0:00:02 > 0:00:04For most of us, the image of a working farm dog
0:00:04 > 0:00:08is a black and white Border collie herding sheep into pens.
0:00:08 > 0:00:14Yet they are just one of over 20 distinct breeds of British herding dogs.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17But all except the Border collie have either gone extinct
0:00:17 > 0:00:20or are in sharp decline.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Crossbreeding and changes in how we farm
0:00:23 > 0:00:26are threatening our native herding dogs.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30But some of these breeds are now starting to fight back.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Meet Teg, my two-and-a-half-year-old sheepdog.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36She's proper Welsh, isn't she?
0:00:36 > 0:00:38You know?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Teg's a Welsh sheepdog,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43a breed brought back from the edge of extinction.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46We found 80 of them but, of the 80,
0:00:46 > 0:00:4820 were too old to breed.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Teg's now old enough to have puppies and I want her to contribute to
0:00:52 > 0:00:54the survival of the Welsh sheepdog.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56We need a new bloodline, really,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58in Wales, in the Welsh dogs.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00But before I get her in the family way,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I need to fully prove her Welsh credentials
0:01:03 > 0:01:07and, for that, I must turn her from a soppy house dog
0:01:07 > 0:01:10into a lean and mean herding machine.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Will my quirky Welsh sheepdog help save her breed
0:01:15 > 0:01:18or will this all end up as a shaggy dog's tale?
0:01:18 > 0:01:21It's going to be a nightmare. It's going to be a nightmare!
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Eight years ago, I left the city for the good life in Wales.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I bought a farm in Monmouth and a mix of livestock.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48I adopted two rescue dogs, but there was one thing missing.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53I just need a dog, a dog that can work.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57And, much as I love these two, they weren't going to cut it.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58So Teg came into my life.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I was told she's a Welsh sheepdog,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07a rare herding breed I never knew existed until I set my eyes on her.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10She's meant to work every day.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13However, there's another side to this story,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16as my husband, Ludo, knows only too well.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Well, when Kate said she wanted to get a working dog,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22or another dog, I thought, "Absolutely no way!"
0:02:22 > 0:02:26But eventually I said yes to having a third dog because she's a very cute dog,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30no question about it but, as long as Teg stayed on the farm,
0:02:30 > 0:02:31it would be fine, I thought. But then...
0:02:31 > 0:02:33And she'd learn how to be a proper sheepdog.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36The next thing I knew, Teg wasn't on the farm,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38she was on our sofa at home, so...
0:02:38 > 0:02:41She's not on the sofa that often!
0:02:41 > 0:02:43She still sleeps outside.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45It's those two words, "that often", though, isn't it?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48She's hardly the tough, working dog that...
0:02:48 > 0:02:49'You get the picture.'
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Whilst Teg was supposed to spend all day, every day, herding sheep,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58she actually spends most of her time with our two rescue dogs,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Bella and Badger.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07The truth is, she does sneak onto the sofa sometimes.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08When I'm not around,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11she sets up camp in Ludo's office.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13And he's no better than I am at helping
0:03:13 > 0:03:15her find her true identity.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21I just sometimes think it can undermine the work that she's doing
0:03:21 > 0:03:25and it sort of exacerbates, really,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28this slightly strange role that she has,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30which is sort of a paw in both camps.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34She's part pet dog and part working dog.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39And I think sometimes she feels a little bit confused about her identity.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41You know, "What am I?"
0:03:41 > 0:03:43'To be considered a true Welsh sheepdog,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46'Teg must renounce her pet privileges
0:03:46 > 0:03:48'and become a proper working dog.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53'I want to contribute to the future of this breed, but to do that
0:03:53 > 0:03:56'I need to establish exactly how Welsh Teg is,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58'and so I need to put her to work.'
0:04:01 > 0:04:04We're heading to the hills above Trawsfynydd,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06in the heart of Snowdonia,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09where sheep are still raised on vast,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13rugged landscapes by shepherds and their highly skilled dogs.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17We've been invited to join them today on a traditional hill gather,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19to help Teg connect with her ancestral roots
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and so I can learn about what makes a Welsh sheepdog.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Slightly apprehensive this morning.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31This is going to be a really big test for Teg
0:04:31 > 0:04:34because she's never done a gather before.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36I don't quite know how this is going to work.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Alan is a proper, proper Welsh farmer
0:04:40 > 0:04:45with proper Welsh sheepdogs and both of us, I suspect,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47could get very shown up today.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50My concern is that, as of late,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Teg has been more of a pet than a worker and she hasn't been around
0:04:53 > 0:04:56a large number of sheep for three months.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04- You're going to get a proper workout today, Teg!- We'll see.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08We'll see whether that ancestry is any good at all, shall we?
0:05:08 > 0:05:09Eh? Shall we?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13'Alan Jones's farm has been in his family for three generations
0:05:13 > 0:05:17'and they have always used Welsh sheepdogs to herd their flocks.'
0:05:17 > 0:05:19And these are both Welsh dogs, too?
0:05:19 > 0:05:21- Both Welsh, yes.- It's really interesting, isn't it,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24how different they are - the look - as a breed?
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Yeah, they look a bit different
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- but they mostly work the same.- Yeah.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31'Well, Teg certainly doesn't look like them,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33'and that's the first thing I learn -
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'no two Welsh sheepdogs look exactly the same.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40'Unlike most dog breeds that conform to a distinctive look,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42'they're bred for their herding behaviour,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45'believed to be ingrained in their genetic make up.
0:05:45 > 0:05:51'The only way Teg can start to prove her Welsh credentials is on the mountain.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54'Today, Alan is bringing the sheep down for shearing
0:05:54 > 0:05:56'and Teg and I will get a chance to help,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59'or perhaps hinder, this traditional gathering.'
0:06:06 > 0:06:07Joining us is Dafydd Gwyndaf,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11only the chairman of the Welsh Sheepdog Society,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15the organisation that can certify Teg's Welsh credentials
0:06:15 > 0:06:18and shed some light onto what distinct behaviours
0:06:18 > 0:06:20a Welsh sheepdog should display.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22He doesn't eye the sheep.
0:06:22 > 0:06:28You know, he works quite freely and doesn't go down on his belly
0:06:28 > 0:06:29or anything like that.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33He works on his feet all the time, with the occasional back.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36'So, naturally, I'm keen to introduce Teg to him.'
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Cos her mother's got a complete blue eye...
0:06:39 > 0:06:41- Oh, right.- ..so she's got the half on one side
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and then she's got a little star like David Bowie.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49I always think she looks like a cross between David Bowie and Basil Brush!
0:06:49 > 0:06:51So, what's the plan, then?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Well, the plan is to go up to the mountain now.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- OK, right.- And we'll meet Alan up there.
0:06:57 > 0:06:58What a spot!
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Yes.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- Nice view for you.- Oh!
0:07:03 > 0:07:06So is everything we can see your land?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Yes, yes.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Wow. You must feel like king of the castle when you're up here.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Yeah, it's nice when it's dry, like today.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We're having a kind day!
0:07:15 > 0:07:16Yes.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20So I can see a few sheep in the distance.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Your job then...- Push them down.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24Make sure they don't come back up.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26OK, OK.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28OK, Teg, were you listening?
0:07:28 > 0:07:29Were you listening to that?
