Ingredients One to six dogs and /or puppies ,One to six owners, Two to four whole sheep, One securely fenced field, One trainer, One or two assistants, Plenty of chopped liver or similar (not lamb!)Place dogs & people in field. Gradually add sheep. Mix carefully for about one hour!

Seriously though, livestock worrying is no laughing matter when you live in a rural area. Sheep seem to be the main problem here in Somerset. The cows are too big to argue with! In an area where Collies are the predominant choice of dog for the average family, sheep worrying can be quite a problem. Most people, in this area, have to exercise their dogs near livestock. It is therefore essential that these dogs are taught how to behave around livestock and that their owners have full control of them at all times. Whilst it is acknowledged that dogs should be kept on leads when livestock are present, there is always the possibility of a stray animal suddenly appearing.

Farmers, understandably, are not sympathetic towards dogs when their livelihood depends on their livestock. They have permission to "shoot on sight" and they do so without a second thought. So you can understand why, here in Somerset, concentrating on teaching dogs ( and their owners) how to behave around livestock is of the utmost importance. So where do you start?

Firstly, it is important to recognise that most dogs accused of sheep worrying are not sheep killers but simply have a chasing problem. Simply? It can feel like a major problem to the owners of such dogs but as you probably know, there are simple ways of teaching a dog to control his predatory drive. There are also ways of reinforcing control of a dog when 'in chase'.