0:00:02 > 0:00:05'This is Teg, my beautiful soppy sheepdog.'
0:00:05 > 0:00:08You are the best dog in the whole world.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10'Teg is part of a rare breed.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:12She's proper Welsh, isn't she?
0:00:12 > 0:00:14'Yes, Teg is a Welsh Sheepdog.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18'A breed brought back from the brink of extinction.'
0:00:18 > 0:00:23We found 80 of them, but of the 80, 20 were too old to breed.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27'I want Teg and I to contribute to this story, so much to the joy
0:00:27 > 0:00:31'of my husband Ludo, I've made the decision to breed from her.'
0:00:31 > 0:00:34It's going to be a nightmare. It's going to be a nightmare.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38'My logic is that her puppies could help the survival of these
0:00:38 > 0:00:39'ancient working dogs.'
0:00:39 > 0:00:44We need a new bloodline, really, in Wales, in the Welsh dogs.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'But the path to the pitter-patter of puppy paws is not a simple one.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51'She doesn't even seem too keen on puppies.'
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Ooh, Teg, that's not very maternal!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'Should I help my quirky dog Teg deliver a basketful
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'of pure Welsh puppies, or will this all end up as a shaggy dog's tale?'
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Teg and I have been on a journey
0:01:12 > 0:01:15attempting to verify her credentials.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19To gain her Welsh Sheepdog registration, Teg had to prove she's
0:01:19 > 0:01:24a working dog, demonstrating the distinct Welsh herding behaviour.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28'But even though the Welsh Sheepdog Society recognises that Teg has
0:01:28 > 0:01:32- 'all the attributes of a true Welsh dog...'- She's eager.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33'..they won't register her
0:01:33 > 0:01:36'until I know the full history of her family tree.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41'So now I'm aiming to prove Teg's Welsh heritage by uncovering
0:01:41 > 0:01:42'her ancestry.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:44That's your daughter.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47'I'm also going to search for a perfect mate for Teg.'
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I know, we girls play hard to get.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54'And I learn about the potential complications of matchmaking dogs.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:59You stand a chance of problems with deafness and with eye problems.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05At our smallholding in Wales, Teg is very comfortable around our animals.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08But even though she's proved to everybody we meet
0:02:08 > 0:02:11that she's got the makings of a first-class working
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Welsh Sheepdog, my husband Ludo still needs convincing.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18All I've seen her doing is splitting the sheep,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22- but maybe I've got the wrong eye open.- You need to come and see her.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25- It's amazing.- OK. Are you sure it's the same dog?- Yes!
0:02:25 > 0:02:28At a distance, it could be some other, completely different dog.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29You're so rude about her!
0:02:29 > 0:02:34The challenge we have is, because we don't have enough sheep at home,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36he can't really see the point of her.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40The point, for me, was getting that partnership with the dog.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41He couldn't care less.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45So to try to prove Ludo wrong,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Teg and I have been practising with our trainer Adeline Jones, and today
0:02:49 > 0:02:53he's joining us at Adeline's farm to see how we've been getting on.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56It will be amazing and very impressive
0:02:56 > 0:02:59if I can actually see Teg doing the things that everyone else
0:02:59 > 0:03:02tells me that Teg can do, but I'm not holding my breath.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Are you sure you haven't spent weeks training these sheep to do
0:03:06 > 0:03:10- exactly what they are told as soon as they see Kate and a dog?!- I have!
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- No matter what dog turns up. - No matter what dog turns up, no.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17'Our plan is to work a small number of sheep and load them
0:03:17 > 0:03:21'onto a trailer. Which sounds far simpler than it actually is.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Teg, get back. Back! Teg, back!
0:03:25 > 0:03:27- I'm more used to seeing that.- Yeah.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31- Steady, good girl. Steady. - She's got fixated on the one.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33It should be all right now.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38What's going on in Teg's head now? What does she think she's doing?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40She's got a default mode that,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42at this stage, is bringing them to Kate.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47Teg's exhibiting her natural instincts, and so am I.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Is Kate going sideways, is she just showing off for me,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52to prove that she can move the sheep around?
