“Ben and the Llanwenogs” - Meet the Shepherd – Llanerchaeron National Trust.

“Ben and the Llanwenogs” may sound like a country and western group, but they are really part of a mighty battle of wills between a flock of stubborn sheep and a wily Welsh sheepdog.

The struggle by one dog to impose his will on a small flock of Llanwenogs – which are one of the most bloody-minded breeds of sheep – took place at the National Trust’s Llanerchaeron estate in Ceredigion on 13 August.

It’s one of a series of days out to bring the real, traditional ways of the Welsh countryside to visitors and locals alike. The man whistling up the commands is Erwyd Howells, who also gave a display of traditional hand-shearing after the sheep are safely in the pens.

'This really is a battle of wills sometimes. Really wild hill sheep that haven’t been rounded-up for a time can be very difficult to control and even some lowland breeds like Llanwenogs can be extremely stubborn' says Erwyd who lives just inland from Aberystwyth.

'At these sheep dog demonstration days people can really see what’s involved. It’s a long time now since people used to see that great, old shepherding programme 'One Man and his Dog' on television, but shepherds like me are still out there on the hills of Mid Wales working the sheep', he says.

©National Trust

During the Meet the Shepherd day Erwyd explained the way sheep dogs are trained, the differences between the breeds and the different ways a skilled shepherd can work them.

Erwyd has four working dogs at the moment – Ben, Bob, Black and Sweep. Two of them are border collies and two are Welsh sheepdogs and they are all individuals in the way they work.

'Of course the toughest thing is training a dog to disregard the instructions you give to another dog. That takes some time for them to know when not to react,' he says.

'The work is very seasonal with sheep needing to be gathered on the hills for many different reasons. At the moment we might be separating this year’s lambs from the ewes, but at other times of year it could be for dipping, or shearing, or marking. And of course you have to separate out the males from female lambs too.'

Mr Howells works as a freelance shepherd because so many modern-day farmers have lost the skills of working with sheepdogs. He works right across the middle of Wales whenever and wherever a flock of sheep needs gathering.

Sometimes on big mountain farms he can be one of a team of eight shepherds trying to bring in huge flocks of almost wild sheep. Mr Howells is a published author and brings a lively and friendly feel to his demonstrations.