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Yeah? All right.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- We'll wait here and see how you get on.- Yes.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39'And so Alan and his dogs set off to do what they do best -
0:07:39 > 0:07:42'round up about 300 sheep with five dogs
0:07:42 > 0:07:44'over 400 acres of mountain.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52'Herding dogs share the amazing ability to control the movement of animals.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55'They also have great reserves of stamina
0:07:55 > 0:07:59- 'which allow them to work from dawn to dusk.'- Come on!
0:07:59 > 0:08:01'And that's why, historically,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04'they've always been viewed as real assets to their owners.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12'Back in the day, hardy men known as drovers and their Welsh dogs
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'would drive livestock long distances to markets.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19'The Welsh sheepdogs were animals in charge not only of herding the animals,
0:08:19 > 0:08:24'but protecting them and their owners from predators and thieves.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26'With the arrival of the railway and motor vehicles,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28'transporting livestock became easier
0:08:28 > 0:08:31'and the droving tradition slowly ended.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'This is probably as close to what the drovers used to do
0:08:35 > 0:08:37'as it gets in the 21st century.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41'It's teamwork at its best.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50'Before we know it, the sheep are coming down from all corners,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53'lining up to a more manageable spot.'
0:08:53 > 0:08:55WHISTLING
0:08:55 > 0:08:57'And that's our cue to join in.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03'Although we have both done a little bit of training over
0:09:03 > 0:09:05'the last 18 months...'
0:09:05 > 0:09:07SHE WHISTLES Teg!
0:09:07 > 0:09:10'..it soon becomes clear it's not been enough.'
0:09:10 > 0:09:11Come here, Teg. That'll do.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14That'll do. Teg. Teg, come here!
0:09:14 > 0:09:16He has mastered "wait".
0:09:16 > 0:09:19'Whilst no-one can dispute our enthusiasm...'
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Teg, Teg, Teg!
0:09:20 > 0:09:23'..there appears to be a communication breakdown.'
0:09:23 > 0:09:24Go back, Teg! Teg!
0:09:24 > 0:09:26'And I think I know where the problem lies.'
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Teg! SHE WHISTLES
0:09:28 > 0:09:30You've lost the lot. 'I'm the one that lets her down.'
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Teg, come here!
0:09:33 > 0:09:38I just don't feel confident in any way as a handler.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39I don't know where to stand,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I don't know when to give her commands
0:09:41 > 0:09:42or when not to give her commands.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Steady. Teg, come back!
0:09:44 > 0:09:49For me, it's all so new and I feel quite self-conscious
0:09:49 > 0:09:55and...yeah, a little bit like I'm letting Teg down some of the time.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59'I wonder if the professionals agree.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Well, not too bad.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Needs a few lessons.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Yeah. Well, I think I need the lessons.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- Well, yes. A bit of both, maybe, yeah?- Yeah, yeah.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11All she needs is a bit more work and more practice
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and you have to tell her off every now and then.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16So I'm not firm enough with her?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18No.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22I suppose what I wanted to establish was that she had the potential...
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Oh, she's got the potential, yes.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28If she was up here for two or three weeks, she'd be a different dog.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- You're not stealing her!- No!
0:10:31 > 0:10:34'Yes, we both can do with more training,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38'but I think the experience has definitely proved that Teg has
0:10:38 > 0:10:42'the instincts and latent skills of a working Welsh sheepdog.'
0:10:42 > 0:10:45It's quite frightening because out on the hill today
0:10:45 > 0:10:47I realised that, actually,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51I've got a dog that is far cleverer,
0:10:51 > 0:10:52far more superior than me,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and I was hugely proud of her and it was wonderful
0:10:55 > 0:10:59to hear all these people who I suspect were quite sceptical,
0:10:59 > 0:11:00and with good reason,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03see what a good dog she was.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05The thing that I realised, though,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07more than anything,
0:11:07 > 0:11:12was how completely...
0:11:12 > 0:11:14inexperienced I am
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and unable, really,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18to support my dog.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22'I get it. If Teg is to work better, as her handler,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25'I need to pull my weight and train her properly.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28'I now feel like I kind of owe it, not only to her,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30'but to the Welsh sheepdog as breed.'
0:11:32 > 0:11:33Throughout Great Britain,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36most ancestral herding dogs are suffering.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Their decline began after the Industrial Revolution,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41when droving dwindled.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Then the economic depressions of the 1920s and 1930s
0:11:45 > 0:11:46lead to smaller farms
0:11:46 > 0:11:51and smaller flocks which didn't require such high-stamina dogs.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Finally, between the wars came the rise of sheepdog trials and
0:11:55 > 0:11:58the stars of the show, the Border collies,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01began to catch the eyes of sheep farmers all over the country.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Here in Wales, the Border collie is often crossbred with
0:12:06 > 0:12:09the Welsh sheepdogs, or they simply replaced them,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12even though both dogs are distinctively unalike
0:12:12 > 0:12:14in the way they work.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17This is really where you see the difference
0:12:17 > 0:12:19between the borders and the Welsh.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22If this was a Welsh dog,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25they'd be upright, standing behind the sheep.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29The Border collies are so controlled.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31You see them working right down on the ground,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35they're attentive to every sound.
0:12:35 > 0:12:40But it's interesting that I've spoken to enough Welsh farmers now,
0:12:40 > 0:12:45farming in, you know, quite rugged environments,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48and all of them have said a collie wouldn't cut it out here,
0:12:48 > 0:12:49it's got to be a Welsh dog.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55To date, at least 12 other herding breeds have gone extinct in the UK.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59The remaining ten have mostly become pampered pets or show dogs
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and are rarely found working.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Luckily for Teg, the Welsh sheepdog has survived,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07thanks largely to two neighbouring farmers,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09John and Hugh, and a dog named Topsy.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- What a beautiful morning.- Yes.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- Hello. Good to see you, John.- Hello.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18So this is Topsy's great-great granddaughter?
0:13:18 > 0:13:21'Topsy was the first dog to be registered as pedigree
0:13:21 > 0:13:23'by the Welsh Sheepdog Society
0:13:23 > 0:13:27'which, for Teg, is almost like being related to the Royals.'
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I wanted a dog to mate with Topsy,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35a Welsh dog, to keep the breed going.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Mm-hm.- And I could see they were getting less every year
0:13:38 > 0:13:41and Hugh was going around the country,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44around farms, so I phoned him one evening
0:13:44 > 0:13:47asking him if he knew of a good Welsh dog somewhere
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- which I could put on Topsy to keep the breed going.- Yeah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'Hugh and John were very clear about
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'why they wanted to reinvigorate the breed.'
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I mean, you will find that the sheepdog trialists
0:13:59 > 0:14:02will send the dog away. "Come bye. Away to me!"
0:14:02 > 0:14:06And so on, and so moving the dog left and right.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08The Welsh dog does this naturally.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Its own instincts it tells him what to do.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13If he sees a gate, he'll drive them towards it.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15And that's what we want.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Why should we become neurotic about
0:14:18 > 0:14:20moving things yards this way and yards that way
0:14:20 > 0:14:23when the dog can do it himself?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26'Together, they kick-started a nationwide search
0:14:26 > 0:14:27'for pure Welsh dogs,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30'and the findings were alarming.'
0:14:30 > 0:14:32We found 80 of them,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35but of the 80, 20 were too old to breed,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38so that reduced it to 60, which is a...
