Farmers raise a large variety of livestock all over the world. Cattle, sheep, goats, ducks, geese,
turkeys, reindeer, and even deer now, for the increasing venison market. To make their jobs easier,
livestock breeders have also produced a wide variety of herding breeds to help them tend their
stock. The dozens of different breeds reflect the individualized needs of the different regional
farmers.
As an example, Scottish farmers developed the Border Collie for their distinctive way of raising
sheep. The sheep are turned out into the Highlands to forage. This cuts down on money paid for
feed and fencing. Sheep raised in this manner, are flighty, suspicious, basically semi-wild. The
farmer takes his dog to the base of the Highlands, and send his dog off to find the sheep. The dog
needed to be fast, extremely sensitive to the flight zone of wild sheep, and have a way of moving
sheep that gets the job done without panicking them unduly. Hence, the Border Collie's famous
"eye".
"Eye" would have been absolutely useless to the German farmer. The German sheep farmer kept
large flocks of sheep in a small home pasture or pen. In the mornings he and his dog take the
sheep out along the roadsides to eat the useless weeds and grasses between the road and the
planted fields. The German Shepherd Dog's original job was to keep the sheep off the road and
out of the valuable planted fields. The Shepherd needed to be powerful enough to move large
groups of non-reactive, slow moving sheep, and have tireless, endurance to work all day.
The different needs of the farmers created different working styles in the breeds. Border Collies use
"eye" to move sheep, and when they hit the "flight zone" of the sheep, have a tendency to give back
from it. German Shepherds use their own movement to move stock, and when they hit the flight
zone, have a tendency to push in. Both breeds work stock, they just bring different skills to the job.
Today, dogs work in the trials much more than working farms. A herding exhibitor may decide to
enter a trial that features cattle, sheep, goats, ducks, geese, or turkeys. Most of the time in this
country trials feature sheep. Duck trials are becoming more popular, cattle trials are still fairly rare,
at least in the East, due to lack of suitable livestock and facilities. Each type of livestock tests
different aspects of a stockdog. Cattle require power, ducks require finesse, sheep require a bit of
both, plus, speed and flexibility.
Just because your dog belongs to a herding breed, or, comes from herding parents, does not mean
that your individual dog has the right stuff. To find out if your GSD has herding instinct, you need to
have him evaluated by someone who is proficient in herding, and even better, someone who
understands the German Shepherd. Unfortunately, the breeds usage as a guard dog has made
some people afraid of them. They fear that the GSD entering their sheep ring, is going to tear up
their sheep. Ideally, you want to find someone who is comfortable working with the prospective
herder. There are a couple of different venues that you can take your dog to.
1. GSDCA The German Shepherd Dog Club of America. Each year, at Nationals, Instinct testing is
provided on the Tuesday before conformation judging starts. Check out the club's website for
information on who to contact.
2. AHBA American Herding Breeds Association. AHBA has a wonderful herding program that starts
with an instinct test. The first leg of the Herding Capability Test consists of testing the dog for
instinct and biddability. Check out their website for upcoming events.
3. AKC American Kennel Club. The AKC also provides an Instinct test.
4. Private Instructor. This is probably the best way to start your herding experience. A private
instructor will have plenty of time, space, and sheep to provide the best opportunity to start your
dog. Just make sure they are comfortable and knowledgeable about working Shepherds on sheep.
Check with your breeder, and fellow club members. AHBA has a section on their website on the
location off training facilities.
A very brief over view of what happens during an instinct evaluation is: The dog is brought into the
ring. The evaluator assesses he dog's personality, energy level, and biddability. The dog is turned
loose, and encouraged to get around his stock. For a dog to pass his Instinct test he needs to
show sustained interest in working the stock, be able to move in both a clock-wise, and
counter-clock-wise direction around the stock, and show that his primary motivation to work stock in
NOT predation.
Be prepared and willing to travel to learn herding. Finding proper instructors and facilities is going
to necessitate a drive into the country. Needless to say, the more often you are able to practice
your new skill, the more proficient you will become. Daily would be great, but.... Once a week
lessons will be sufficient to help you learn. The general rule of thumb, is one year of lessons, for
every level of title. This is a very general rule of thumb. The skill level of the handler, talent level of
the dog, availability of instructors, all play into this.
For both the dog and the handler, there is no sport in dogs more difficult than that of herding. In
every other sport, the handler is required to juggle only two balls, the dog and herself. Herding
requires the handler to keep track of a third ball, the livestock. In all the other sports, everyone that
is in the ring, wants to be there. In herding, the livestock don't want to be there, don't want to
co-operate, and take an active role in attempting to ruin your agenda. In no other sport, is the dog
required to function as a job supervisor. It is the dog's job, and only the dog's job to keep the stock
in line, and moving where directed, by the dog. Agility dogs do not have to worry that the A-Frame
is going to run away from them, Obedience dogs aren't concerned that the broad jump is going to
attack them. Herding dogs deal with both of these concerns while they are working and competing.
