Herding Dogs

Author: Denise Partlow

Instagram: @modernk9 Carolinas

A herding dog was required to help humans protect and move large groups of animals in order to keep them alive. These dogs needed to be able to work around and protect the animals but not chase them. They were required to work very long hours every day, be athletic, highly cooperative with humans and extremely sensitive to any changes in the environment.

Some of the herding breeds we have as pets today are:

Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Beauceron
Collie
German Shepherd
Belgian Malinois
Border Collie

Herding dogs are very energetic, sometimes restless, remember they were designed to work outside for 18 hours/day. They will not do well being stuck inside a home 23.5 hours/day.

Due to their high level of human cooperation they are intelligent and easy to train but can also be clingy.

They have genetic impulses to herd which makes them prone to chase fast moving objects (including cars) and nip at feet.

Perhaps the most misunderstood part of herding dogs is their ability to notice and react to any slight change in the environment. They have a “live by the law” personality so are typically wary of strange people, animals and items-this can include new furniture brought into the home.

In summary, Herding breeds are highly intelligent and require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation daily. They will need more than your average dog. Herders are also going to be suspicious of unfamiliar things. They will alert you when they see new things in the environment that we’re not there a second ago, a day ago, a week ago. It’s important to prepare yourself so that you can support your dog through these times rather than feel frustrated at the reactions.

This is not a full list of characteristics and may not apply to every dog. If you are interested in diving a little deeper, I encourage you to read the book, “Meet Your Dog” by Kim Brophey.