0:03:52 > 0:03:56'No, Ludo, this is what a dog-handler partnership looks like.'
0:03:59 > 0:04:01- Good girl. - That was quite impressive.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Now, if Kate wanted to catch one now...- She can. Pretty good.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12Here, here. Here, Teg. Teg, back. Teg, Teg!
0:04:17 > 0:04:21That'll do. That'll do. Stand. Stand.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Here, Teg. Good girl.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28KATE GIGGLES
0:04:28 > 0:04:31- Very good. Impressive. - Wasn't bad, was it?- Very good.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- She's quite a clever dog, really. Well done.- Teggy, here.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Very clever, well done. All right, I believe you now.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41KATE LAUGHS
0:04:42 > 0:04:43God, it's good fun.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Look at you, you're still bloody sceptical.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51That was very impressive! It was. It was!
0:04:51 > 0:04:56Well, you know... There's a lot of work to do, surely?
0:04:58 > 0:05:00She's finished sheepdog school, she just needs to go
0:05:00 > 0:05:02to sheepdog University now. Then she'll be sorted.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'I think that's the best I'm going to get from Ludo.'
0:05:08 > 0:05:12Now, I know I'm going to a lot of effort to prove Teg's credentials,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15but with the Welsh Sheepdog population being as low as the
0:05:15 > 0:05:20number of giant pandas in the wild, I'm very keen to breed from her.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Of course, the future of the breed is not ALL on Teg's shoulders.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The Welsh Sheepdog Society has been storing up a sperm bank
0:05:28 > 0:05:31to safeguard the survival of these dogs.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36'In Bridgend, I meet vet Karen Davies at her canine reproduction
0:05:36 > 0:05:39'clinic to see how this works.'
0:05:39 > 0:05:41And this is all quite pioneering, isn't it?
0:05:41 > 0:05:46- AI is used fairly routinely in things like cattle...- And horses.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49But dogs, it seems that people haven't really
0:05:49 > 0:05:51thought about using it.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54No. I don't know why, but vets in this country seem to
0:05:54 > 0:05:58pooh-pooh the idea of freezing and using dog semen.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03There is no romantic way of collecting semen from a dog.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06The poor male is duped into thinking it can mount a female,
0:06:06 > 0:06:11but the vet gets there first, with an unattractive funnel and tube.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Look, she's shoving her butt in front of you.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16He doesn't know whether to be insulted or happy.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22The sample is then analysed under a microscope.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- Got them?- Yes!
0:06:26 > 0:06:28So they don't really look like tadpoles.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32No, they don't, they just look like little, tiny, little fleas.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Dots. Yes, yes, they do.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- There is plenty of them.- Yes.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42There should be quite a few hundred million in there. We'll see.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45To be a viable sample to fertilise a bitch,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49the vets need a high concentration of sperm in the semen,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53as up to 50% of the sperm may not survive the thawing process.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58And as far as the kind of future of the breed is concerned,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01is this really important technology?
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Well, I think so, because there are so few dogs,
0:07:03 > 0:07:06the gene pool is small, it's difficult to find
0:07:06 > 0:07:09a dog that might not be very closely related to the bitch you've got.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And you don't want to breed in any genetic problems,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16so sometimes you need to go to a dog that's a slightly different line,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19so that you don't end up with a problem that's common to
0:07:19 > 0:07:22both ancestors, and the puppies then get a double dose of the genes.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Once the samples are deemed of good quality,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29they are then frozen in liquid nitrogen and can be kept
0:07:29 > 0:07:34indefinitely, ready to be used in artificial insemination, or AI.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37But when it comes to breeding Teg,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I'm hoping to go down the natural route.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Although I have to confess there are couple of sentimental worries
0:07:43 > 0:07:45I need to get over.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48The thing that concerns me is, of course,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50all pregnancies come with a risk.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55I would hate to put my dog in any sort of peril.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Um, would she make a good mum?
