Herding Dog Breeds
They Like To Keep Busy!

Throughout the world, dogs from the herding dog breeds have been used to control and guard flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. All of these dogs were developed for intelligence and abilities to quickly follow commands.

herding dogs in a field


Background of Herding Dog Breeds

Throughout the world, dogs from the herding dog breeds have been used to control and guard flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. All of these dogs were developed for intelligence and abilities to quickly follow commands.

Some of the herding dogs from this group, that had to work in severe climates, were selectively bred to develop thick coats to protect them from the cold as well as predators.

Although dogs from this group are born with the basic instincts for herding, they still need to have specialized training from an early age to develop and hone these abilities.


How Herding Dogs Work

To control the movement of animals, herding dogs work in various ways The basic job they set out to do is to get those herds or flocks in line by surrounding them in a particular fashion.

Some dogs do this in a driving way, while others use circling and gathering techniques. They will also also communicate to the animals in different ways - some by barking, some by staring and some by nipping at the heels of the animals who are more stubborn.

All of the dogs in the herding group work both independently and by paying close attention to commands from their handlers.



Today, a great number of dogs from this group spend their lives far from farm lands and cattle ranges. None the less, they are still treasured as marvelous, loyal companions and are a delight to train because of their high intelligence.

Consider owning a dog from this group if you would like a very loyal, attentive and active dog that you can train and enter into agility or obedience trials.

Herding dog breeds thrive on action and the challenge of these activities, as well as the opportunity to expend some of their high energy.


Learn How To Be A Herding Dog Handler

If you're interested in learning about using dogs to work livestock, take a look at this website:
Working Dog Centre located in Australia.

And, here is another ranch in Southern California, that offers sheep herding classes:
Drummond Ranch.




The Herding Dog Breeds Group

Here are the smart dog breeds that were trained to do a job. They thrive on herding and have a natural born instinct to round them up!


australian cattle dog breed
Australian Cattle Dog
australian shepherd dog
Australian Shepherd
bearded collie herding dog
Bearded Collie
belgian malinois herding dog
Belgian Malinois
belgian sheepdog
Belgian Sheepdog
belgian tervuren herding sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren

border collie
Border Collie

bouvier des flandres herding dog breed
Bouvier des Flandres

briard herding dog
Briard
canaan dog breed
Canaan Dog
cardigan welsh corgi dog
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Collie herding dog breed
Collie
german shepherd herding dog
German Shepherd Dog
old english sheepdog
Old English Sheepdog
pembroke welsh corgi dog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
polish sheepdog aka PON
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
puli herding dog
Puli
sheltie dogs
Shetland Sheepdog


Learn More About Herding Dog Breeds



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