0:14:38 > 0:14:41It's getting to the stage where extinction would have occurred
0:14:41 > 0:14:43in the next five years, without any shadow of doubt.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47I suppose the main message was then, "Go forth and multiply,"
0:14:47 > 0:14:49which is what they did.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55'Today, there are about 2,000 Welsh sheepdogs registered in the country,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'which is a remarkable comeback from such a small gene pool.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00'But, in reality,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04'that number compared to the population of giant pandas left in the wild.'
0:15:07 > 0:15:11The Welsh sheepdogs have helped shape the rural landscape of Wales.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Traditionally, they've always been selected on working rather than visual traits,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19which in this day and age seems to be a bit controversial.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Rightly or wrongly, modern popular convention
0:15:24 > 0:15:28appears to associate a breed with the way a dog looks,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31while the Welsh sheepdogs don't have a uniform look.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So can they be truly considered a breed of their own?
0:15:36 > 0:15:37There's one way to find out.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43'We're teaming up with researchers from Aberystwyth University
0:15:43 > 0:15:45'to get to the bottom of it.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47'Matthew Hegarty is a DNA scientist,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50'and this morning he's collecting a sample of Teg's saliva.'
0:15:51 > 0:15:54What we'll do now is take that into the lab
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and go through the progress of extracting the DNA from that.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Fantastic! It'll be fascinating.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Hey, Teg! We'll find out what you are, mmm?
0:16:02 > 0:16:06We'll find out what you are, instead of just a ginger monster!
0:16:07 > 0:16:10'Matthew and his team are studying the genetic markers of
0:16:10 > 0:16:14'the Welsh sheepdogs to do what they call a breed assignment.'
0:16:14 > 0:16:17What we're aiming to do with the help of the Welsh Sheepdogs Society
0:16:17 > 0:16:20is to get the DNA from maybe 20-25 registered Welsh sheepdogs
0:16:20 > 0:16:23as well as many Border collies as we can
0:16:23 > 0:16:26that we're going to then take through and compare.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30That should give us the basic information we need to tell if the two breeds are different.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32'Using the latest technology,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35'the DNA of all the dogs taking part in the study is captured
0:16:35 > 0:16:39'by millions of probes in little slides like this.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'The complex job of analysing the DNA matrix of letters
0:16:44 > 0:16:46'is done by Rob McMahon.'
0:16:46 > 0:16:48As far as I understand it now,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51the Welsh sheepdog is a tricky one.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53It doesn't have a particular look.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58They're different colours, they're different sizes, they're different shapes,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01and so they don't seem to have a breed type.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06It may be that Welsh sheepdogs behave the way they do
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- because of their training.- Right.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12But it may be that they behave the way they do
0:17:12 > 0:17:13because of their genotype.
0:17:13 > 0:17:20The problem is that we don't have a scientifically agreed definition
0:17:20 > 0:17:22of what a breed is.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- Right.- A breed is something that the breeders say it is.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27It's a human construct.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30So if we can persuade
0:17:30 > 0:17:36the breeders that what we're looking at represents a unique...
0:17:36 > 0:17:38mixture of genes,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41then there would be good reason for defining that as a breed.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45'So if the herding behaviour of the Welsh sheepdogs
0:17:45 > 0:17:47'is marked in their DNA,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49'then the Welsh dogs could challenge
0:17:49 > 0:17:51'the modern concept of what a breed is.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55'As for my ginger monster Teg,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57'by throwing her DNA into the mix,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00'the scientists will hopefully be able to tell me
0:18:00 > 0:18:02'how Welsh she really is
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'and whether her puppies can contribute to the future of the breed.'
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It does feel like such an enormous responsibility.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12I mean, it's an enormous responsibility to have any dog,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15but I'm now becoming increasingly conscious
0:18:15 > 0:18:17of how special Welsh dogs are
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and how rare they are and that, sort of, slightly unwittingly,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I've found myself with the potential
0:18:24 > 0:18:28to do something for this breed.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31'And as it all comes down to Teg's working ability,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35'I need to improve as a shepherdess if Teg is going to be a better dog.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'It's a challenge I'm determined to face.'
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Now then, where have you got to with your handling?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Can you give a "come bye" and "away" and it'll work?- Yes.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Yeah. And she'll pretty much listen to that.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48'My guru, Adeline Jones,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51'has been working with me and Teg for over a year now.'
0:18:51 > 0:18:53There. Stand there! Stay there.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'She's the secretary of the Welsh Sheepdog Society.'
0:18:56 > 0:18:58No, no, no.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01'And to be registered with them as a true Welsh dog
0:19:01 > 0:19:03'Teg must prove she can work with sheep.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:05The voice of evil!
0:19:05 > 0:19:07- She recognises you! - You need to keep her back there.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08Yeah.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10'Adeline is a master handler
0:19:10 > 0:19:13'and Teg works better with her than she does with me.'
0:19:16 > 0:19:18You need to keep her from running all over you,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21because what's she's doing is,
0:19:21 > 0:19:22- "I'm in control."- Yes!
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Which she is!
0:19:24 > 0:19:27And, "You don't really matter at all and I can run over the top of you."
0:19:27 > 0:19:28'The roles are reversed here -
0:19:28 > 0:19:30'Teg is the one handling me.'
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Steady, Teg. Steady.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I suppose you have that inherent understanding
0:19:35 > 0:19:38that I don't have of the position that a dog's going to be
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- and what that's going to do to the sheep.- Yeah.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42And at the moment, I haven't joined those dots.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45She picks up that I haven't got the confidence.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48- Do you think that's right?- I think that's entirely true and I think you
0:19:48 > 0:19:51need to work on taking control of the situation.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- Yep.- And where to stand, it'll come with experience.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56You just have to learn it.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59Good girl, steady, steady.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Stand. Stand, Teg.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Teg, steady.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03She's in control now.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05She's put a bit of pressure on.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07She's got them back, she knows what she's doing.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Come and have this gate and shut it across the back.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Now, that was you and her.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- Mainly her.- Very little of me!
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Teg knows what to do.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19I mean, it's pack instinct.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22It's how they hunt. They observe,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24they see what's going on and they fit in
0:20:24 > 0:20:26with whatever they need to do.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30And...well, Kate isn't a dog
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and doesn't do it that way.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Perhaps Teg can teach Kate.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37That's where it hopefully will go anyway.
0:20:39 > 0:20:40Back, Teg.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41'Adeline is right.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44'Learning to work a dog is difficult and, as I discovered,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46'not a straightforward trajectory.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'There are days when things go right...'
0:20:49 > 0:20:54I've felt for the first time just a bit more in control.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56'..and there are days when things go wrong.'
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Away, Teg.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Away. Away.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02'But practice makes perfect.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04'So, for the next six weeks,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07'we do it until we feel confident we can impress
0:21:07 > 0:21:09'the most sceptical member of the family.'
0:21:09 > 0:21:11You need to come and see her.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- OK.- It's amazing.- Are you sure it's the same dog?- Yes.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16At a distance, it could be some other completely different dog!
0:21:16 > 0:21:19You're so rude about her!
0:21:19 > 0:21:21'So, to try to prove Ludo wrong,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25'we invite him to join us at Adeline's farm to see us in action.'
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Now, are you sure you haven't spent weeks training these sheep
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- to do exactly what they're told as soon as they see Kate and the dog? - I have.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- Yeah, I've...- No matter what dog turns up.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36No matter what dog turns up. No.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'Our plan is to work a small number of these sheep and load them onto
0:21:39 > 0:21:43'a trailer, which sounds far simpler than it actually is.'