0:07:59 > 0:08:03All those sort of unknowns that already I'm slightly worried about.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08And, if I'm honest, she and I have a very special bond, it feels,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13already, and I wonder how that would be affected when she has puppies.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Um, I might be a little bit jealous.
0:08:16 > 0:08:22So I'm going to go to the vet today to check out whether she is
0:08:22 > 0:08:27fit enough, healthy enough to breed, and if she gets the thumbs-up
0:08:27 > 0:08:32from them, all we've got to do then is find the perfect husband.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34It's like being on Downton Abbey.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40'That is, if Teg gets over her phobia of vets.' Come on, Teg!
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Come on, let's get you up.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45There we go.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49'Dr Stephen Howard gives Teg a medical checkup.
0:08:49 > 0:08:55- 'From mouth and ears, to heartbeat and mammary glands.'- OK, perfect.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57She's in really nice shape.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59She's got a nice defined waist to her,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02and when we feel over her chest, you can
0:09:02 > 0:09:05feel her ribs quite easily, you can't see them.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Condition-wise, that's absolutely perfect,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09that's where we want her to be.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13You're in great shape! That's what every girl wants to hear.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Standard pregnancy for a bitch lasts round about 63 days,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20sometimes it's a few days shorter, sometimes it's a few days longer.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Should I be looking for a dog that isn't too big,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26or are there any considerations like that I should thinking about?
0:09:26 > 0:09:28I think, certainly size-wise,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31- a little discrepancy isn't going to make a big difference.- Right.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33But really, it's probably looking to try
0:09:33 > 0:09:36and find a dog that has mated before successfully,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40and that is probably - for what we're looking for for her -
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- a good working dog and in good condition himself as well.- OK.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- That's the plan from there.- Good.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50It's great news that the vet has approved Teg's
0:09:50 > 0:09:53fitness for breeding. But the challenge I've been set
0:09:53 > 0:09:56by the officials at the Welsh Sheepdog Society
0:09:56 > 0:09:58is to uncover her bloodline.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Earlier in the series, Teg was assessed by them
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- to determine her Welshness. - Tidy. Keeps in about them.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09'Although they agreed she displays the behavioural instincts
0:10:09 > 0:10:13'of a Welsh Sheepdog...' Tail up, bit of a bark every now and then.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Yes, that's acceptable, yeah.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18..they can't register her until I manage to piece together
0:10:18 > 0:10:22three generations of her family ancestry.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27We know Teg's father is definitely Welsh. What's his name?
0:10:27 > 0:10:31- Cymro. That's "Welshman", isn't it? - Of course it is.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33That's your daughter.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36'AND he's registered.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:39He has that lovely Welsh joy.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42There something kind of, they look so joyful when they are working.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- He's a happy dog. - He's a good dog, aren't you?
0:10:44 > 0:10:48It always looks as if he's smiling. Unless I swear at him!
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Cymro's heritage traces back to Topsy,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56the first dog to be registered by the Welsh Sheepdog Society,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58and to save the breed from extinction.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03But I still need to solve the mystery around Teg's
0:11:03 > 0:11:04maternal line.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08'I meet up with Teg's mother Missy, and her owner Bronwen Tango,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11'to see if there's any more information she can give me.'
0:11:12 > 0:11:16- Did you go to a farm to pick her up? - No, I didn't, we just met.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20It was prearranged with the farmer I was working for,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and they did all the planning.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29I was just going there to collect a puppy on the Horseshoe Pass.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Oh, right, so it really was like a little illicit meeting!
0:11:32 > 0:11:34That's right, yes!
