Why David would be an effective mentor
David Connick has been passionate about sheepdog handling and agriculture his whole life. Growing up in the Swansea Valley, he helped out at local farms from a young age, quickly learning the value of a well-trained sheepdog.
Many years of experience as a lecturer and trainer combined with his passion for training sheepdogs make him a natural mentor for anyone looking to improve their sheepdog skills or train their dogs. David trains and works with numerous breeds including Border Collies, Kelpies, New Zealand Huntaway, Working Beardies and Welsh sheepdogs.
Until recently David had a longstanding role with the auctioneers running the famous Sennybridge Sheepdog Sales, held every autumn and spring in partnership with the Cnewr Estate, where he helped handle the many thousands of dogs and sheep that made this one of the most significant dog sales in Wales. Although the events finally transitioned to online sales, David’s reputation as an expert keeps him closely involved with the sector.
Now semi-retired, David is still in demand for both training sheepdogs and at gathering and lambing times through contract shepherding. His years of hands-on experience gives him a practical understanding of sheep, dogs and their owners too!
Current farm business
- David now lives at a close family member’s farm, where he remains actively involved with sheep management.
- He also keeps his own mixed sheep on several rented sites. He particularly favours Hebrideans because of their calm and attentive temperaments even when worked by young, inexperienced dogs.
Qualifications/achievements/ experience
- Extensive experience of conservation and environmental management in both management and supervisory roles involving training, managing and motivating both staff and volunteers.
- David bred, trained and sold many of his own sheepdogs at the Sennybridge Sheepdog Sales and for over 25 years was often one of the sellers reaching the highest bids thanks to his keen eye for quality and training.
- He is an active member and past chair of Glamorgan Nursery Trials Society and although not an active competitor himself, he’s happy to mentor others wanting to compete.
Previous roles
- For over 20 years, David was tenant of a 110-acre beef and sheep holding in South Wales which included 25,000 acres of grazing rights, which he combined with the role of managing the famous Penllegaer Home Estate.
- As a former ranger manager with the Forestry Commission, David travelled throughout the UK as an NVQ assessor and verifier, delivering training and assessments for a wide range of land-based and agricultural topics including wildlife control and deer management. This included training both rangers and working dogs to indicate and track deer in dense plantations, often adjacent to public roads.
- David has been a leading shepherd on several large agricultural estates across the UK which saw him supervising, motivating and training staff in all aspects of sheep management. One was a 12,000-acre MoD firing range in the south of England, where he managed 48 separate hefts of sheep, running a team of up to 20 working sheepdogs.
- He also had a stint lecturing at Neath Technical College, delivering several local government’s ‘back to work’ schemes.
Top tips for business success
“Be guided by your own dog and their pace of learning – patience and kindness are crucial. Young dogs can lose concentration so always keep training sessions positive.
“Sometimes, taking a step back to help reinforce certain behaviours can help create consistency in a dog’s performance, so don’t rush progress.”
“Build a strong bond with your dog, you need to trust each other, which will help you to be more confident and draw out the dog’s natural ability and willingness to please.”