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Teg. Teg, get back.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What's going on in Teg's head now?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50What does she think she's doing?
0:21:50 > 0:21:52She's got a default mode that, at this stage,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54is bringing them to Kate.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58'Teg's exhibiting her natural instincts,
0:21:58 > 0:21:59'and so am I.'
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Is Kate going sideways? Is she just showing off for me now just to prove that she can move the sheep around?
0:22:04 > 0:22:08'No, Ludo. This is what a dog-handler partnership looks like.'
0:22:11 > 0:22:13- Good girl.- That was quite impressive.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Here. Here. Here, Teg.
0:22:16 > 0:22:17Teg. Teg, look back.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Teg. Here, Teg. Teg.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Good girl.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25HE CLAPS
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Very good. Impressive.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- Wasn't bad, was it? - That was really good.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32She's quite a clever dog, really.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- Teggy, here.- Well done!
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Very clever. Well done.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38All right, I believe you now.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Well, she's finished sheep dog school,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44she just needs to go to sheep dog university now.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Then she'll be sorted.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50'Tomorrow, Teg is going to be assessed
0:22:50 > 0:22:52'by the Welsh Sheepdog Society.'
0:22:53 > 0:22:56We have to look tough and manly when working.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59'If she can demonstrate that she works
0:22:59 > 0:23:03'with the characteristics of a Welsh sheepdog to a panel of experts,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'she will be given her Welsh Sheepdog Society registration
0:23:06 > 0:23:09'and then, if I breed from her,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13'her puppies could contribute to future generations.'
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's judgment day.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30Teg and five other dogs are about to be scrutinised.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34A team of experts will be watching their every move.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35If they perform well,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39they'll be awarded a breeding licence by the Welsh Sheepdog Society.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41The way they work will be crucial,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45as it's this that defines their Welsh credentials.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Their style of working is very particular to Welsh sheepdogs.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53With their tails held high, they dart boldly around the flock.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Unless told otherwise, they're constantly on their feet.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Unlike Borders, they don't use a fixed stare,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03yet their eyes don't miss a thing.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04And when the occasion calls for it,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07they're not afraid to be vocal.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11It's our turn, and first impressions count.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13You all look quite intimidating.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Morning. Kate. Lovely to see you.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19How are you, Ian? Nice to see you.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Hi.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Hello.- Hello, good to see you.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24So, this is Teg
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and...yeah, we're both a bit nervous.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28KATE LAUGHS
0:24:30 > 0:24:31'The moment of truth is here.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36'We take centre stage to show them what she's made of.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Away, Teg.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45'The aim of the assessment is to show how Teg behaves
0:24:45 > 0:24:47'when herding the sheep.'
0:24:47 > 0:24:51What it wanted was a five-mile run before starting...
0:24:51 > 0:24:54That would make it settle down.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55'Our plan is simple -
0:24:55 > 0:25:00'to move the flock from one side of the field to the other and stop by a gate.'
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Good girl.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Teg, bye.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05- Bye.- Oh, a bit wild there.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Teg, bye, bye.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The dog seems to have got it about it, it only needs some training.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Yeah, yeah.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17Tail comes up on the corners.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Yeah.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Right, we're...in business.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Now that is showing far better now.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Yeah, yeah.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Tidy. Keeps them in a bunch.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- Yeah.- Steady. Stand, Teg.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- Quite tidy.- Stand.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47That'll do. Come here.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Good, good. Excellent, Kate.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Well, it takes us a little bit of time to find our feet.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55But what did you make of her?
0:25:55 > 0:25:57- Good.- Yes. Very good.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02Actually, she worked on her feet.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Yeah, yeah.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08She was working in a Welsh manner.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Yeah, tail up, bit of a bark every now and then.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13- Yeah.- Acceptable, yeah. Yeah.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Only thing, she was a bit over-enthusiastic.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19- Oh, yeah. But that's... - Bit like her owner!
0:26:22 > 0:26:24'It's all looking good for Teg
0:26:24 > 0:26:26'but then they dropped a bombshell.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30'They want to know if Teg's parents are pure Welsh sheepdogs
0:26:30 > 0:26:33'and I simply don't know the answer.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The problem you have got,
0:26:36 > 0:26:41you don't know her full history...
0:26:41 > 0:26:43- That's right.- ..of her bloodline.
0:26:43 > 0:26:50- That's right.- So, we wouldn't be able to register her puppies.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51OK. OK.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57They would have to be tested working first.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Does that mean she can't be registered?
0:27:01 > 0:27:03- Yes.- Right. Yep.- No.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11'Hmm. OK. So we have a bit of good news and a bit of bad news.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13'On the bright side,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16'they all agreed that Teg works in a Welsh way,
0:27:16 > 0:27:20'and if I mate her with a pure Welsh dog to form the third generation,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23'her puppies could be registered, as long as they show
0:27:23 > 0:27:27'the same Welsh working traits and pass the assessment.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32'But on the downside, Teg can't be registered.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34'Although I'm not going to give up quite yet.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:39The stumbling block is the fact that we don't know her maternal line.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42We know who her father is and we know his breeding
0:27:42 > 0:27:47but we don't know anything about Missy, her mum, and her breeding.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52And that's the thing that's stopping them saying, "We can register her."
0:27:52 > 0:27:55So I think I've got a bit of a detective story on my hands.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58'Confident that Teg's puppies could help the breed,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02'I've one more hurdle to get over, much closer to home.'
0:28:02 > 0:28:03She's been assessed.
0:28:03 > 0:28:09- Yeah.- And the general consensus is that she is a good dog
0:28:09 > 0:28:14and if we bred her, she,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16the puppies could be registered if they worked,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19you know, in the same way that everything else...
0:28:19 > 0:28:20- As Welsh sheepdogs. - As Welsh sheepdogs.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25So, she would then contribute to the future of the breed.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30OK. I thought you were going to say contribute to the household budget!
0:28:30 > 0:28:32They're pedigree.
0:28:32 > 0:28:33Would they be pedigree?
0:28:33 > 0:28:37They would be able to be registered as Welsh sheepdogs.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Well done, Teg.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- Congratulations. - KATE LAUGHS
0:28:41 > 0:28:42You passed the first test.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44The big question is,
0:28:44 > 0:28:45are you ready for puppies?
0:28:45 > 0:28:47No.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50Where are you going to live when she has them?
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Well, she could come into season sort of
0:28:54 > 0:28:57October, late-October, November.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Nine-week pregnancy.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01So, we could have puppies...
0:29:01 > 0:29:04That's Christmas or something, isn't it? Ridiculous.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Can you imagine anything sweeter than...?
0:29:06 > 0:29:08It would be appalling. Can you imagine it?
0:29:10 > 0:29:13So, what do you think?
0:29:13 > 0:29:14Do you think we should do it?
0:29:17 > 0:29:19I don't know. Do you want to do it?
0:29:19 > 0:29:21"Please. Please."
0:29:23 > 0:29:25I promise we won't keep any.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28I can see you holding your fingers.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31So what do you think? Should we do it?
0:29:36 > 0:29:38- Do I have to commit, do I?- Mm.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41- Why?- Because it's being filmed and if you commit now
0:29:41 > 0:29:42you can't get out of it!
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Maybe.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Well, you obviously want me to say yes, do you?
0:29:49 > 0:29:53A nice clean...yes...
0:29:53 > 0:29:56without you talking over me like that, so...