0:11:34 > 0:11:38So at the moment we don't know anything about Missy's breeding,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- nothing at all?- No, no.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43If you think there's any way, if you suddenly wake up in the middle
0:11:43 > 0:11:46of the night and go, "I know, he was called Bert," phone me!
0:11:47 > 0:11:49And we'll see what we can do!
0:11:50 > 0:11:54'Whilst I leave Bronwen to rack her brains, I try another tack -
0:11:54 > 0:11:57'appealing directly to the public for information.'
0:11:57 > 0:12:00So if anybody does know Teg's grandmother, what should they do?
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- They should contact your programme! - Perfect.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07And after numerous tweets, countless e-mails and 65 phone calls,
0:12:07 > 0:12:09our efforts pay off.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14We have found the man who bred Teg's ancestors!
0:12:14 > 0:12:17At least I can find out once and for all
0:12:17 > 0:12:20whether Teg can be registered as a Welsh sheepdog.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23It all hangs on him, and her ancestors.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30'In North Wales, at the Morris farm, I learned that Teg's
0:12:30 > 0:12:34'grandmother was called Nell, and she was a Welsh Sheepdog.'
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Well, Nell passed away last year, so she'd be about 12 years old.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41She was the first Welsh that we had.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43And did she work quite independently as well?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Did she have that sort of Welsh trait of not needing
0:12:46 > 0:12:49lots of instruction, of going and saying,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51"I know what you need to do, I'll go off and do it"?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53I don't know if it was a woman thing,
0:12:53 > 0:12:54but she did her own thing pretty often!
0:12:57 > 0:12:59That's the beauty of us girls!
0:13:00 > 0:13:03And when you thought about breeding her,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05what was your sort of criteria, really?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08I hadn't actually thought of breeding her, to be honest,
0:13:08 > 0:13:13but we had a dog, from my cousin, Rex, he was a Border collie.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15'Ah, right...
0:13:15 > 0:13:18'Because Teg's grandad, Rex, was a Border,
0:13:18 > 0:13:22'that means that Teg ISN'T 100% Welsh,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26'and as a result I can't register her with the Welsh Sheepdog Society.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30'But what's interesting is that this kind of innocent
0:13:30 > 0:13:34'crossbreeding between Welsh dogs and Border collies is, in fact,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38'what nearly drove the indigenous Welsh Sheepdogs to extinction.'
0:13:40 > 0:13:43That is the trouble with farmers, they don't tend to cross them
0:13:43 > 0:13:46accurately enough.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51But to be honest, you know, the point is you want a dog that
0:13:51 > 0:13:54works well, you crossed two dogs that were really good working dogs.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56And anyone would do the same.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01I suppose the disappointing thing is that obviously this is
0:14:01 > 0:14:06clearly a breed in trouble, and I wanted to be able to
0:14:06 > 0:14:09contribute to the future of that breed, and because Teg
0:14:09 > 0:14:13can't be registered, it's now a little bit more complicated.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17It's really important that we find the right sire for Teg,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and that that pedigree is absolutely spot-on,
0:14:20 > 0:14:24and then that the puppies she has all work well.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27If THEY work well, they can be registered
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and they can then go on to breed. So it's not the end of the world,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34she can still contribute to the future of the breed.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37To be honest, for me, I just think she's the most wonderful dog,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39and I couldn't be happier.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I don't care whether she's got a little bit of collie snuck in there.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46All herding dogs are closely related genetically,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49but there's still distinctive breeds.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51So if I want Teg's future puppies to help
0:14:51 > 0:14:54the survival of the Welsh dogs, I need to learn
0:14:54 > 0:14:57about the dos and don'ts when it comes to making.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02'I call Adeline to get her expert advice.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05'Her bitch Merle has a five-week old litter,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08'and apart from the sheer cuteness of the puppies,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12'the thing that strikes me is that unlike most pedigree breeds,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14'where the pups are almost uniformly alike,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18'this pure Welsh litter is a mixed bag of colours.'
