Plans for kennels to help breed and train award winning sheepdogs

PLANS have been lodged with Powys County Council to build dog kennels that could be used to breed and train sheepdogs.

The Williams family have submitted the application to build kennels on land at Pant y Cored, Garthbrengy near Brecon.

The applicant has a history of producing show winning dogs and this would help expand their business.

The site is off the B4520 road and is at the end of a lane which becomes a farm track and bridlepath.

The nearest house 400metres to the south-east of the site.

The kennels would have a floor space of 148 square metres and be built alongside a similar barn which is in the field.

The agent Ieuan Williams of Reading Agricultural Consultants explained the proposal in a planning statement.

Mr Williams said:

“The application proposes a purpose-built kennel block which will comprise four single dog kennels and four whelping kennels for bitches and pups with an indoor exercise area.

“Well-trained sheepdogs are an essential requirement for sheep farms and a good dog can command a significant amount of money if trained properly.”

Mr Williams explains three litters a year with each litter averaging seven puppies are produced by the applicant’s dogs, and they are sold on or retained for training and their own breeding lines.

They also buy and and train puppies to become working sheepdogs for sale when they are older.

Mr Williams added:

“The applicant and his partner breed show-winning, working sheepdogs for competition at national and international trials.

“Well-bred and trained sheepdogs can command high prices – the current world record is over £27,000.”

A registered breeder with dogs producing three or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period, need facilities that can be inspected and approved by vets.

Mr Williams says that the pens would be cleaned twice daily by a firm that specialises in dog waste collection and the roof of the building would be insulated to stop noise coming from the kennels.

The dogs will be exercised and trained in the next field.

There they can hone their skills practising on the applicants own sheep.

Mr Williams said:

“The applicants have already built up a reputation for producing high quality dogs, backed up by good training techniques.

“The difficulty is that their current accommodation does not provide
adequate space or opportunity to kennel and train their dogs.”

Approving the scheme would allow the dogs to stay in one place, rather than travel back and forth from their home to the site for exercise and training.

Powys planners have until November 8 to decide the application.