Sheepdog Experience

What Can I Expect

Put your shepherding skills to the test when you pair up with a furry four-legged friend for this Sheepdog Experience in Yorkshire! Learn about how Border Collies are trained and bred to be master herders and you will even be able to try your hand at rounding up a flock of sheep with the help of these beautiful, smiley and very energetic dogs.

The setting for your sheepdog experience is near Bingley, West Yorkshire, on a proper working farm that's on the edge of Ilkley Moor. Renowned for being the inspiration for the county's anthem, On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at , this dramatic landscape is also home to many farms and smallholdings that continue to use and preserve traditional methods of farming and shepherding using well-trained, faithful dogs.

Your experience on this Yorkshire farm starts with a welcome from the sheepdogs and a brief explanation from their owners on the history of their use in agriculture and the selective breeding and training which has resulted in the skilled collies we know and love today. You'll be in the capable hands of Barbara Sykes, a formidable woman who runs the farm and has been breeding, training and working with dogs all her life. She's won multiple awards at the sheepdog trials with her collie, Meg, so you can be sure of getting expert advice on how to handle these loyal and hardworking animals.

Once you know the background of sheepdog training, your experience takes you out into the Yorkshire landscape to begin learning the techniques for directing and instructing the dogs. Once you've got a reasonable handle on the key calls, signs and whistles, you'll be able to pit yourself against the herding challenge that is guiding a small flock of sheep around a course as neatly and quickly as possible, ably assisted by your trusty Collie sheepdog.

If you loved watching 'One Man and His Dog' on TV and have always wanted to know more about the fantastic skills and work that being a shepherd involves, then this is the course for you. Our sheepdog experience on Yorkshire's rugged moorland makes for a wonderfully windswept day out in the country and is sure to be a real treat for dog lovers of all ages.

Availability

• Available on selected days throughout the year
• Arrival at 10:45 for tea and coffee
• Course begins at 11:00
• Departure is between 14:00 - 15:00 depending on group size and weather
• Due to popularity, it is recommended you book well in advance to avoid disappointment

Suitable For

Spectators

Anything Else