Chihuahua Becomes Sheepdog In U.K. Shelter (VIDEO)

LONDON (AP) -- Nancy's not your typical sheepdog.

This once mangy Chihuahua was brought into a London animal home two years ago with a skin disease so severe that she had to be hand-reared by a shelter employee.

Now the 2 1/2 pound (approximately 1 kilogram) rescue dog has been filmed bounding after sheep several times her size, chasing them around a small enclosure in southern England.

The video released by the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is an attempt to "prove that rescue dogs really can do anything," owner Ali Taylor said in a statement Tuesday.

Taylor said she trained Nancy following several trips to various farms, but cautioned against others deploying their dogs for sheep herding duties.

Do it only with "proper supervision from an expert," she said.

WATCH:

Comments

[TERPMOM]

01:04 PM on 07/03/2011

Did u notice the border collie who had to "stay".... lol. My boder collie will and does round up anyone and anything! My cats, the neighbor's goats, Canadian geese .... AND ME. He gingerly nips at the back of my legs to MOVE me along as I go out the door. Calves are calves to him.

[Igor Purlantov]

12:22 PM on 07/03/2011

Great video. It is definitely true that shelter animals really can do anything. Hopefully more people will adopt rescued animals from shelters.

[Disketta]

01:17 PM on 06/30/2011

"Proper supervision from an expert" -- and there's the expert, a border collie!

[bcmom]

08:13 PM on 06/29/2011

I do not think bcs have anything to worry about.

[blueplano]

03:00 PM on 06/29/2011

Dogs are awesome.

[IndyGuy]

02:57 PM on 06/29/2011

My wife and I have fostered several Chihuahua. A lot of people think they are docile and weak dogs, but with my experiences with them, a couple were pretty tough dogs. We had one that would go out in the front yard and go after a neighbor's German Shepherd. You'd think the bigger dog would go after the little one but it was the opposite! We also had a Boston Terrier. They'd play but once in awhile they'd scrap it out! A couple of times I had to literally separate them. She was a tough little dog.

[Disketta]

01:19 PM on 06/30/2011

Actually, that's a sign that the Chihuahua isn't that bright. It was lucky the German Shepherd was easygoing. A friend lost a small, feisty dog to coyotes because it had no sense of its size and strength and went after them one night. They kill and eat small dogs. He never found any sign of it.

[wjousts]

02:46 PM on 06/29/2011

Cue Disney acquiring the movie rights in 3....2....1....

[SnootMama]

02:45 PM on 06/29/2011

CUTE!!!!!!

[sposton]

02:38 PM on 06/29/2011

Those sheep remind me of people being herded by a handful of elites. ;-)

[ThePassedPawn]

02:51 PM on 06/29/2011

and the award goes to Sposton for the first "sheeple" reference :P

[KennytheRTiger]

02:16 PM on 06/29/2011

If a pig can do it, why not a Chihuahua.

[Krek]

02:15 PM on 06/29/2011

I think this is technically called 'sheep worrying'. It has nothing to do with sheep herding or the various other things that working dogs do. It's just a small dog being aggressive and stressing other animals for no reason.

Sheep worrying is actually illegal in the UK, where this video was shot, and carries a £1000 fine. Owners can be prosecuted for simply having an animal 'at large (i.e. not on a lead or otherwise under close control) in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep'. This behavior seems to qualify, even if it is just a tiny wittle chiwahwah.

[Willow712]

02:06 PM on 06/29/2011

On my last post, it s a border collie. duh

[Willow712]

02:05 PM on 06/29/2011

I once had a neighbor with those black dogs with the white collar around their necks. Can't remember what they are called. They herd sheep. His dog was 12 years old and herded by himself. this farmer was offered thousands of dollars for this dog. Because you can train them to herd together, by learning from the other dog. But you can't train a dog to herd by himself if he herds with another dog. he was the dog was priceless, and he would never sell him.

[Willow712]

01:58 PM on 06/29/2011

About twenty years ago I lived in upstate NY, and had 20 acres and a pond full of ducks. My next door neighbor had a feisty little chihuahua, and when she couldn't find him, he was over at my house herding ducks. He would herd them all back into the water. lol. He used to go about a half mile up the road and herd my other neighbor's chickens and goats. We always worried about him, but he went up through the back way, far from any roads so nobody could see him sneaking over. So we'd have to call around and see what neighbor had a sheepherder on their property. lol

[Max Don]

02:42 PM on 06/29/2011

Too funny!

[Palaver]

01:56 PM on 06/29/2011

That'll dooh, Nancy. That'll dooh.