0:29:56 > 0:29:57All right, then.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Good. HE LAUGHS
0:30:00 > 0:30:04It's going to be a nightmare. It's going to be a nightmare!
0:30:04 > 0:30:07It's going to be three months of puppy poo
0:30:07 > 0:30:09for Christmas and beyond.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12We were going to go on holiday then and everything.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13Tell you what,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15I'll go on holiday
0:30:15 > 0:30:17and you can look after puppies. Would you wean them?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19'Yes, we'll see about that.'
0:30:22 > 0:30:26I still want to try and register Teg because that way her puppies
0:30:26 > 0:30:28will be automatically registered
0:30:28 > 0:30:31and her contribution will be more immediate.
0:30:31 > 0:30:32To prove her Welshness,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36I need to piece together three generations of her family tree.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40First stop is on the outskirts of Cardiff to meet her father.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43- What's his name?- Cymro.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- Cymro.- That's Welshman, isn't it?
0:30:45 > 0:30:46Of course it is.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48That's your daughter.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51'Cymro is definitely Welsh and registered.'
0:30:51 > 0:30:53He has that lovely Welsh joy.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57- Yes. Isn't it?- There's something kind of just, they look always so joyful when they're working.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- They are. He's a happy dog. - He's a good dog. Aren't you?
0:31:00 > 0:31:03- He always looks as if he's smiling. - Yes!- Unless I swear at him!
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Cymro's heritage traces back to Topsy,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11the first dog to be registered by the Welsh Sheepdog Society
0:31:11 > 0:31:13and who saved the breed from extinction.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18But I still need to solve the mystery around Teg's maternal line.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Back at our farm in Monmouthshire,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24I meet up with Teg's mother, Missy,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and her owner, Bronwen Tango, to see if
0:31:27 > 0:31:29there's any more information she can give me.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Did you go to a farm to pick her up or...?
0:31:32 > 0:31:34No, I didn't. We just met.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38It was prearranged with the farmer I was working for...
0:31:38 > 0:31:41- Right.- ..and they'd done all the planning.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44- I was just going there to collect a puppy...- Right.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- ..on the Horseshoe Pass. - Oh, right. So, yes.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49So, it really was. It was like a sort of little illicit meeting?
0:31:49 > 0:31:52- That's right, yes. - THEY LAUGH
0:31:52 > 0:31:55So, at the moment, we don't know anything about Missy's breeding?
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- No, no, no.- Nothing at all?- No. - Well, if you think there's any way,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01if you suddenly wake up in the middle of the night and go,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03"I know, he was called Bert," phone me...
0:32:03 > 0:32:06THEY LAUGH ..and we'll see what we can do.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11'Whilst I leave Bronwyn to rack her brains, I try another tack -
0:32:11 > 0:32:14'appealing directly to the public for information.'
0:32:14 > 0:32:18So, if anybody does know Teg's grandmother, what should they do?
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- They should contact your programme.- Perfect.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23'And after numerous Tweets, countless e-mails
0:32:23 > 0:32:27'and 65 phone calls, our efforts pay off.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:32We have found the man who bred Teg's ancestors.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36At least I can find out once and for all whether Teg can be registered
0:32:36 > 0:32:38as a Welsh sheepdog.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41It all hangs on him and her ancestors.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46In North Wales at the Morris farm
0:32:46 > 0:32:48I learned that Teg's grandmother was
0:32:48 > 0:32:52called Nell and she WAS a Welsh sheepdog.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Well, Nell was, she passed away last year,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56so she'd be about 12 years old.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58- Yeah.- She was the first Welsh that we ever had.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01And did she work quite independently as well?
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Did she have that, sort of, Welsh trait
0:33:03 > 0:33:05of not needing lots of instruction,
0:33:05 > 0:33:06of just sort of going and saying,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08"I know what you need to do, I'll go off and do it?"
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Well, I don't know if it was a woman thing but she did her own thing very often!
0:33:15 > 0:33:18That's the beauty of us girls.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21And when you thought about breeding her,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23what was your, sort of, criteria really?
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Well, I hadn't actually thought of breeding her, to be honest,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28but we had a dog off my cousin,
0:33:28 > 0:33:31which is Rex, and he was a Border collie.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34'Ah, right.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37'So because Teg's grandad, Rex, was a Border,
0:33:37 > 0:33:41'that means that Teg isn't 100% Welsh
0:33:41 > 0:33:45'and as a result, I can't register her with the Welsh Sheepdog Society.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48'But what's interesting, though,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51'is that this kind of innocent crossbreeding between Welsh dogs
0:33:51 > 0:33:54'and Border collies is in fact what nearly drove
0:33:54 > 0:33:58'the indigenous Welsh sheepdogs to extinction.'
0:33:58 > 0:34:01You know, that is the trouble with farmers.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03They don't tend to cross them accurately enough -
0:34:03 > 0:34:05the red coat and the collie and the collie, you know.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07But to be honest, you know,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10the point is you want a dog that works well.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13- Well, this is...- You crossed two dogs that were really good working dogs,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15you know, and anyone would do the same.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19I suppose the disappointing thing is that obviously, you know,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22this is clearly a breed in trouble
0:34:22 > 0:34:25and I wanted to be able to contribute
0:34:25 > 0:34:27to the future of that breed
0:34:27 > 0:34:29and, because Teg can't be registered,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32it's now a little bit more complicated.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36It's really important that we find the right sire for Teg and that that
0:34:36 > 0:34:38pedigree is absolutely, you know,
0:34:38 > 0:34:43spot on and then that the puppies she has all work well.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45If they work well,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48they can be registered and they can then go on to breed.
0:34:48 > 0:34:49So, it's not the end of the world.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53She can still contribute to the future of the breed.
0:34:53 > 0:34:54To be honest, for me,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56I just think she's the most wonderful dog
0:34:56 > 0:34:57and I couldn't be happier.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01I don't care whether she's got a little bit of collie snuck in there.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08'I go back to Aberystwyth to find out
0:35:08 > 0:35:12'if the Welsh sheepdogs have a distinct genetic code.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14'The DNA results are in.'
0:35:14 > 0:35:19Is there something that makes the Welsh sheepdog distinct?
0:35:19 > 0:35:21They are very specific herding dogs.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Is that something you can see in the DNA?
0:35:23 > 0:35:25- Very clearly.- Really?
0:35:25 > 0:35:29The Border collies, shown in red squares,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32split out from the Welsh sheepdogs.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Right.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Where are those differences occurring in the DNA?
0:35:37 > 0:35:39The predominant message is one of neurological.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42So, sticking my neck out on this,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45it looks like the main difference between the Borders and
0:35:45 > 0:35:48the Welsh sheepdogs is down to behaviour.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53If I were to bring you two samples,
0:35:53 > 0:35:54one from a Border,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57one from a Welsh, but I didn't tell you
0:35:57 > 0:36:02and said, "Test those and tell me what you think,"
0:36:02 > 0:36:04would you be able to tell me which one came from a Welsh
0:36:04 > 0:36:06and which one came from a Border?
0:36:06 > 0:36:11With approximately a 95 to 98% probability of being right, yes.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16So, are you saying, in a ground-breaking moment,
0:36:16 > 0:36:22that Welsh dogs could be described as a breed?
0:36:22 > 0:36:24They're an incipient breed.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27And what does incipient breed mean?
0:36:27 > 0:36:28They are genetically distinct.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- Yeah.- And if they were line bred,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34they could be made into a separate breed.
