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SageHill

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Hi -
Since the email I got said to introduce yourself here goes...
I'm Cathy and we have just over 12 1/2 acres in San Diego county. We've got
sheep that we use to graze and also to train dogs to herd. My goal is to have
~20 sheep to graze, breed, have lambs to raise and some for the freezer. We've got 6 now and hopefully will be adding 4 Dorper ewes in a week.
My dog Obi Wan (a Belgian Laekenois) was in the Farm and Ranch Life magazine a couple months ago - he keeps the sheep on the road when going out to graze
and once they are where they will be grazing he becomes a "living fence" keeping them where I want them and out of the avocados!
And we've got 5 chickens.:)
Cathy at Sage Hill Ranch

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Alaskan

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Hi -
Since the email I got said to introduce yourself here goes...
I'm Cathy and we have just over 12 1/2 acres in San Diego county. We've got
sheep that we use to graze and also to train dogs to herd. My goal is to have
~20 sheep to graze, breed, have lambs to raise and some for the freezer. We've got 6 now and hopefully will be adding 4 Dorper ewes in a week.
My dog Obi Wan (a Belgian Laekenois) was in the Farm and Ranch Life magazine a couple months ago - he keeps the sheep on the road when going out to graze
and once they are where they will be grazing he becomes a "living fence" keeping them where I want them and out of the avocados!
And we've got 5 chickens.:)
Cathy at Sage Hill Ranch

View attachment 93288
Ha! Who trained that dog?

He is worth his weight in gold!! :clap


I was trying to catch a chicken this morning... my dog was oblivious... until he wasn't... at which point he chased my old lady hen who knows where!!!! And... he wouldn't stop and come back no matter how much I called! :barnie

Achem.... welcome to BYH!!!

How did you choose Dorpers? Sure you didn't want one dairy ewe? :drool
 

Baymule

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Welcome from east Texas! I raise Katahdin sheep and have Anatolian guard dogs. Love your dog!
 

SageHill

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Ha! Who trained that dog?

He is worth his weight in gold!! :clap


I was trying to catch a chicken this morning... my dog was oblivious... until he wasn't... at which point he chased my old lady hen who knows where!!!! And... he wouldn't stop and come back no matter how much I called! :barnie

Achem.... welcome to BYH!!!

How did you choose Dorpers? Sure you didn't want one dairy ewe? :drool
Good Morning!
I trained the dog :) - I train herding and detection dogs and judge herding and scentwork trials (yeah - life went to the dogs - ha ha. Obi is definitely worth his weight in gold and then some. :thumbsup
Dorpers because they are a hair sheep, do well in Southern Cal, and are reasonably good to work with dogs -- not crazy like Cheviots - and IMO are "cute". I never really thought about a dairy ewe (dang - and I like sheep's milk cheese).
HA -- herding chickens or a hen - worse than herding cats!!! LOL One of mine is pretty good doing chickens when needed - the others look at me like "you want me to what???" 🤣
 

SageHill

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Welcome from east Texas! I raise Katahdin sheep and have Anatolian guard dogs. Love your dog!
Thanks!! It's nice to be here. Obi is a special dog.
Anatolians are great dogs - I know a few working out this way.
 

Baymule

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I would love to see more pictures of Obi and learn more about his breed. I’ve never heard of a Belgian Laekenois- had to scroll back up to spell it. Are there many in this country? Where did you get him and is this breed used for guarding?
 

SageHill

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I would love to see more pictures of Obi and learn more about his breed. I’ve never heard of a Belgian Laekenois- had to scroll back up to spell it. Are there many in this country? Where did you get him and is this breed used for guarding?
There are ~about 250 Laekenois in the US. They are a breed that historically was used to handle medium to large flocks taking them out to graze with the shepherd and then back home when they were done. Through towns and down roads to the grazing fields. The Belgians have not been bred as livestock guardians. Though they are protective of their home and people. There are four types of Belgian Shepherds - the Sheepdog (long hair all black), Tervuren long hair mahogany with a black overlay, Malinois tan/mahogany short hair, and the Laekenois curly/rough hair. While some will say all the Belgians are the same I will say that owning, training, showing and breeding (since 1980) they have distinct temperaments. The Malinois (think military dogs/police dogs) are generally react then think, the others are think then react. A generalization for sure but it holds true more often then not. The Laekenois tend to have a bit of a comedic side - they like to make you laugh. Tervuren are a jack of all trade, Sheepdog "let's get it done and have a party". HA - probably more than you wanted to know 😉.
We have 5 Laekenois and 1 Tervuren. We've had Tervuren since 1980 but are now switching to their curly cousins. One reason is the coat - it is less prone to picking up foxtails. All of our Laekenois came from Belgium as young pups.
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In this pic back row - Obi Wan (male 7 yrs), Twinnie (9 mos), Lumen (9 yrs); front row Halo (13 yrs Tervuren), Ree (4 yrs) and Zo (male 81/2 mos).
They all work sheep, Obi is the best. (the cast - he broke a toe in June - veterinary nightmare - the cast is off now and he's almost back to work - Ree has been doing Obi's chores since the break).
 

SageHill

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Welcome from east Texas! I raise Katahdin sheep and have Anatolian guard dogs. Love your dog!
Thanks!! It's nice to be here. Obi is a special dog.
Anatolians are great dogs - I know a few working out this way.
East Texas eh? I have a good friend who moved to Palestine TX a few years before the world went crazy. She loves it there.
 

SageHill

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Ha! Who trained that dog?

He is worth his weight in gold!! :clap


I was trying to catch a chicken this morning... my dog was oblivious... until he wasn't... at which point he chased my old lady hen who knows where!!!! And... he wouldn't stop and come back no matter how much I called! :barnie

Achem.... welcome to BYH!!!

How did you choose Dorpers? Sure you didn't want one dairy ewe? :drool

:thumbsup. I love that part....good boy! Welcome from the east coast, Virginia. Your animals look great. We love pictures.
 
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