The following article excerpt is provided here, in case you're inspired by Babe the Sheep Pig to go home and train your own dog! Visit wagwalking.com for the full article and more information!
Introduction
A farmer has a flock of sheep on 40 acres of fenced land. Today, the sheep need to come in for medical treatment, vaccinations, and shearing. There are ewe sheep, lambs, and rams and they are quite happy where they are, and not the least bit interested in coming into the handling pens to be sheared. This is not going to be easy... or is it? Fortunately, this farmer has a sheep herding Border Collie named Ben, who is going to help out and make this job a whole lot easier. As the farmer goes out to the field with Ben. he calls to him 'away to me' and 'come by' to direct Ben to the left and right of the herd and gather them up into a group. Then, Ben directs the sheep back to the handling pens--with a bark here, and a nip there, the sheep run right through the gate into the pen, ready for shearing and any medical care they need. Well, that was a lot easier then it would have been without the dog to help, the sheep are ready for processing in record time, and Ben gets the satisfaction of a job well done.
Defining Tasks
It takes many months of training for a sheep dog to learn his “trade”, and although trainers start dogs young, exposing them to sheep and the sights and sounds of herding, a dog must be mature enough to have control and respond to off-leash commands before they can be started herding sheep. A sheep dog will respond to his handler's cues, either hand signals or auditory signals, sometimes whistles, or verbal commands, to go to the right, to the left, gather a flock, direct and drive a flock, stop and hold a flock, and leave off or back away from the sheep. These are complex behaviors, and for an excited sheepdog, learning to respond to direction and cues from their handler takes maturity, discipline, and experience. When your sheep dog learns to gather and bring sheep in for you, to the location you direct, without overly stressing the sheep or losing control, you have a working sheep dog that is an asset to your operation.
Getting Started
You should ensure you have a dog with the aptitude and ability to herd sheep before initiating training. There are 25 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club as herding breeds. Dogs that are too aggressive or have physical limitations that affect their agility or stamina or orthopedic conditions may not be appropriate, as quick responses and movements are required. Prior to work with sheep, herding dogs should know basic obedience commands such as come, sit, and stay. Herding dogs are often initially taught control around livestock with the use of a long lead line. Having another experienced herding dog to assist with modeling behavior is an asset.
Written by Laurie Haggart
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 10/20/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