0:15:18 > 0:15:23- What colour was the sire?- He's a black and tan.- He's a black and tan.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26'Although there are numerous combinations,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30'there are essentially three main base colours in Welsh dogs,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'all of which can be accompanied by white patterns.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37'Red, where the dog's main colour is ginger, like my Teg...
0:15:37 > 0:15:39'black...
0:15:39 > 0:15:43'and tricolour, which is black and tan with white pattern.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48'Then there's the complicated merle, a gene which can be superimposed
0:15:48 > 0:15:53'on top of the base covers, giving a speckled effect on the coating.'
0:15:53 > 0:15:58- Can you see that the merle colouring has shaded the redding?- Yes.
0:15:58 > 0:16:05And this one, he's a blue merle, he has inherited the tri and the merle.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09'The merle gene can affect the colour of the eyes in dogs,
0:16:09 > 0:16:14'occasionally turning dark eyes fully or partially into blue eyes.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19'And that's a giveaway as far as Teg's colouring is concerned.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:21So would Teg be a red merle?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Teg is a red merle, and the only place you can see it is in her eyes.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27If you breed two merles together,
0:16:27 > 0:16:32you stand a chance of problems with deafness and with eye problems.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35OK, so that's why it's really important that
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I don't go for a merle dog with Teg?
0:16:37 > 0:16:40You shouldn't go for a merle dog with Teg.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43It's as much as 25% can have big issues.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47'So I'm going to have to be extra careful
0:16:47 > 0:16:49'when choosing Teg's mate.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53'Luckily, all 2,000 dogs of the Welsh Sheepdog Society
0:16:53 > 0:16:58'are on a database, and before long some familiar faces soon pop up.'
0:16:59 > 0:17:04So this is Cefncoch Wil, who you saw at the assessment day.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Yes, in that slightly sort of Jane Austen way,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11the pushy mother trying to find a nice husband for her daughter...
0:17:11 > 0:17:16I did look at him and thought, "Hmm, he looks like a fine one."
0:17:17 > 0:17:20And then there's Ben, Alun Jones's dog we met at Teg's
0:17:20 > 0:17:25'first hill gather, which Teg seemed to have taken a shine to.'
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Have you made a friend? I know, he's quite handsome, isn't he?
0:17:28 > 0:17:31We might have to come back.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33But in the valleys of South Wales,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36there is one tough farmer Adeline suggests I meet.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39He has a passion for Welsh Sheepdogs and a unique
0:17:39 > 0:17:41talent for catching feral sheep.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Simon Mogford has 15 dogs on his farm.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50One of them is a potential contender to mate with Teg.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Six-year-old Tango is a smaller short-haired dog,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56especially good with sheep that have gone wild.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00He's in his element, now he has a woman fussing him.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'Simon has invited me to see Tango in action.'
0:18:03 > 0:18:06You said I shouldn't bring Teg today
0:18:06 > 0:18:10because what you're doing would be too dangerous for her
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and for an inexperienced dog, so what ARE you doing?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16There's a few feral sheep left in the one area,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19so we will track them down. It's a dangerous area
0:18:19 > 0:18:21because there is a cliff edge right the way around it.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24'Simon is one of two farmers commissioned by
0:18:24 > 0:18:29'Natural Resources Wales to catch feral sheep in forestry areas.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32'Nobody is sure how many wild sheep are out there,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36'but in the last eight years, Simon and his colleague have caught
0:18:36 > 0:18:41'nearly 2,500 of these rogue sheep across Wales's remotest countryside.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45'So our mission is to try and track these elusive wild sheep
0:18:45 > 0:18:50'over an area larger than 26,000 football pitches.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'The ancestors of these animals escaped from farms and set up
0:18:53 > 0:18:58'their own feral population over the past three decades.'
