If you’re considering buying a working dog, sheepdog prices can vary considerably depending on the age, skill level and potential of the dog. This article describes what you can expect for your money and the sort of money farm dogs fetch today.
In recent years, UK sheepdog and cattle dog prices have continued to increase, along with the prices of farm dogs sold at auction. If you prefer not to pay these high prices, it’s worth thinking about training your own sheepdog.
Our Online Sheepdog Training Videos are ideal for first-time sheepdog trainers. Starting from the very beginning, and continuing up to sheepdog trial standard.
Watch the video at the foot of this page to find out about training your own sheepdog.
What is a fair price for a sheepdog?
To put an accurate price on a sheep dog is a fine art. When we have a dog to sell we try to be fair to ourselves, the dog, AND the customer. Our price will reflect the dog’s potential as well as its skill level at the time of valuation.
Age can make a big difference to the amount of money farm dogs fetch. Younger animals are normally valued higher than older ones. That doesn’t mean that an older dog will be less useful, but a younger dog is likely to work for a longer time. Young dogs also settle more easily into a new regime with a new handler. A cattle dog who has become set in its ways over five or six working years will find it more difficult to adapt.
Started Sheepdog Prices:
A started dog is exactly what the title says, and will barely know the essentials of the job. It will show that it’s keen to work, and it may know its flanks, but only buy a started dog if you are prepared to continue the dog’s training.
A started dog will be fairly easily encouraged to go around the sheep, rather than through them, but you should not expect to be taking the dog to work. The Started Dog is just that. The dog may well be quite hard to stop, but in a young dog that’s normal.
A good stop will normally develop as the dog’s training progresses.
You can ruin a young dog by putting too much pressure on it to stop. You can also ruin a young dog by confronting it with aggressive sheep.
Generally, a started sheepdog will cost upwards of £1,500.00 (GBP).
Part Trained Sheepdog prices:
What we call a part trained or intermediate dog is one that will do a medium outrun of around 50m. It should bring the sheep to you fairly reliably without constant commands.
This gather won’t be perfect, but it should be practical and workmanlike. The dog should keep the sheep together and not circle or go through them unless commanded.
It should stop fairly easily and be capable of balancing the sheep whilst bringing the sheep towards the handler. The dog should not simply follow the sheep, but be exerting some pressure.
A dog with this kind of skill level will normally cost in excess of £2500.00 (GBP). A dog with little experience, but showing great potential, can cost much more than its current skill level might suggest. Achieving that potential is down to you.
If you buy an intermediate dog you might be able to get the dog doing useful work just a few days after you have bought it, but be prepared to continue its training. Further training will obviously be much easier than it would with a started or completely untrained dog.
Fully Trained Dogs:
Understand that there is no such thing as a fully trained sheepdog; it’s a term that varies from handler to handler. Some farmers will describe a dog as “fully trained” if it will simply go out into the field and bring the sheep to the yard. Others want the dog to do so much more: shedding, penning, driving, help with lambing and so on. It all depends on the level of work you expect of your dog.
The term “Fully Trained” also suggests there is no further need for training but this is not the case. The training process never stops. Dogs (and humans) will find ways to “cut corners” and make life easier for themselves and sometimes this will lead to inferior work. Ideally a farmer or shepherd should watch the dog’s work and correct it when required.
What will a Fully Trained dog do?
The term fully trained is in common use. When we describe a dog as “fully trained” it will demonstrate the following standard with a medium sized flock:
- Good outrun – at least 200 metres. For farming purposes, the dog should go out wide to gather all the sheep in a field, and may run out as far as the hedge in an enclosed space. It will come in behind the sheep to the point of balance and collect all the sheep. A trials dog should run out in a pear shape, and not run to the hedge and follow it.
- Steady fetch. The dog brings the sheep to the handler at a steady pace. Unless told to do otherwise the dog uses its own initiative to keep the sheep together without frequent commands.
- Stop. The dog should have a good stop and understand when an immediate “Stop!” is asked for. It will also check its pace or slow down as the situation and the handler require.
- Flanks. The dog should know its flank commands and turn out squarely. It will keep a constant distance from the sheep whilst moving around them. The handler should be able to command the dog to widen out or come in closer when required.
- Driving. In our opinion, a fully trained sheepdog should be competent at driving the sheep for at least 100 metres. It will be easily controlled while driving without looking back at the handler. Looking back when working at a distance suggests a lack of confidence.
- Shedding and holding. The dog should be confident, able to shed and hold sheep when required. It should be prepared to push sheep into a pen or through a race.
Expect to pay more than £5,000.00 (GBP) for a dog with these qualities.
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