Herding requires a flexibility of mind and spirit that is unparalleled in other sports. Most dog sports
seek to create an environment that allows a dog/handler team to work in an environment that is
scarily the same. The obedience ring in Nebraska, is a carbon copy of one in Kentucky. This is
simply not possible in herding. The farms, livestock, and set out are going to be different no matter
what anyone does. Even your runs on the same farm are never going to be the same. Due to
weather conditions, the experiences of the stock throughout the weekend, a dog/handler team will
never experience the exact same set of conditions. The team's goal is never to produce exactly the
same performance they gave yesterday, or last week, but instead, to successfully solve the set of
obstacles set before them, today, better than any other team.
Physically, the handler is subjected to all weather. Herding enthusiasts brave the blistering heat of
summer, they will drive thru near blizzard conditions to get to lessons. They trudge thru the fields in
the mud, rain, and drizzle. They also brave the countless times sheep step on their feet, and their
overly enthusiastic dog runs sheep over them. The dog needs to be well conformed to stand up to
the rigors of herding. He needs to be fit, sound and in good weight and condition. For every mile
that the sheep will move, the dog is going to need to move five to keep ahead of them.
Herding requires a closer bond between Shepherd and dog than most any other. This a bond, not
of master and slave, but between working partners. Many people can not handle how much control
they have to give up. The cliche in herding is, "The dog controls the stock, you control the dog." In
the real world, this means you tell the dog, you need to take the sheep to the three-sided pen next.
It is the dog's job to get them there. The unique blend of leadership, letting go, and trust that
develops in the partnership, is something that many people can't conceive of, want, or attain.
So, having said all of this, what on Earth would induce someone to try this, let alone follow it like a
hopeless groupie?
The close bond that develops between dog and Shepherd. For those of us that seek that, there is
nothing like it anywhere else.
The challenge. My first herding instructor told me that anyone that tells you they are an expert, is
either a fool or a liar. The infinite complexity of trying to learn about livestock and their behavior,
dogs and their behavior, you and your behavior, will never allow for the concept of your learning it
"cold". You may tear your hair out in aggravation, you can and will cry over your inadequacies...but
you will never be bored.
Most of us that have been doing it for awhile, will admit to a spiritual aspect as well. There are
moments in herding when everything is going just right, where you, the dog, and the livestock are
all speaking and moving as one. As one person said to me, " I feel like I can see the face of God at
that moment." As I tell people, "When herding is going well, you can see the Gates of Heaven.
When it is going badly, you know what the third ring of Hell looks like."
turkeys, reindeer, and even deer now, for the increasing venison market. To make their jobs easier,
livestock breeders have also produced a wide variety of herding breeds to help them tend their
stock. The dozens of different breeds reflect the individualized needs of the different regional
farmers.
As an example, Scottish farmers developed the Border Collie for their distinctive way of raising
sheep. The sheep are turned out into the Highlands to forage. This cuts down on money paid for
feed and fencing. Sheep raised in this manner, are flighty, suspicious, basically semi-wild. The
farmer takes his dog to the base of the Highlands, and send his dog off to find the sheep. The dog
needed to be fast, extremely sensitive to the flight zone of wild sheep, and have a way of moving
sheep that gets the job done without panicking them unduly. Hence, the Border Collie's famous
"eye".
"Eye" would have been absolutely useless to the German farmer. The German sheep farmer kept
large flocks of sheep in a small home pasture or pen. In the mornings he and his dog take the
sheep out along the roadsides to eat the useless weeds and grasses between the road and the
planted fields. The German Shepherd Dog's original job was to keep the sheep off the road and
out of the valuable planted fields. The Shepherd needed to be powerful enough to move large
groups of non-reactive, slow moving sheep, and have tireless, endurance to work all day.
The different needs of the farmers created different working styles in the breeds. Border Collies use
"eye" to move sheep, and when they hit the "flight zone" of the sheep, have a tendency to give back
from it. German Shepherds use their own movement to move stock, and when they hit the flight
zone, have a tendency to push in. Both breeds work stock, they just bring different skills to the job.
Today, dogs work in the trials much more than working farms. A herding exhibitor may decide to
enter a trial that features cattle, sheep, goats, ducks, geese, or turkeys. Most of the time in this
country trials feature sheep. Duck trials are becoming more popular, cattle trials are still fairly rare,
at least in the East, due to lack of suitable livestock and facilities. Each type of livestock tests
different aspects of a stockdog. Cattle require power, ducks require finesse, sheep require a bit of
both, plus, speed and flexibility.
Just because your dog belongs to a herding breed, or, comes from herding parents, does not mean
that your individual dog has the right stuff. To find out if your GSD has herding instinct, you need to
have him evaluated by someone who is proficient in herding, and even better, someone who
understands the German Shepherd. Unfortunately, the breeds usage as a guard dog has made
some people afraid of them. They fear that the GSD entering their sheep ring, is going to tear up
their sheep. Ideally, you want to find someone who is comfortable working with the prospective
herder. There are a couple of different venues that you can take your dog to.