0:36:34 > 0:36:39- So, is it because they haven't been selectively bred to be a particular look?- Yes.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Because some of them were used for herding sheep,
0:36:41 > 0:36:44some of them were used for herding cattle
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- and some of them were used on Welsh mixed farms.- Yeah.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50And therefore they've kept components of the
0:36:50 > 0:36:53ancestral herding behaviour
0:36:53 > 0:36:57that the Border collies have lost because they've become specialised sheepdogs.
0:36:57 > 0:36:58Right.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01How Welsh is MY dog?
0:37:01 > 0:37:05- It looks like Teg is about 75% Welsh sheepdog.- Welsh.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Right. OK.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10- So she's more Welsh than Border?- Yes.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13To be recognised as a breed,
0:37:13 > 0:37:17the Welsh sheepdogs would have to be bred to look alike and to specialise
0:37:17 > 0:37:19in herding one type of animal.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23In other words, all the dogs would have to share the same characteristics.
0:37:23 > 0:37:29But for me, the beauty of the Welsh sheepdogs is that they are all different.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34And this DNA research scientifically validates everything the Welsh sheepdog is.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36These dogs are unique,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and that's something to be truly proud of.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44I'm certainly proud of my 75% Welsh dog.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45With science backing us up,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49we now know her puppies will be around 7/8 Welsh,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51as long as I find a bone fide sire.
0:37:53 > 0:37:59'Luckily, all 2,000 dogs of the Welsh Sheepdog Society are on a database,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02'and before long some familiar faces soon pop up.'
0:38:03 > 0:38:05So, this is Cefncoch Will...
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- Yeah, this is the one...- ..who you saw at the assessment day.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12Yeah. In that slightly sort of Jane Austen sort of way,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15like the pushy mother trying to find a nice husband for her daughter,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17I did look at him and thought,
0:38:17 > 0:38:21- "Mm, yeah. He looks like a fine one."- Oh, yeah.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22'And then there's Ben,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25'Alan Jones's dog we met at Teg's first hill gather,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28'which Teg seemed to have taken a shine to.'
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Have you made a friend?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32I know, he's quite handsome, isn't he?
0:38:32 > 0:38:35We might have to come back.
0:38:35 > 0:38:36But in the valleys of south Wales
0:38:36 > 0:38:40there's one tough dog Adeline suggests I meet.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Six-year-old Tango and his owner Simon Mogford
0:38:43 > 0:38:45have the hardest job in shepherding -
0:38:45 > 0:38:47rounding up wild sheep.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50These are animals that have escaped from farms
0:38:50 > 0:38:53and formed feral populations in the wild.
0:38:53 > 0:38:58Over the past three decades, over 2,500 feral sheep have been caught.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02Simon and Tango's job is to recover these rogue sheep
0:39:02 > 0:39:05before they spread disease and destroy the forests.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08A sight that has to be seen to be believed.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11Tango takes the lead.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13I think he's keen to impress me.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17I don't think I've ever seen sheep..
0:39:19 > 0:39:22..in a habitat like this.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Stand. No, quiet. Quiet now.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Tango, quiet.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31What's really interesting is that that upright way that
0:39:31 > 0:39:36the Welsh dog works is completely essential
0:39:36 > 0:39:38in an environment like this one.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40If Simon was working a collie,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44I just don't know how it could do it because it would be so fixated on
0:39:44 > 0:39:46sheep and not on the environment around it.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48I just don't think it would manage.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53He's managed to catch one.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Come here.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58So, Tango was standing,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02almost mesmerising the sheep to keep it still.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04He's standing where they can't get away from him.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08A collie behind the brash and stuff there could be stooped down,
0:40:08 > 0:40:10whereas they see a way out when Tango's up.
0:40:10 > 0:40:11Just his presence is enough.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14It's just lovely to watch.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17It's just this great partnership.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23It seems like Tango completely understands what Simon needs to do.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Simon knows that Tango will do his job,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and between them they're catching sheep
0:40:30 > 0:40:35that maybe haven't been handled ever, ever in their lives.
0:40:35 > 0:40:36It's masterful.
0:40:37 > 0:40:38Tango, you were amazing.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I wait for Simon and Tango to secure the flock.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Come on.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47Come here now.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54There's another potential husband.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Not Simon, obviously. He's married.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58I'm not... For Teg. Tango, I mean.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04'Once captured, these animals will either be reclaimed by farmers
0:41:04 > 0:41:06'or sold in a market.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10'If a sheep belongs to a farm, it's usually marked in some way.'
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Stand in.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14So now the big burning question is,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17you've got your sheep all trussed up, now what do you do with them?
0:41:17 > 0:41:20Fun part now - pick them up and carry them back.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22- Seriously?- Yeah.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Right, bags I take a little one.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28I'm getting... You can have the big boy.
0:41:28 > 0:41:29- Round the middle.- Yeah.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31- Right underneath.- Yeah.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35Tight into you.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36Bloody hell.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Then just turn him over, so I got him.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43He's on my shoulder, I've got an arm free.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Go back to the truck and your hopefully not too tired.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52He's like Superman.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Right, which one of you is going to weigh the least?
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Maybe you?
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Bloody hell!
0:42:03 > 0:42:04And this is a tiddler.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08'There are eight of these to be loaded
0:42:08 > 0:42:10'and I haven't even delivered my first one
0:42:10 > 0:42:13'while Simon is storming ahead.'
0:42:14 > 0:42:17This man's like a man mountain.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22If I've learned one thing today...
0:42:22 > 0:42:25it's that I'm not going to be competing with Simon
0:42:25 > 0:42:28to be Wales's finest feral sheep catcher,
0:42:28 > 0:42:32but it's also another remarkable insight
0:42:32 > 0:42:35into just what incredible dogs these are.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Choosing the right mate is hard work,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39but now I have a shortlist of three,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42I want to give Teg the opportunity to give them a once over.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49So, we travelled to mid-Wales for the biggest event in the Welsh sheepdog calendar
0:42:49 > 0:42:52to gauge her reaction to my chosen candidates.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57The Welsh Sheepdog Competition Day showcases the best
0:42:57 > 0:43:03working Welsh sheepdogs from north, south and mid-Wales.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06So, as the farmers and their dogs show off their herding prowess,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10I focus on the ulterior motive behind this annual competition,
0:43:10 > 0:43:14which is basically speed dating for Welsh dogs.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17You come and meet some different people in a different area.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20You know, if you see a good dog you can consider taking
0:43:20 > 0:43:22their own bitch to that kind of dogs and then, you know.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- Yes, yes.- Because it's important, really,
0:43:25 > 0:43:29to see dogs working before you, you know, take a bitch to it, isn't it?
0:43:29 > 0:43:31Yeah, before you commit. Yeah.
0:43:31 > 0:43:32'Right, let the dating begin.
0:43:34 > 0:43:35'First up.'
0:43:35 > 0:43:36Look, it's Will.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39I have to confess, I've had my eye on Will.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41- Oh, right. - KATE LAUGHS
0:43:41 > 0:43:44'I think there's a little chemistry going on there.'
0:43:44 > 0:43:46You've got a nice bitch there.
0:43:46 > 0:43:47Yeah, she's very nice.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50'Oh, the flattery trick is always a winner!'
0:43:50 > 0:43:53Would you consider allowing him to mate with her?
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Would that be something that you would allow to happen?
0:43:56 > 0:43:58Yes. It'd be all right.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03'The second date is with Ben, who I have a soft spot for.'
