I candidly do n’t cognise how I would get all my chores done — at least done in a decent amount of meter — without the help of my border collie , Dash .
Bringing a stock dog on to put to work as my farm pardner with our sheep was one of the salutary engagement decisions I ever made ! I would need at least two other humans to help me get done what Dash and I can do every day .
He helps as I rig out feed and hay , move sheep to fresh pastures , and administer vaccines and squirm my flock .
A History of Stock Dogs
From the fourth dimension sheep were domesticated in somewhere between 2900 and 700 BC , dogs presumptively have help shepherds with the necessary casual work .
stock guardian Canis familiaris ( LGDs ) lived with and protect the flock . Stock dogs aid move the sheep or separate the clock for various chores .
My strain is theborder collie . This breed of dog-iron emerged from the domain along the molding of Scotland and England .
The breed we know today as the mete collie did n’t reach official realisation until the 1800s . “ Collie andiron , ” however , have helped sheepherder far longer than that .
Read more : Check out these dissimilar ways to protect sheep from predators .
Stock Dogs Bred to Work with Sheep
I ’ve actually kept border collies for several years . But until I get Dash as an 8 - week - old puppy , I never owned a stock dog breed for the specific purpose of working with sheep .
In fact , I did some training with another of our other margin collies , Ari . It was n’t easy to train her , as she did n’t really have a lot of herding instinct . And at the time , I did n’t have a lot of experience to know that she did n’t have a peck of herding power .
Finally I decided I want a dogtooth partner with a serious working background . And so I bought Dash , a working dog with real working ancestors — many from that border arena between Scotland and England !
Dash is very serious about sheep . In the house or in the backyard , he is about as goofy as any two - twelvemonth - honest-to-god male dog can be . But once we head out to the pasture to move sheep , his head drops down and his eyes never leave the sheep .
He is quick to work the moment we direct outside .
Succeeding with a Stock Dog
Using stock dogs with sheep successfully requires two things :
Even a dog with spate of herding instinct needs to be guided and teach to work with you and to respect the livestock .
I am favourable to have find Denice Rackley at Clearfield Stockdogs , who has been my herding mentor and teacher . I work through trouble with her , such as how to get Dash to move sheep quietly in a small space . She also taught me how to get him to hold them in a corner while I put out their grain .
When you are set out to train a stock dog , it ’s best to pop out with a few “ dog broke ” sheep familiar with dogs . We come out our dogs in a small troll pen . The hot dog memorize what it takes to move the sheep in one direction or the other .
The dogs also find out commands such as “ away ” ( counterclockwise around the sheep ) . They also discover “ come bye ” ( clockwise around the sheep ) , “ lie down ” and “ that ’ll do . ”
That last dictation tell the hot dog you are done working and it ’s fourth dimension to come away from the sheep .
Read more : A good dog make the perfect sidekick for a diminished - peck sheepherder .
Stock Dogs Reduce Stress on Sheep
I do have sex of some shepherd who will not allow stock dogs near their lot . They fear it will do stress for the sheep . And I understand not wanting to accent your raft .
However , a well - trained farm animal dog can actually lead inlessstress for the sheep if they can move or hold them quietly and expeditiously .
I really enjoy take my Canis familiaris make for with me as a partner on the farm . I do n’t regret hiring him at all . For payment , he only expects a couple of straight meal a solar day , a pat on the head and a hazard to do what his bringing up tell him to .
