Herding Dogs - Raising Sheep - page 144

TRADITIONALLY USED BASIC COMMANDS
Like most specialized skills, training and handling herding dogs
comes with its own unique vocabulary. Some of the common com-
mands used in working with herding dogs are these:
■ “Come-by.” Travel around the sheep in a clockwise direction.
■ “Way-to-me.” Travel around the sheep in a counterclockwise
direction.
■ “Down.” Stop moving; either stand or lie down.
■ “Walk up.” Move toward the sheep.
■ “Look back.” Leave the sheep and go to look for another group
of sheep elsewhere.
■ “That'll do.” Stop working and return to the handler.
almost anywhere in the United States as either a student or an observer. A few
such lessons are usually a big help for shepherds with their fi rst dogs.
Buying a Trained Dog
There are always trained dogs available for sale. The level of training varies
from “started” to “fully fi nished.”
A started dog will generally gather sheep at about 200 yards (182.8 m) and
bring them to the handler, requiring few commands to do so. The dog will
stop on command and walk up to the sheep on command.
A dog that is fully trained to the “open level” of trials (competitions) should
be capable of placing “in the money” at an open trial of 50 to 60 dogs. Such
a dog is able to gather sheep at any distance (in some cases up to half a mile
[0.8 km] away). The dog should be able to drive sheep in a controlled manner
several hundred yards away from the handler. A fully trained dog should also
be able to shed and control a single sheep.
The prices of started and trained dogs vary according to the quality of the
dog, the level of training, and the part of the country. Dog trials are excellent
places to inquire about available trained dogs and to see the actual work of the
dogs that are for sale.