they are responding to you. You can imagine also that if they can see the sheep its confusing for them to know what to do and the urge to herd will be stronger than the will to do agility.

 

If the dogs cannot see the sheep but they are running out and looking for them, then again the dogs should be back on the lead and you need to give a bit more discipline training to get them more interested in you than looking for the sheep.

[Annette Carter & the Borderbratz]

I used to train in a cow and horse field, only separated out with electric fencing and that orange plastic fencing material. We'd come in and find cows half standing on the Aframe!

 

After cleaning up the cow pie, we ran our courses.

Dogs with chronic sniffing problems got over it and dogs who worked stock learned to ignore the surrounding animals when they were doing their agility work. Sometimes the dang cows would stand right outside the fence and watch us-very curious critters I learned.

 

So as far as contaminated goes, I think not. If you can fence it off, even better.

[Rave]

I've done agility right next to the sheep field, and vice versa, and at times back to back. Dog had no problem focusing on the task at hand. If your dog is easily distracted, well then you have some work to do, but that's not the sheep's fault, that's a relationship issue.

[dulcilama]

That's good news...I've nowhere remotely level here that's outa sight of sheep, mine or someone else's. An agility course is next year's project.