Working Dogs in the UK and a tribute to my colleague

Just yesterday my colleague and long time friend Buster was put down. The photo is of him atop a mountain in Scotland.

I worked as a silviculturalist in the UK, a forester but as I endlessly have to explain I was involved in the planting of new woodlands not in felling. As such a dog was essential part of my kit. The biggest threat to UK plantations and trees are pests, and for young trees in particular Rabbits and Hares. Buster's job was simply to catch and diminish these pests within the plantations or simply to harangue them enough to give up munching on the newly planted trees. And he was excellent at it, indeed once I watched a Rabbit drop dead simply at the sight of his approaching black bulk.But as UK land management changes ever rapidly and the public conscious changes with it, it is sad that these once valuable working dogs are increasingly becoming pets and not functioning as they should do, which does in my Vets experience provide for a stronger healthier dog. Buster was 15 and half when he died - my Vet was staggered and also told me he had never ever seen a working Labrador before.Many working dogs are not accreditated for their skills enough. A farmer I knew in Argyll had a plethora of high quality sheep dogs, he had competed successfully on 'one man and his dog' and these dogs were beautiful animals. In retirement they simply moved into the main farmhouse, resulting in a sea of mottled black and white hair, snorting and farting away between the sofa and the fire. As working Collies can live up to 18 years of age and more on occasion this pack was ever growing, but there was never any doubt of maintaining and allowing them the dignity of a good retirement.Methods of farming were changing though and aluminium cages, fencing etc., encroached onto the mountainsides to ensure less labour was needed to tend the sheep flocks. Resulting in fewer and fewer working sheep dogs.I met many stalkers as well, whose professional name has been stolen by the media to use against an altogether more unsavoury pursuit. Every stalker I ever met had a respect for all animals above and beyond anyone else. I was almost involved in a huge pile up whilst getting a lift from a stalker who spied a badger lying dead in the middle of the road - he simply put on the hazard lights collecting the animal and dug it a proper grave on the verge, much to the bemusement of the huge line of following traffic. The stalkers would have an array of dogs for specific jobs. One in particular was a cross breed of Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound, which to be honest looked more like the Hound of the Baskervilles. This huge, but fast dog had an unenviable role in chasing down deer, which had been shot badly by clients. Every stalker I ever met lamented the fact that their income was supplemented almost completely by having to ghillie for businessmen with a blood lust and little regard for nature.The ban on hunting was a sad time for the UK landscape, it was inevitable and I believe it was cut and dried by a very poor campaign by the Countryside Alliance, who failed to get over the scientific and conservation issues of the hunt. Hunts were starting to get silly, baked in a tradition which simply inflamed all and it was certainly time to change. However the complete and total ban, combined with the redesigning of the hunt as a nothing more than a weekend sport under the guise of a tradition, will in time have serious consequences to the unique UK landscape, a landscape managed by the use of animals designed to flush out the weak and destructive pests as humanely as possible.I believe the image of the hunt more than anything else has led to revolt against traditional land management using dogs, which was a continuing and necessary sustainable activity to conserve our fauna and flora in a managed landscape, when agriculture was starting to inflict serious damage to the landscape through modern intensive methods.Now in urban areas the cat predominates, killing pests within allotments and gardens, but also huge amounts of songbirds and beneficial wildlife.However one huge fact remains, the distress of watching your dog being put down is enough to try to ensure you would never have to go through such agony again. Considering myself a strong outdoors type, I was reduced to sobbing like a baby at the Vets.I want to thank Buster for all he did for me, he has helped to secure the growth of many new plantations and was nothing short of an integral member of the family in his retirement.I hope that working dogs will have a future in the long term management of a sustainable UK landscape.

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Phil Voice October 13, 2010 at 11:56am

I'm sorry to hear about Buster Pip.

When we met recently, you explained a bit about Buster's age and how he was now struggling and I could tell then, from what you were saying, that he didn't have too long left.

I'm sure all LJN members who have a beloved animal as a member of the family will understand what you're feeling right now - although it won't feel like a consolation I know.

I'm sure the sadness will get less as each days passes but the memories will last a lifetime.

All the best

Phil
chris nangle October 13, 2010 at 4:16pm

Sorry to hear about Buster Pip
its always very sad to loose a dog,and companion.
I have a bedlington terrier cross huntaway sheepdog that comes to work with me every day along with a big greyhound lurcher belonging to my work mate.
neither are any good at woodwork by the way,but they can sure chew a stick
Andy Lawrence October 13, 2010 at 9:19pm

Very sorry to hear about your loss Pip.

As you can see from my ID picture I'm also a dog owner and although he comes in the van with me at times he firmly falls into the pet category and is not a working dog.

He's 12 now and starting to slow down himself. Very difficult to think about losing him so I can imagine how you are feeling just now.

All the best
Andy
lorraine bush October 17, 2010 at 9:51pm

so sorry to hear of your loss pip, i miss my girl lots since i had her put to sleep last month, keep the memory, its all most of us have in the end.