0:44:03 > 0:44:05I love the way he works.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07He's got a really nice temperament, hasn't he?
0:44:07 > 0:44:10Yes. Cool, calm.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12Yeah. Yeah.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14'But maybe Teg thinks he's too cool and calm,
0:44:14 > 0:44:17'as I can't see any sparks between them at all.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23'But Simon's dog, Tango, is the one who seems most keen.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27'He tries his luck once...'
0:44:29 > 0:44:31TEG BARKS
0:44:31 > 0:44:35KATE LAUGHS Yeah, you know, we girls play hard to get.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Don't we?
0:44:37 > 0:44:38It's our prerogative.
0:44:40 > 0:44:41'..twice...
0:44:47 > 0:44:50'And the third time, he seems to be asking Teg for a dance.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58'Oh, I think we have a winner.
0:44:58 > 0:44:59'What a smoothie.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03'OK, boyfriend sorted.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09'But to become a mother, she first needs to come on heat.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12'That's when a female dog is hormonally preparing her body for breeding.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16'Most female dogs come into season every six months,
0:45:16 > 0:45:19'but obviously Teg, being a bit of a diva,
0:45:19 > 0:45:20'had to be different.'
0:45:21 > 0:45:22Now, Teg,
0:45:22 > 0:45:24look at the diary.
0:45:27 > 0:45:28Your last season was then,
0:45:28 > 0:45:33was in May, which means that by now..
0:45:33 > 0:45:37you shouldn't just be in season, you should have had sex.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Mm?
0:45:41 > 0:45:45'When she finally does come on heat in late January, I'm away filming.'
0:45:45 > 0:45:49I just noticed a couple of little spots of blood behind Teg as she was
0:45:49 > 0:45:51moving around the kitchen.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54The joys of fatherhood, eh, Teg?
0:45:54 > 0:45:56HE SIGHS
0:45:58 > 0:46:00Oh great. It's all over the bloody wall as well.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Kate obviously gave me a great long list of stuff that,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08you know, what to do when Teg comes in season.
0:46:08 > 0:46:12So, then panicking, sending e-mails left right and centre saying,
0:46:12 > 0:46:13"Oh, what do I do now?"
0:46:13 > 0:46:17If Kate starts going away filming quite a lot and I'm left, you know,
0:46:17 > 0:46:20with an armful of puppies like 101 Dalmatians
0:46:20 > 0:46:23or something and they're all peeing everywhere then...
0:46:23 > 0:46:25no, thank you very much.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28How many puppies are you going to have?
0:46:28 > 0:46:29Mm?
0:46:29 > 0:46:33You do the decent thing and have about four then stop.
0:46:33 > 0:46:34Good girl.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38'Because bitches can be territorial
0:46:38 > 0:46:41'I ask Ludo to take Teg to the chosen sire, Tango,
0:46:41 > 0:46:44'so they can mate without a fight. Hopefully.'
0:46:44 > 0:46:46Out you come. Stay there.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48Good girl, Teg.
0:46:48 > 0:46:52Oh, hello. He knows exactly what's going on, doesn't he?
0:46:52 > 0:46:54'It seems like they remember their first encounter.'
0:46:58 > 0:47:01- He knows what this is about. - He knows what to do, then, yeah.
0:47:01 > 0:47:02Yeah.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05She's a combination of excited and nervous I think, isn't she?
0:47:05 > 0:47:07Yeah. I would say not far away, though.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09Oh, you recognise these sort of signs, do you?
0:47:09 > 0:47:12- Yeah.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18'Ludo hasn't been too keen on the idea of puppies
0:47:18 > 0:47:20'but Simon has a surprise for him.'
0:47:20 > 0:47:21Oh, look at this!
0:47:22 > 0:47:25'This is Tango's latest litter.'
0:47:25 > 0:47:27Oh, my word.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29Oh, they're adorable.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31Oh, look at this.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Hello, little puppy dogs.
0:47:33 > 0:47:34Hello, pups.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36'Tango is a bit of a ladies' man
0:47:36 > 0:47:38'and Teg won't be the only girl he's got knocked up.'
0:47:38 > 0:47:42Are you going to come and say hello? Are you going to come say hello?
0:47:42 > 0:47:43Are you?
0:47:43 > 0:47:45Am I a convert? Erm...
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Partly.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51'As for Teg, this is a reality check.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54- SHE GROWLS - No, no, don't growl at them.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58Don't growl at them. You're going to have your own to look after soon.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02'At least she seems to be interested in the mating side of the process.'
0:48:03 > 0:48:05Some of that behaviour there, it's quite sweet,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08the sort of nose to nose and just talking to each other.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10A bit of kissing behind the bushes, yeah.
0:48:10 > 0:48:14Well, I'll bring the stuff in and then we'll leave her to it.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16- Yeah.- See if she can get Tangoed.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20- Stay there.- 'I wish I could have been there for Teg.'
0:48:20 > 0:48:23Oh, no, she's going to follow me down the drive.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25'But I know she's in good hands.'
0:48:31 > 0:48:35'Five weeks later and I'm back from the other side of the world...
0:48:35 > 0:48:37'just in time for the big reveal.'
0:48:39 > 0:48:40That was really good.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43'Teg is getting an ultrasound.'
0:48:43 > 0:48:46Feeling a bit nervous, really.
0:48:46 > 0:48:50It sort of feels like a very big moment, this,
0:48:50 > 0:48:53finding out whether you're going to be a granny or not.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55I don't know how you read these things.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58So, generally speaking, black is fluid.
0:48:58 > 0:49:04- Right.- And then the whiter something is, the more sound it reflects.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06- So...- So, that sort of wriggly...
0:49:06 > 0:49:12That little round fluid filled sack there is probably...
0:49:12 > 0:49:14a little foetus.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17What I might have to do, I might just put the lights off for a second.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21- Kate, can you just see in the middle of that one in the centre of the screen...- Yeah.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24..there's that little fluttering just to the left of below centre?
0:49:24 > 0:49:26- Yes.- Yes, yes. Is that a heartbeat?
0:49:26 > 0:49:29- That's a little heartbeat, yeah. - KATE GASPS
0:49:29 > 0:49:31- Oh, my goodness!- That's amazing.
0:49:31 > 0:49:32Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35As things look, it's probably looking like five or six at the moment.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38- Really?- Yeah.- Good girl.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41She's definitely, definitely pregnant.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43Everything's gone very much according to plan.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45- Well done, Teg.- Well done, Teg.
0:49:45 > 0:49:46Well done, Tango.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48- Yeah, definitely.- Yes.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50He's your Welsh beau.
0:49:50 > 0:49:51- Are you proud?- Yes.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55- I am.- Did you want some pictures to take home?
0:49:55 > 0:49:56Yes, of course.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58I've never had baby pictures.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01I'd much rather have puppy pictures, that's much more fun.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04We'll get some of those in a second, then.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10It's great. I'm glad there aren't ten.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12Yes. I think she's probably quite glad there's not ten.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14I don't think she knows an awful lot about it quite yet.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17No. I think it's very, very exciting.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22'For a dog, the gestation period is about nine weeks.
0:50:22 > 0:50:26'Halfway through it and her mammary glands begin to enlarge.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29'We still have a few weeks until her due date
0:50:29 > 0:50:32'so reluctantly I take another job filming abroad,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35'hoping I'll be back in time.'
0:50:35 > 0:50:39The main thing is, I'm hoping that Kate will be back from America when the puppies are born.
