Meet the ultimate sheepdog! Springer Spaniel Jess rounds up orphaned lambs and feeds them from a bottle herself

By Daily Mail Reporter


Tenderly feeding a lamb from a bottle held in her mouth, Jess shows there is far more to being a sheepdog than simply herding animals into a pen.

The 10-year-old Springer Spaniel loves to help out in her own special way after being trained from an early age to nurture orphaned lambs.

Owner Louise Moorhouse, who farms on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, said Jess has always wanted to carry things around in her mouth including all sorts of feeding buckets for her flock of sheep.


Baaaa, how sweet: Jess the sheepdog feeds an orphaned lamb milk from a bottle held in her mouth on a farm in Devon

Creature comforts: The 10-year-old Springer Spaniel has been trained from an early age to nurture needy lambs

She said: 'Jess has been around sheep all her life and she is not at all frightened of the large ewes. They even give her a belly rub which she loves.'

Louise decided to see if Jess had the patience to feed the lambs with a bottle. And after very little practice, Jess now has a job to put the bottle down.

Louise said: 'It is very funny when she runs across the field gripping the bottle and squirting the milk everywhere.

'Sometimes she gives me a look that says she's getting fed up with this but she loves it really.'


Pet rescue: Owner Louise Moorhouse decided to see if Jess had the patience to feed the lambs with a bottle. And after very little practice, Jess now has a job to put the bottle down


Barking mad: Louise says it's funny when Jess runs across the field gripping the bottle and squirting the milk everywhere

Helping hand: Jess has always wanted to carry things around in her mouth including all sorts of feeding buckets for her flock of sheep

It's not the first time that a lamb has developed such a strong bond with a sheepdog.

Last year, it was reported that a sheep rescued as a lamb and brought up with a springer spaniel had become convinced he was a sheepdog, too.

Jack was so sure he was a canine he fetches sticks, wears a collar and a lead, jumps up on his hind legs and even tries to bark.

The six-month-old pet doesn't even recognise his own species and tries to herd sheep when he is put in the field with the rest of the flock.

Owner Alison Sinstadt, who runs Adderley Wharf Farm near Market Drayton, Shropshire, said at the time: 'Jack follows Jessie wherever she goes and even tries to copy her when she barks.

'He makes this strange half baa, half woof noise which everyone finds hilarious.'


source:dailymail