Frequently Asked Questions
Get in contact with Jamie Penrith at Take the Lead Training straight away! Jamie is a national expert on training dogs not to chase sheep, he also knows the law in this area inside out! Jamie can tell you exactly what to do to make sure that you follow legal requirements and give you the appropriate advice and training to keep your dog and other animals safe in the future.
Absolutely not! NO! Nobody has the right to have your dog put to sleep for chasing or attacking sheep, not even the police. Only a court can make an order to have a dog put down and they do not like doing that if there are alternatives available or if you can prove that you are a responsible dog owner.
A farmer DOES have a lawful defence (not a right) to shoot a dog, but only if the dog is worrying their sheep and there are no other means of bringing the dog safely under control. They CANNOT legally shoot a dog that is back under your control after it has worried or attacked their sheep. This would open up firearms offences for the farmer. Although in Scotland, a farmer did shoot and kill a dog that was back on a lead held by its owner, after it had worried the farmer’s sheep and the court sided with the farmer, not the dog owner! This was because the farmer thought the dog would get free and worry his sheep again.
This is why Jamie Penrith is so passionate about TRAINING dogs not to want to chase sheep (or other protected animals) under ANY circumstances. A lead alone is simply not enough protection. Sheep proofing dogs saves lives!
No! This is a very popular myth that has absolutely no substance to it whatsoever. It makes perfectly normal dogs out to be some kind of blood thirsty vampires!
Dogs are opportunistic predators, which simply means that most dogs will chase and/or attack other animals they think are worth chasing and attacking if they get the opportunity. With robust, responsible training, we have trained hundreds of ‘killer’ dogs to go on and live safe and happy lives. They are trained to actively avoid the specific animals so that they do not want to chase or attack them anymore.
Sometimes - provided that you don’t have a dog that likes to chase, play with other dogs or follow interesting smells. For most dogs though, the highest value reward is the thing that they are ignoring you for! That leaves you in a very difficult situation because the environment is holding aces, but all you have are Jacks! You will not win, no matter how many times you play. There is no credible evidence whatsoever, to show that a high value reward can effectively stop a dog from chasing other animals, traffic or hunting on scent when that is what the dog chooses to do.
Fortunately, Jamie Penrith has years and years of experience teaching dogs exactly like yours to come back immediately when called, even under very high distraction.
That depends on whether you can call your dog back from another dog straight away? If the other dog is unfriendly, poorly or elderly, they will probably not want to say hello to your dog and might fight to protect themselves. Also, the other dog’s owner might not want your dog interfering with their walk. Remember, just because you love your dog and know that they are friendly, not everyone else does. Having a very strong recall is very important when it comes to other dogs and people. The law does not fall in your favour if another person thinks your dog is acting aggressively and might bite them.
Jamie takes responsible dog ownership very seriously. Unless you are on your own land or are in a very secure, private enclosure, allowing your dog to disappear out of your sight, even if just for a few minutes, is not something that we recommend at all. Even if you think that your dog has a good recall or will not cause harm, you have absolutely no idea where your dog is or what they are doing when you cannot see them.
Firstly, absolute honesty based upon years of hands-on experience. Your initial consultation provides Jamie the opportunity to listen to your concerns and goals for your dog, but more importantly it allows him to see exactly what you are doing so that he can decide how best he can help you and your dog. Jamie may demonstrate what he is recommending and make sure that it is the right approach for you and your dog. Jamie will not do or recommend anything that you are unhappy with, or that he feels is inappropriate, ineffective or unnecessary for your dog. The welfare needs of your dog will always take priority
Once your in-person training has finished, Jamie goes out of his way to make sure that you continue to achieve your training goals. Clients are invited to stay in touch via telephone, email or WhatsApp, where we encourage you to send short video updates of your progress so that Jamie can continue to help where appropriate. Provided that this service is not abused, there is no additional cost associated with reasonable use of messages or video feedback.
This free continuation support does not extend to issues that fall outside of the in-person training received.
Extended videos or situations requiring more in-depth explanation may be subject to a further online consultation charge.