0:50:39 > 0:50:42Kate really wants to be there when Teg starts whelping.
0:50:42 > 0:50:44I've been slightly dreading the possibility that Teg
0:50:44 > 0:50:47might just start suddenly giving birth when I'm around
0:50:47 > 0:50:52or in the middle of the night when I'm fast sleep and, you know, what can you do?
0:50:52 > 0:50:55'Eight weeks into the pregnancy and Teg's lost interest in sheep.'
0:50:56 > 0:50:57Look at her.
0:50:57 > 0:51:01I mean, is this the kind of dog that wants to be chasing sheep?
0:51:02 > 0:51:03'She's stocking up on food...
0:51:05 > 0:51:07'..and showing the extra baggage.'
0:51:07 > 0:51:10I felt a head in there the other day, I think.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Or a skull or something.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15Come on, Teg, let's go.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22'Then, literally two hours after I arrived home from the States,
0:51:22 > 0:51:25'a week ahead of schedule, the magic happened.'
0:51:30 > 0:51:33PUPPIES WHINE
0:51:33 > 0:51:36I got back this afternoon about 4pm
0:51:36 > 0:51:39and I hadn't seen Teg for just over a week
0:51:39 > 0:51:44and she just seemed very restless and quite clingy.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46She wanted to be with me
0:51:46 > 0:51:49and she couldn't settle anywhere.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52And I thought,
0:51:52 > 0:51:54"I think she's going to have puppies now."
0:51:54 > 0:51:58And we weren't really expecting them possibly for another week.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00I sort of let her in here and just left
0:52:00 > 0:52:06her quiet and went and unpacked my bags and then I came back in here
0:52:06 > 0:52:13to hear this sound and Teg licking the first of her two puppies
0:52:13 > 0:52:15that she has now given birth to.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20So, the first one was born at about 6pm this evening.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24It's now 10pm, she's only had two and she might be having five or six,
0:52:24 > 0:52:28so, having not had any sleep at all last night
0:52:28 > 0:52:30or indeed the night before,
0:52:30 > 0:52:32I was quite looking forward to an early night.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36I don't think that's going to happen tonight, is it, Teggy?
0:52:38 > 0:52:41'My husband Ludo was on camera duty
0:52:41 > 0:52:44'whilst I played the role of midwife.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47'Excited and a little bit nervous.'
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Would you come out or would I bring her in?
0:52:56 > 0:53:00I have just talked to the vet
0:53:00 > 0:53:03because it's been nearly three hours
0:53:03 > 0:53:07since she had the second puppy.
0:53:08 > 0:53:13He said sometimes if everything sort of appears to have ground to a halt
0:53:13 > 0:53:18its a good idea just for him to check her over
0:53:18 > 0:53:21and maybe give her an injection of something called oxytocin,
0:53:21 > 0:53:23which gets everything kind of moving again.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27So, we're going to wait another hour and see,
0:53:27 > 0:53:29and then call him back
0:53:29 > 0:53:30and make a decision.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32She might need to go down to the surgery.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35I think we'll leave her in peace now.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43An hour later, we pop in to check,
0:53:43 > 0:53:46and thankfully she's had her third puppy.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49Oh, clever girl.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52Clever girl.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Is that another one?
0:53:55 > 0:53:56Clever girl.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02She says, "I'm just doing it in my own sweet time."
0:54:02 > 0:54:05Is that number three, Teggy?
0:54:05 > 0:54:07If you're in the lambing shed,
0:54:07 > 0:54:10ewes don't like to give birth in front of you.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13They like to do it, sort of, discreetly and at their own time.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15So, we'll just leave her in peace now
0:54:15 > 0:54:18and then pop in and out.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21'It was a bit of a rough night.'
0:54:22 > 0:54:24This is where I spent the night.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28Bella and Badger keeping me company on Teg watch.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30I checked her again at about 2am
0:54:30 > 0:54:33and she'd had another three,
0:54:33 > 0:54:37so I don't know whether that was an indication that actually I'd been
0:54:37 > 0:54:39a bit overzealous and she just wants to be left in peace
0:54:39 > 0:54:41to get on with it.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44Two of those three puppies absolutely healthy, fine,
0:54:44 > 0:54:46suckling along with the other three
0:54:46 > 0:54:49but the other one, sadly, was dead
0:54:49 > 0:54:53and I can't see any discernible reason why that was.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55It was all cleaned up, not in a bag.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59But not...
0:54:59 > 0:55:02It was just sort of at the side of the whelping box.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06Of course, you're incredibly upset at losing a puppy and it's very cute
0:55:06 > 0:55:08and its more than a sheep or a pig,
0:55:08 > 0:55:10it's something that lives with you.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13You know, it's a dog and it's your companion or one of your companions,
0:55:13 > 0:55:17so losing puppies is very sad but, you know,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19it's nature and it just happens sometimes.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23You sort of go, "Damn. You know, what a shame they didn't make it."
0:55:24 > 0:55:28It's not uncommon for a dog to lose puppies in her first litter
0:55:28 > 0:55:31but happily we've got five very healthy ones,
0:55:31 > 0:55:32four girls and a boy.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39Three weeks later, they've opened their eyes
0:55:39 > 0:55:42and they're starting to move around.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49They'll stay with their mum for another five weeks.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56And I grab every moment I can with them.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03It's hard to imagine that
0:56:03 > 0:56:07it was almost exactly one year ago
0:56:07 > 0:56:10that I started thinking about
0:56:10 > 0:56:13the possibility of breeding Teg.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15It wasn't a straightforward decision
0:56:15 > 0:56:19but now that she's healthy
0:56:19 > 0:56:23and she's turned out to be such a good mum
0:56:23 > 0:56:30and we've got five absolutely captivating, healthy puppies,
0:56:30 > 0:56:33I kind of couldn't have wished for more, really.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36I started this journey very unsure,
0:56:36 > 0:56:41very unconfident about handling her and really worried that somehow
0:56:41 > 0:56:46I might have ruined her or suppressed her natural instinct to work,
0:56:46 > 0:56:51and with the tremendous help and encouragement and support
0:56:51 > 0:56:54of the farming community throughout Wales,
0:56:54 > 0:56:57I feel like, you know, we've made significant steps.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59We've got an awful lot to learn still
0:56:59 > 0:57:02but I just feel like we have managed
0:57:02 > 0:57:04to form a bit of a partnership.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06The partnership that, you know,
0:57:06 > 0:57:10I kind of yearned for when I first took on a working dog.
0:57:10 > 0:57:11Good girl.
0:57:11 > 0:57:16There are so many different types of dog out there,
0:57:16 > 0:57:19but I think the working dogs, the herding dogs,
0:57:19 > 0:57:21they have an extraordinary heritage.
0:57:21 > 0:57:25And the fact that they are as relevant today
0:57:25 > 0:57:27as they were 1,000 years ago,
0:57:27 > 0:57:29I think says a lot.
0:57:29 > 0:57:30These dogs still have a role.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34There's nothing out there that can do their job better than they can.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37There is no machine, there is no technology,
0:57:37 > 0:57:39there's no app,
0:57:39 > 0:57:44and that, to me, is justification enough to fight to keep
0:57:44 > 0:57:48these breeds alive and genetically diverse enough
0:57:48 > 0:57:51that the breed can remain intact.
0:57:56 > 0:58:00She says, "What do you want to hug those puppies for when you've got me?"