0:18:58 > 0:19:00See the tracks at the side, you can
0:19:00 > 0:19:02just pick up where the grass has bent over.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- Yes.- That is sheep grazing.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08'If left alone, these animals can spread diseases
0:19:08 > 0:19:11'and have a devastating impact on the forest.'
0:19:11 > 0:19:16They should be in this plantation of trees. Should be.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19So this has been replanted,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23but the sheep have taken all the saplings out.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Yes.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Wow.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31In this wild area it can take a long time for Simon to find
0:19:31 > 0:19:35the feral sheep, so today he takes us to a flock
0:19:35 > 0:19:39he tracked down a few days earlier that needs moving to a paddock.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Tango takes the lead.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Here. Back.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46I don't think I've ever seen sheep...
0:19:48 > 0:19:54- ..in a habitat like this. - Stand here. Quiet. Tango, quiet.
0:19:54 > 0:20:01What's really interesting is that upright way that the Welsh dog
0:20:01 > 0:20:07works is completely essential in an environment like this one.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11If Simon was working a collie, I don't know how it could do this.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Because it would so fixated on the sheep
0:20:13 > 0:20:17and not on the environment around it, I don't think it would manage.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- He's managed to catch one. - Come here.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30So Tango was standing almost mesmerising the sheep to keep
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- it still.- He's standing where they can't get away from him.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36A collie, there now, could be stooped down,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38whereas they see a way out.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43- When Tango is up, just his presence is enough.- Just lovely to watch.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46It's just this great partnership.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Seems like Tango completely understands what Simon needs to do.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Simon knows that Tango will do his job.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00And between them they are catching sheep that maybe haven't been
0:21:00 > 0:21:03handled ever, ever in their lives.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05It's masterful.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Tango, you were amazing.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11I wait for Simon and Tango to secure the flock.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23There's another potential husband.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Not Simon, obviously, he's married.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27For Teg. Tango, I mean.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Once captured, these animals will either be reclaimed by farmers
0:21:33 > 0:21:34or sold in a market.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39If a sheep belongs to a farm, it's usually marked in some way.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43So now the big burning question is,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47you've got your sheep all trussed up, now what do you do with them?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- The fun part now, pick them up and carry them back!- Seriously?!
0:21:52 > 0:21:56Right, bags I take a little one. You can have the big boy.
0:21:56 > 0:22:02Down the middle, right underneath, tight into you.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07KATE LAUGHS
0:22:07 > 0:22:11I just turn him over. I've got him. He's on my shoulders.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12I've an arm free.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Back to the tractor before you're too tired.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23He's like Superman. Right, which one of you is going to weigh the least?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Probably you.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30SHE LAUGHS
0:22:32 > 0:22:33And this is a tiddler!
0:22:34 > 0:22:38There are eight of these to be loaded, and I haven't even
0:22:38 > 0:22:41delivered my first one, while Simon is storming ahead.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47This man's like a man mountain.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50'My second attempt is even more pathetic.'
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I don't know where to start!
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Maybe I can just roll you!
0:22:59 > 0:23:02What's the protocol for just rolling them back?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- Can you help me get this one on my shoulder and then I'll try?- Yes.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Bloody hell. OK.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- Are you all right?- No!
0:23:24 > 0:23:27By the time you've done it you would have just done them on your own.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- Shall I just give up? - I wouldn't be far off.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32Bloody useless.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39If I've learned one thing today, it's that I'm not going to be
0:23:39 > 0:23:43competing with Simon to be Wales's finest feral sheep catcher.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48But it's also another remarkable insight into just what
0:23:48 > 0:23:50incredible dogs these are.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Choosing the right mate is hard work.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56But now I have a shortlist of three, I want to give Teg
0:23:56 > 0:23:58the opportunity to give them a once-over.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03So we travel to mid Wales for the biggest event in the Welsh
0:24:03 > 0:24:07sheepdog calendar, to gauge her reaction to my chosen candidates.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13The Welsh Sheepdog Competition day showcases the best working
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Welsh Sheepdogs from north, south and mid Wales.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22So as the farmers and their dogs show off their herding prowess,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25I focus on the ulterior motive behind this annual competition,
0:24:25 > 0:24:30which is basically speed-dating for Welsh dogs.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32You come and meet different people in different areas.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34You know, if you see a good dog,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37you can consider taking your own bitch to the dog.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42It's important, really, to see dogs working
0:24:42 > 0:24:44before you take a bitch to it.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Before you commit, yes.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Right, let the dating begin.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51TANGO MUSIC PLAYS
0:24:51 > 0:24:53'It's a day of mingling...
