Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The amount of assistance the dog provides the shepherd is determined
by the natural ability of the dog to work livestock and how well it has been
trained. When buying a dog to work livestock, the best policy is to buy one
from bloodlines of the breed most often used in your area for herding.
Many of the traditional herding breeds are now most often bred for the show
ring or as pets, which has resulted in a loss of herding qualities in some of
these breeds. Fortunately, there is a great deal of renewed interest in work-
ing dogs, and some fi ne trainers are again focusing attention on the work-
ing qualities that these dogs were developed for. That is exciting! A good
BORDER COLLIES
In North America, the only breed that is still bred primarily for its
herding instinct and working ability is the Border collie. Because
of this breeding, Border collies are often the most readily avail-
able choice for a herding dog. This selection for working traits, as
opposed to being bred for the show ring or pet market, has given
these dogs other attributes beyond the simple herding instinct. For
example, a natural, inherited ability to gather sheep out of a fi eld
and an innate sense of the distance to work off the sheep to keep
them quiet are still traits often demonstrated by the Border collie.