1. GSDCA The German Shepherd Dog Club of America. Each year, at Nationals, Instinct testing is
provided on the Tuesday before conformation judging starts. Check out the club's website for
information on who to contact.
2. AHBA American Herding Breeds Association. AHBA has a wonderful herding program that starts
with an instinct test. The first leg of the Herding Capability Test consists of testing the dog for
instinct and biddability. Check out their website for upcoming events.
3. AKC American Kennel Club. The AKC also provides an Instinct test.
4. Private Instructor. This is probably the best way to start your herding experience. A private
instructor will have plenty of time, space, and sheep to provide the best opportunity to start your
dog. Just make sure they are comfortable and knowledgeable about working Shepherds on sheep.
Check with your breeder, and fellow club members. AHBA has a section on their website on the
location off training facilities.
A very brief over view of what happens during an instinct evaluation is: The dog is brought into the
ring. The evaluator assesses he dog's personality, energy level, and biddability. The dog is turned
loose, and encouraged to get around his stock. For a dog to pass his Instinct test he needs to
show sustained interest in working the stock, be able to move in both a clock-wise, and
counter-clock-wise direction around the stock, and show that his primary motivation to work stock in
NOT predation.
Be prepared and willing to travel to learn herding. Finding proper instructors and facilities is going
to necessitate a drive into the country. Needless to say, the more often you are able to practice
your new skill, the more proficient you will become. Daily would be great, but.... Once a week
lessons will be sufficient to help you learn. The general rule of thumb, is one year of lessons, for
every level of title. This is a very general rule of thumb. The skill level of the handler, talent level of
the dog, availability of instructors, all play into this.
For both the dog and the handler, there is no sport in dogs more difficult than that of herding. In
every other sport, the handler is required to juggle only two balls, the dog and herself. Herding
requires the handler to keep track of a third ball, the livestock. In all the other sports, everyone that
is in the ring, wants to be there. In herding, the livestock don't want to be there, don't want to
co-operate, and take an active role in attempting to ruin your agenda. In no other sport, is the dog
required to function as a job supervisor. It is the dog's job, and only the dog's job to keep the stock
in line, and moving where directed, by the dog. Agility dogs do not have to worry that the A-Frame
is going to run away from them, Obedience dogs aren't concerned that the broad jump is going to
attack them. Herding dogs deal with both of these concerns while they are working and competing.
Herding requires a flexibility of mind and spirit that is unparalleled in other sports. Most dog sports
seek to create an environment that allows a dog/handler team to work in an environment that is
scarily the same. The obedience ring in Nebraska, is a carbon copy of one in Kentucky. This is
simply not possible in herding. The farms, livestock, and set out are going to be different no matter
what anyone does. Even your runs on the same farm are never going to be the same. Due to
weather conditions, the experiences of the stock throughout the weekend, a dog/handler team will
never experience the exact same set of conditions. The team's goal is never to produce exactly the
same performance they gave yesterday, or last week, but instead, to successfully solve the set of
obstacles set before them, today, better than any other team.
Physically, the handler is subjected to all weather. Herding enthusiasts brave the blistering heat of
summer, they will drive thru near blizzard conditions to get to lessons. They trudge thru the fields in
the mud, rain, and drizzle. They also brave the countless times sheep step on their feet, and their
overly enthusiastic dog runs sheep over them. The dog needs to be well conformed to stand up to
the rigors of herding. He needs to be fit, sound and in good weight and condition. For every mile
that the sheep will move, the dog is going to need to move five to keep ahead of them.
Herding requires a closer bond between Shepherd and dog than most any other. This a bond, not
of master and slave, but between working partners. Many people can not handle how much control
they have to give up. The cliche in herding is, "The dog controls the stock, you control the dog." In
the real world, this means you tell the dog, you need to take the sheep to the three-sided pen next.
It is the dog's job to get them there. The unique blend of leadership, letting go, and trust that
develops in the partnership, is something that many people can't conceive of, want, or attain.
So, having said all of this, what on Earth would induce someone to try this, let alone follow it like a
hopeless groupie?
The close bond that develops between dog and Shepherd. For those of us that seek that, there is
nothing like it anywhere else.
The challenge. My first herding instructor told me that anyone that tells you they are an expert, is
either a fool or a liar. The infinite complexity of trying to learn about livestock and their behavior,
dogs and their behavior, you and your behavior, will never allow for the concept of your learning it
"cold". You may tear your hair out in aggravation, you can and will cry over your inadequacies...but
you will never be bored.
Most of us that have been doing it for awhile, will admit to a spiritual aspect as well. There are
moments in herding when everything is going just right, where you, the dog, and the livestock are
all speaking and moving as one. As one person said to me, " I feel like I can see the face of God at
that moment." As I tell people, "When herding is going well, you can see the Gates of Heaven.
When it is going badly, you know what the third ring of Hell looks like."
SHEP....HERD
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