0:24:55 > 0:24:57'..watching...
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'..sniffing...
0:25:02 > 0:25:04'and snarling.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'A chance for Teg to hang out with the three contenders
0:25:07 > 0:25:11'I picked for her. First up...'
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Look, it's Wil.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17I have to confess I've had my eye on Wil.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20'I think there's a little chemistry going on there.'
0:25:20 > 0:25:23You've got a nice bitch. Yes, she's very nice.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26'Ooh, the flattery trick is always a winner!'
0:25:26 > 0:25:30Would you consider allowing him to mate with her,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33would that be something you would allow to happen?
0:25:33 > 0:25:35Yes, that would be all right.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40'The second date is with Ben, who I have a soft spot for.'
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I love the way he works. He's got a really nice temperament, hasn't he?
0:25:43 > 0:25:47- Yes, cool, calm.- Yeah.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50'But maybe Teg thinks he's TOO cool and calm,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53'as I can't see ANY sparks between them at all.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00'But Simon's dog Tango is the one who seems the most keen.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02'He tries his luck once...'
0:26:06 > 0:26:08KATE LAUGHS
0:26:08 > 0:26:11We girls play hard to get.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Don't we? It's our prerogative.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17'..twice...
0:26:23 > 0:26:27'..and the third time he seems to be asking Teg for a dance.'
0:26:35 > 0:26:37What a smoothie. I'm really torn.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I've basically got one from each team.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43I've got a north Wales, and mid Wales or a south Wales,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46so I don't know which one's going to be the winner.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Probably be down to you, Teg, to see which one you like best.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52What do you think? You don't care, do you?
0:26:56 > 0:26:57So, back home,
0:26:57 > 0:27:02I call on my VERY supportive husband to help make a parental ruling.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I know you haven't met them, but is that any criteria that you
0:27:05 > 0:27:09think we should put into the mix of making the decision?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Infertility?
0:27:18 > 0:27:21- No, not infertility. It's my shortlist of three.- Photo dating.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25So this is Ben. He's just one of these dogs, you put on a mountain,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27he just is like part of the landscape.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Does that guarantee that the offspring will
0:27:29 > 0:27:31work like that as well, just from the off?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Um, no, it doesn't guarantee it,
0:27:33 > 0:27:38but it probably gives you a good chance. And this is Wil.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42My nervousness about him is that he is a big dog.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And with Teg being big,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48we might end up with giants for puppies. And then this...
0:27:48 > 0:27:53is little Tango. And Tango belongs to Simon Mogford.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57He's just got this sixth sense when it comes to sheep.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I just have a sense that Tango might be the one.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And Teg quite liked Tango. Look, who do you think?
0:28:05 > 0:28:11Yes, that's it. Do you want Tango? Is he handsome? What do you think?
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Tango? Is it Tango?
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Well, jolly well hurry up and come into season.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Not that interested.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23'Next time...
0:28:23 > 0:28:26'We join forces with scientists to investigate
0:28:26 > 0:28:28'the DNA of Welsh dogs.'
0:28:28 > 0:28:33What actually separates one breed from another, in terms of genetics.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Ludo is forced to embrace the joys of canine fatherhood.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Great, it's all over the bloody wall as well.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42And Teg goes on an official date.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Don't beat him up.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47And try and make sure you ovulate. Good.