A soaked-to-the-skin Robert Sutcliffe finds out how sheepdogs are teaching executives 'people skills'.

Barbara Sykes learned to walk using sheepdogs as a pram - now she is sharing a lifetime's experience with folk interested in becoming a shepherd for the day.

It's an idea likely to appeal to stressed out executives who can learn a fascinating skill while relaxing in beautiful countryside in rural Bingley.

Already she has plans to market it to companies who want to see whether their would-be managers are capable of herding sheep - let alone people.

Eldwick Moor is an unforgiving place in bad weather and Barbara, who has a superb and subtle knowledge of sheep dogs with books to her name, is a brilliant but equally unforgiving teacher.

We couldn't have chosen a worse day. The rain lashed down relentlessly and my fingers froze to the point of numbness. I was also nervous at the prospect of mastering the basics of shepherding.

My lack of ability was obvious from the off. The idea was to stand opposite the sheepdog and by moving from side to side direct the sheep's movements using body language and simple instructions.

"You've no body movement," she booms at me as she loses patience. "You wouldn't have this problem if you were in a pub trying to pull a bird. Shout the commands louder," she insists as the sheep and dog Kimmy pointedly ignore me 'Aways' and 'Come Bys' and carry on regardless.

Soon it is time for coffee and a chance to get out of the cold.

We return to a pen further up the field and this time Joan Kale's dog Bryn is a revelation. Initially he had shown an almost comic lack of interest in the sheep, larking about without a care in the world.

Suddenly he is all ears, carefully rounding up sheep like an old pro. Inspired by this display of canine prowess, I enter the pen once more determined to succeed. And amazingly the sheep and dog do seem to respond positively.

I begin to enjoy myself for the first time with Kimmy and begin to imagine idyllic summer evenings rounding up and separating sheep. I don't think I'm quite ready to give up my day job for a spot on "One Man and His Dog" yet, however, and am happy for Joan to continue in the pen while Barbara offers criticism from the sidelines.

Back at the farmhouse I thaw out in front of the fire as she explains "The Sheepdog Experience".

"It's unique in the British Isles," she says. "It's the only place where people can have the chance to go on a sheep farm and work a trained sheepdog.

"I started it off in April and it's becoming popular. Thanks to the Internet and the Yorkshire Tourist Board I've had a couple from Utah enjoy themselves here and a Dutch couple are intending to spend two days of their honeymoon here with the dogs."

Publicity for Barbara's Mainline Border Collie Centre explains that it is not full of gimmicks.

"This is a small working sheep farm and the dogs are all working dogs," says the press release. "There are 14 family dogs and they have all done their share of working and trialling. Our aim is for people to see farming and sheepdogs as they are, and not a 'glossy' version."

Certainly, if there is any laughter to be done, says Barbara, it is the sheepdogs who are the ones chortling away to one another in the corner, smirking at their incompetent masters.

"They're always taking the mickey out of anyone - they have a belting sense of humour," she says. "These dogs love to watch and communicate. They are always watching us; they take it all in."

She says that we miss a great deal of these highly intelligent dogs' signals and are in some danger of breeding out their capacity to fend for themselves.

There are also plans to offer the course to businesses as a way of assessing employees' management potential. Seeing whether they can communicate well with a penful of sheep and a dog is thought to demonstrate basic management skills.

But for many people the experience is much more simple. It's the chance to attempt something for real that for many of us has never gone further than a sense of wonderment at "One Man and His Dog".

But make sure you pick a nice day.

Mainline Border Collie Centre is based at Golcar Farm, Spring Lane, Eldwick, Bingley.

An Activity Half Day costs between £45 and £65 per person. Contact Barbara on (01274) 564163.

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