So the Mrs phones me yesterday in a bit of a panic. The local coos have basically stampeded towards her and the dog causing her to vault over the wall in to the next sheep field which the sheep and dog loved as you can imagine. Held her there for about 10 mins before pissing off. Now before you all start I appreciate we live in the countryside etc but to be fair she was probably lucky she was in the area she was as some of the field is very open and it would have been a fair run to get out of the way. There is a footpath through the field and I’m genuinely concerned for some of the older walkers if the same thing happens. Does old farmer Giles have any responsibility in the matter. If it makes any difference I know he only rents the fields as I know the land owner.
On a final note I found it highly amusing especially the video she sent me 😆

Did she keep the dog with her? Usually cows get agitated about dogs. Just a bit of instinct kicking in. If she wasn’t on a marked footpath I guess she was trespassing on someone’s land.

Hope she is ok

The cattle have interest in the dog not your wife. When this happens let the dog off the lead, and hope it can outrun them.
I know a guy who almost died after a similar event, he didn’t let the dog off the lead, ended up with a broken back, many broken ribs, broken arm.
The farmer is doing nothing wrong.

Cows (I assume that’s what you mean) really don’t like dogs, especially this time of year. If I was out with my dog I’d find another route rather than cross a field of cows with a dog.

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/advice/rights-of-way-law-in-england-and-wales/animals-and-rights-of-way.aspx

http://www.ramblers.org.uk/advice/safety/walking-near-livestock.aspx

As above release the hound and flap arms shouting if they carry on at you. Remember to shout in the local dialect. I find “Git awah tha filthy bugger” works around here.

Can’t really let the dog go though as I think he’d **** off or try and fight to the death. He’s on a long training lead though so can be pulled in easily enough.
It’s all been made clear we’ll not be walking up there today.

Lol @ boxelder!

Easiest solution, don’t walk dogs in fields with livestock, but as if we’re short of places.

Can’t really let the dog go though as I think he’d **** off or try and fight to the death.

Given the choice of being trampled by cattle, or letting the dog fend for itself, I’d let the dog go…

wrightyson – Member
Can’t really let the dog go though as I think he’d **** off or try and fight to the death.

it could be the dog or you/your wife. But you decide.

Probs best to avoid fields containing cattle then. But if you find yourself in that situation let the dog go!

And, stating the obvious, focus on recall training with the hound, it makes a big, positive difference to dog ownership if it’ll come back when called.

Are you going to post the video or not? 🙂

Standard advice is to let the dog go rather than risk being trampled as collateral damage.
Don’t do what I did a couple of years ago in Yorkshire – a public footpath we were following went through the middle of a field of cows with calves; I detoured around the edge furthest from the livestock, with the dogs on a waist lead (my preference for longer walks); one of the cows took an interest in us and soon two or three were trotting in our direction; I undid the waist belt on the dogs lead so I had the chance to release them if the cows got too close, and then realised I had undone the wrong belt, as my hip pack (dog treats, waterproof, water etc) fell off. Thankfully, by this time we were almost out of the field and I was through the gate as quick as I could. My wife and friends picked up the pack, having kept a safe distance from the dogs.

Oh, and coos generally refers to the highland kind up here, although I see no reason why it shouldn’t refer to all types.

There are rules as to what livestock can be in fields with public rights of way running through them, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the public.

Dog and cows (especially with calves) don’t mix so this field was probably best avoided in the first place.

The countryside is a working environment so we all need to be aware of the risks and what to do if all turns a bit nasty. I don’t fancy a 1 ton beef burger taking a dislike to me 😉

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36079825

There are rules as to what livestock can be in fields with public rights of way running through them, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the public.

Just bulls really.

I try to avoid fields with sucklings or bullocks in if I have the dog or not, if I can’t a detor around the fence line I pick the dog up so they can’t identify him.

Just bulls really.

Yeah, I can’t remember the exact details, but a lone bull is a no-no, but fine if he’s mixed in with some ladies. And certain breeds under a certain age are also banned.

Also bear in mind that UK farmers are now more often using European breeds which are displaying a more aggressive temperament.

wrightyson
Can’t really let the dog go though as I think he’d **** off or try and fight to the death. He’s on a long training lead though so can be pulled in easily enough.

Unless you’ve somehow got the stupidest and most aggressive dog on the planet it won’t. It might posture but then it’ll run, posture run and so on. Once a 1000kg bullock starts charging a 50kg dog gets out of the way pretty promptly.

Does old farmer Giles have any responsibility in the matter.

Bovine behavioural classes?

Were they cows and calves or just a load of youngsters wanting feeding? Either way I doubt she was in much danger, although hard to tell from here onbviously.
Best approach is to throw your shopping in the air and run at them screaming…an expert in bulls I am!!

There are specific breed restrictions for bulls in fields with or without dairy cows or heifers.

Freisan (dairy) bulls are nasty bastards but Charolais (beef) bulls can be really quite docile.

A herd of inquisitive bullocks can be dealt with if you are confident, and can land a good punch square on the nose of the biggest/ringleader. Just like first night in prison really.

