Training a young herding dog can be a challenge, especially if you aren’t familiar with this industrious breed. Not only do these dogs have loads of energy, but they also require mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. However, while working with herding dogs can be tasking, these animals make excellent family pets and can be great assets to a working farm.
If you’re new to training a herding dog, you may be wondering where to begin. These dogs have high energy demands, and they are tricky to manage if they’re in an active situation. Whether you’re aiming to herd in a national competition or on your family farm, our article below provides information about how to train this sprightly breed.
If you are new to herding breeds, it’s worth becoming familiar with the different types. Also, depending on your experience, you may want to be selective about what type of herding breed you adopt.
For example, if you’re new to herding, it can be sensible to start with a show line shepherd rather than a working-bred one. Why? The former tend to be less active and motion sensitive, while the latter is more intense and demanding.
There are roughly 30 different herding breeds; below are the most common:
While it depends on the individual dog, the best time to start training your pup is when they’re around 10 to 12 months old. Bear in mind that some dogs require a bit more maturing than others before they’re ready for proper training.
Training a herding dog begins with basic commands, such as “come,” “sit,” “lie down,” and “stay.” Like agility training, it’s important to train your dog to be responsive to your commands, and this takes patience and practice.
Over time, you can teach your dog herding commands, such as “come bye,” which means turn the herd to the right, and “away”, which means turn to the left. Another popular herding command is “walk up,” which instructs your dog to drive the herd towards you.
Training your dog to respond to your commands can also be aided with hand or whistle signals. This indicates to the dog how and where to move the herd or flock. Whether it’s farm animals or a group of people, you can easily train your dog to herd them from one place to the next.
While this all sounds straightforward, learning these commands and executing them is a challenging order for your pup. Therefore, you’ll need to practice regularly and consistently without getting impatient. Herding is an art, and getting your dog to be a master at it doesn’t happen overnight.
Before your dog is ready to graduate to an actual herd, make sure they’re responsive to the basic signals first. Young dogs can become excited when first working with livestock, so you’ll need to ensure it’s well-trained and will respond to a recall command. Otherwise, your dog might run around like a crazed lunatic chasing everything in sight!
During the early stages, be watchful of your pup and how it works with its surroundings. If they’ve advanced to the stage of working with small herds or flocks, you’ll need to ensure there is no physical contact between the animals and your dog. Herding dogs are also fast, so make sure it doesn’t run away or chase the animals.
Remember, herding can be dangerous; there’s a risk of injury to your dog — especially if you’re managing large livestock — so you’ll also need to keep them safe while ensuring they’re physically up to the challenge. A visit to the vet before and during training is also advisable so that you can be sure they’re healthy and fit.
Training your herding dog also requires being mindful of their traits. Many herding dogs have similar temperaments, but each dog will have different preferences and sensitivities, as we outline below.
If you’ve never worked with a herding dog, then you may not know that many are fussy about their food! Unlike other dogs that are easily swayed by treats and other delicious morsels, herding dogs are more interested in working than eating. If you find your dog is unresponsive to treats during the training process, don’t give up!
One of the easiest things to do is start with a not-so-exciting situation. For example, if you train your dog with treats in an environment with lots of activity, they are likely more interested in the stimuli than the food in your hand. Therefore, try to find a calm and less stimulating environment, such as a parking lot or a garage, first. With persistence and patience, you can train your dog with treats and then increase the level of excitement in the environment.
Another common herding dog quirk is spatial sensitivity: in other words, they are acutely aware of their surroundings and can be averse to getting close to other people and objects. This might sound counterintuitive to a herding dog’s purpose, but this sensitivity serves them well in a herding scenario if they don’t let it overwhelm them.
Being aware of your dog’s spatial sensitivity is crucial if you want them to master the art of herding. Whether you use treats or a clicker, if your dog exhibits spatial sensitivity, you’ll need to train them to get used to being touched and near other animals, people, and things.
Like spatial sensitivity, some herding dogs are also noise sensitive. This could be blamed on genetics: ancient herding dogs were bred in especially quiet environments, unlike the noise of today’s modern world. If your dog displays nervousness around certain sounds, the best thing to do is pair those noises with food.
For example, if your dog is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, try putting it on a low setting (or far away) and give them a treat while keeping them calm. As they get used to it, keep using treats as you bring the vacuum closer or turn up the setting. This counterconditioning will help them learn to associate the sound trigger with positivity.
It’s no secret that herding dogs are bred to be acutely aware of the slightest bit of motion. However, this trait also means that they’re sensitive to all kinds of movement. The result? Your dog may be difficult to control as it chases anything and everything that moves!
One way to manage motion sensitivity is to encourage calm behavior. Outside of training or exercise, don’t encourage too much excitement; give your dog less mental stimulation and allow them to rest.
Along with instilling calmness, train your dog to focus their attention. Get them used to recall commands, so they know when to stop chasing. Otherwise, your dog can become too obsessed with movement.
Once your dog has mastered basic commands and is ready to start training with animals, start with calm livestock that are used to being herded. While most livestock animals are fairly passive, an older cow might challenge a young dog and make it nervous. For best results, take a handful of young livestock (or even small animals like chickens) accustomed to being herded by dogs.
Before you start, it’s essential to decide on the herding location. For example, some trainers use a round pen so that the animals won’t pool in one corner, while others work in an open field. In some cases, trainers might also bring an older, trained herding dog along to lead the younger pup. Wherever you decide, make sure it’s an area where you have some control over the dog and the livestock.
During your pup’s training, you may want to practice herding with a long leash. This allows you to walk your dog to the herd in a controlled manner; it also allows you to draw the dog in if they’re not responsive. Depending on how you’ve trained your dog on a leash, you can also use it to make corrections and let them know when it’s time to stop.
Some trainers use whistles to get their dog accustomed to responding to herding commands. While the sound may startle your dog in the beginning, use treats to reward them each time they become less fearful of it. Whistles can be an effective way to make corrections and control the dog in a herding scenario. You may also want to use a leash with the whistle to help with training.
Along with leashes and whistles, a well-trained herding dog should also respond to your body language. For example, if you step in front of the dog as it herds in one direction, it should read that signal and go the other way. By tuning into each other’s instincts, you can develop a natural rhythm where the dog learns to be responsive to your voice, energy, and body language.
Despite all the hours you’ve spent training, don’t put too many expectations on your dog at the beginning. Make it fun and be relaxed and encouraging where you can. It takes time to get your dog fully up to speed with herding, but it will eventually happen with practice. Also, it’s important to remember that each dog matures and progresses at different rates, which is why persistence is key.
Herding can quickly tire out a young dog. As excited as they may be, it can be tempting to push things too far. If your dog shows signs of stress, fatigue, or lack of attention, end the session and allow them to rest. For best results, do short sessions rather than long ones and read your dog’s energy. If they’re not responsive or are not progressing, you may need to amend your strategies.
While training a herding dog poses challenges, the task can be made easier by understanding the nuances of the breed and what steps you can take to train them. Herding dogs are incredibly clever, which means they can catch on quickly and learn to work well with their handlers. Just remember to be aware of their quirks and temperaments so you can manage any sensitivities and anxieties.
Before you start herding, do your research and get help from a professional trainer or an online course. By getting as much information and assistance as possible, you’ll give your dog a happy working life as a herder. Good luck!