LIVING WITH HERDING BREEDS Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog (Heeler), German Shepherd, Collie, Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) EXPECT AND RE-DIRECT HERDING BEHAVIOR ... Herding dogs are created to work closely with people, think independently when necessary, work long hours, and control large moving things. They have the desire and endurance to work all day. They need a job. Left alone in the backyard, they will give themselves a job to do and it probably won't be what you have in mind. Give them mental stimulation and loads of exercise to help channel their working-dog energy.

Australian Cattle Dog

Herding Breeds Are Highly Trainable

Herding dogs work in partnership with humans. They work in tandem with the human shepherd to tend their flock/herd. A well-trained herding dog responds instantly to a command but does it in a way that makes sense to the dog in that specific situation. For example, a herding dog will execute a command to "Come bye" (go clockwise around the flock) a certain way if he is rounding up a small flock of frightened sheep, and another way if he is working with a large herd of feisty young cattle. The dog will still go clockwise as commanded, but he will do so faster or slower, closer or farther away, depending on what he thinks will work best with those animals. He has to be able to think "on the fly" as he moves among the animals he is herding - looking back to the shepherd for direction may get him killed. Consequently, he may not respond to your commands exactly the way you want him to, but rather in a way that makes sense to him.

 

Dogs with this level of intelligence require mental stimulation and loads of exercise to help channel their working-dog energy.

Border Collie

 

Australian Shepherd - red merle

Herding Behavior in Your House Herding dogs chase things that move. Including running feet, bicycles, cars, skateboards, joggers, balls and Frisbees. Many of these dogs nip at the heels of humans the way they nip at the heels of livestock. Running children who emit high-pitched sounds can be favorite targets.

Blue merle and red-tri

When you arrive home with your new dog, expect chasing behavior and be ready to step in and redirect it immediately. Be calm, step in-between the dog and whatever it is chasing GENTLY take the collar and turn the dog away from the moving target and tell him to sit. Reward the sit with a food treat or, better yet, a round of fetch. If you get excited and begin to yell, the dog will get more excited. Getting angry at the dog will confuse him-after all, he was created to chase things, round them up and put them in their proper place!

For further information about children and over-stimulated dogs see "Kids and Dogs" and "Good Games, Bad Games".

This handout may be reprinted in its entirety for distribution free of charge and with full credit given:
© LISA LUCAS - "DIAMONDS IN THE RUFF" Training for Dogs & Their People -
ditr_training @ hotmail.com - http://www.diamondsintheruff.com

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