If you’ve really got some chutzpah, grab him by the septum and as well as having a bogey-slathered hand, you have a highly supplicant bullock in your control.

more detail here (although not on nose-grabbing)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais17ew.pdf

O/T wrightyson I have replied to an old thread regarding Nukeproof chainstays if you could check your forum history.
Thanks Mark

If you’ve really got some chutzpah, grab him by the septum

Nah if you’re proper tough grab em by the perineim James Herriot style!!

We will avoid, to be fair the footpath cuts through the middle of a load of fields. However it starts right on the endge (not for us) of the housing area so its used loads. Its not just a field in the middle of the sticks but quite a busy path to another village also. We’re more than happy to make our escape etc but as I said in my op a lot of older folk use it to walk their dogs.

I’ve had this happen to me, riding along a bridleway that ran through a field contain?ing cows. I was pootling slowly so as not startle them, but one brave cow was facing up to me, then starting walking at me, then a bit quicker, then more joined, I started to take a wider line, they all joined the chase, they came a bit faster… and faster, I thought balls to this and rode as fast as I could toward the gate only just making it. Threw myself over and left the bike, collected it a few minutes later. Don’t go anywhere near cows now!! No dog involved by the way.

I know all the advice above, but what if your dog’s a pathological coward?

She was run down and savaged by two greyhounds when she was small (she still is small compared to a greyhound, YKWIM) – they were muzzled so they couldn’t really get her but she didn’t know that and was properly pinned down and worked over until I got there and landed some proper slaps.

But since then, anything bigger than her, be it another dog that she doesn’t know, horse, cow, …. and she heads round behind me and sticks her head through my legs as if to say ‘protect me’. Generally it’s useful as horse riders think she’s amazingly trained but in the situation above, I’m knackered.

(the answer is I avoid fields of cows like the plague)

There is something incredibly malevolent about the slow but inevitable approach of a group of cows. One starts looking, then walks a bit, others join in, speed increases and suddenly the whole herd are coming at you faster than you thought possible. Your uncomfortable speed walk trying to keep looking cool turns into a terrified trot/ sprint for the nearest exit. Give me me the heebie jeebies every time, bastards.

I’ve experienced few things more terrifying than standing there waving arms like windmill shouting as loudly as I can at a herd of cows stampeding towards me.

I shit myself, but it works.

There is something incredibly malevolent about the slow but inevitable approach of a group of cows. One starts looking, then walks a bit, others join in, speed increases and suddenly the whole herd are coming at you faster than you thought possible. Your uncomfortable speed walk trying to keep looking cool turns into a terrified trot/ sprint for the nearest exit. Give me me the heebie jeebies every time, bastards.

And then the whole bunch will screech to an untidy halt about twenty feet away, and just stand there staring at you.
Then if you take a couple of steps towards them they’ll back up, then back up some more if you move forward again.
If you get a bunch of young heifers come right up to a gate after running towards you and you go through the gate, just try holding your hand out towards them and getting them to come up and let you stroke their heads; it’s almost impossible to get them to do so.
I think I’ve only managed to get a cow to come close enough for me to stroke her nose two or three times, and they have very rough tongues when they do summon up enough bravery to let you touch them.
It’s almost unheard of for cattle to trample a person crossing a field, it’s sheer curiosity that causes them to run towards you.
Having a dog with you in a field where there’s calves with a herd is a whole other issue, the desire to protect their young from a known predator trumps all other instincts, and they will automatically go after the dog, holding onto the lead can and will result in a human fatality, so it’s ALWAYS better to avoid taking a dog into such a field.
There’s been a number of local incidents for this very reason.

CountZero
It’s almost unheard of for cattle to trample a person crossing a field, it’s sheer curiosity that causes them to run towards you.

Or they expect to be fed.

Drac – Moderator
There are rules as to what livestock can be in fields with public rights of way running through them, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the public.

Just bulls really.

I try to avoid fields with sucklings or bullocks in if I have the dog or not, if I can’t a detor around the fence line I pick the dog up so they can’t identify him.

Cows, well Cows are giving birth at the moment. No wonder they chased you out of the field if you had a Dog with you/your wife.

Farmers are required to notify the Public if there is a Bull in the field, that is all.

Sadly there is blatant ignorance showing itself right here.

The best is a field full of bullocks. the combination of stupidity, curiosity, timidity and too much energy is really funny. One will spot you and start walking towards you then the rest try to get in front so it looks like a stampede towards you, then one will spook and they all run away again.

coos with bairns can be dangerous tho.

Farmers are required to notify the Public if there is a Bull in the field, that is all.

Not so. See the link above, certain breeds are banned from fields crossed by public rights of way.

Just let go of the sodding lead. And why on earth would you have a dog on a long lead in a field of cattle?

Farmers are required to notify the Public if there is a Bull in the field, that is all.

Sadly there is blatant ignorance showing itself right here.

One of those statements is correct.

I agree there is ignorance on this thread.

But it looks like an argument is starting so enjoy the evening.

Where’s the argument?

You’ve made an incorrect statement, that is all.

Nah, ones brewing you can tell.

I ain’t into arguing on here, it’s futile.

I always make sure I have a steak for tea if I’ve had a cow incident 😉

Nah, ones brewing you can tell.

I ain’t into arguing on here, it’s futile.

Me neither, I’m only trying to be helpful.