The "untouchables"

[BrownSheep]

I own a friendly ram....who happens to be agressive. He was apparently bottle fed when we bought him. We treated him like a pet and now he is perfectly capable of breaking a femur. He holds no fear of humans and view us as other sheep that need to be put back into the pecking order. Through the summer he is generally calmer but I don't trust him. I WOULD never risk having a friendly ram. I'm not saying possible but it is far more likely to blow up in your face.

There is a huge difference between a truly friendly ram and one that is just being pushy/disrespectful and if you ever have the pleasure of owning a true friendly boy then you will know what I mean. But yes, the "friendly", pushy, semi-aggressive rams can be the most dangerous, especially if you aren't paying attention. Bottle lambs have more potential to be aggressive because they don't have the same respect for people that a normal sheep would have.

I honestly think that a lot of a rams personality is nurture, although there is definitely a component of nature too. One of our ram lambs from this spring (by the one mean ram) showed signs of aggression from a very young age. Both he and his sister were very interested in humans from birth. She was more of a lover (at a week or 2 old, she would climb into people's laps with no encouragement and take a nap), he on the other hand, started testing things and would rub his head on you and then give a little test butt. Whenever he did this, he would get a swift kick in the rear and be sent on his way. He is still pushy - and not long for this world - but he knows better than to try to butt people.

We sold a ram to someone a few years ago and we just got an email from them because they need to get a new unrelated flock sire. They said that they sold the ram to someone down the road and at his new home, he gets out of his pen, opens the kitchen door, and takes a nap under the table before going back outside......not mean at all.

I apologize if I've high-jacked this post....I'm just a little touchy about the whole "all rams are mean, don't ever make a pet out of your ram" thing.

Haha I don't disagree with you at all! Some can be very gentle!I just wouldn't take the risk. We have two other rams that are perfect gentlemens. They arent as friendly as him or our tame ewes but I don't worry about them when I go into a pasture.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

We purchased our herd as a mature herd & although they will come up to us, rarely can we pet them but that is fine with us. We always pick the lambs up when born but they soon get wise to that & run away when older. HOWEVER we do not persist with them so it is as much our fault as theirs. As for rams, the further they stay away from us the better. Will never trust one & do not encourage them to be close.

Liz

 

[Sheepshape]

There seems to be a lot of individual variation in sheep, though some breeds are much more approachable than others.

Most of our approx. 60 sheep are approachable as I have always given them treats. Several of them come over whether or not there are treats and rub their heads against you and wait to be rubbed back. Some love the 'game' of gently pushing their rear end away from you when they stand by your side. This is met with them pushing their rear end against your leg.......a simple game that they get great pleasure from.

I've had several pet rams......huge things....who have been very affectionate, but I think you need to be VERY sure of your pet ram before you let HIM come charging over to rub HIS huge head (with or without horns) against you.I've also had rams who I will NEVER turn my back on who have been raised in exactly the same way as the sweeties.

 

[Sheepshape]

There seems to be a lot of individual variation in sheep, though some breeds are much more approachable than others.

Most of our approx. 60 sheep are approachable as I have always given them treats. Several of them come over whether or not there are treats and rub their heads against you and wait to be rubbed back. Some love the 'game' of gently pushing their rear end away from you when they stand by your side. This is met with them pushing their rear end against your leg.......a simple game that they get great pleasure from.

I've had several pet rams......huge things....who have been very affectionate, but I think you need to be VERY sure of your pet ram before you let HIM come charging over to rub HIS huge head (with or without horns) against you.I've also had rams who I will NEVER turn my back on who have been raised in exactly the same way as the sweeties.

 

[Southdown]

I own a friendly ram....who happens to be agressive. He was apparently bottle fed when we bought him. We treated him like a pet and now he is perfectly capable of breaking a femur. He holds no fear of humans and view us as other sheep that need to be put back into the pecking order. Through the summer he is generally calmer but I don't trust him. I WOULD never risk having a friendly ram. I'm not saying possible but it is far more likely to blow up in your face.

Same here. Our ram was apparently bottle fed by a Catholic nun and raised in a "children's home" environment. Now we have him as mature. We're keeping him though because he's a great breeding ram for us. Temperament is good (minus the fact that he views us a sheep, but that was how he was raised) and his physical traits are good. His offspring have been very mellow and good looking. Always castrate any male sheep that you will keep as pets. I think our wethers are very great pets, dare I say better than the ewes for pets?

Did you know that Oct. 27 was "hug a sheep day?" For real.

Most of my sheep are huggable. It makes a big difference to handle them from the day they are born. You have to use treats to bribe them, as someone else mentioned. Mine are happy to see me come home from work and will baaah and run up to driveway some times.

 

[EllieMay]

I purchased ewe lambs and they warmed up to me very quickly (within a few days). I have Katahdins, so they're kinda friendly anyway.
Of course, once they figured out I was the one with the "treats," they knew it would be wise to hang out with me.
They LOVE their face rubs and I also massage their hips (they seem to love that).
If they're in the field and do not notice me, I call "COOKIE" and they all come running FAST.
I usually have some vanilla wafers on hand.
I recently purchased a ewe that is two years old and she has not warmed up to me yet.
She is standoffish and will come up to me with the rest, but does not allow me to rub her yet.
I do not try to pet my ram. I talk to him and he sometimes eats from my hand, but I don't encourage a "friendly" relationship with him.
When the sheep are shedding their hair, they enjoy being brushed.
The brushing is a nice bonding time for us.