The Right Dog For The Right Herd

Herding dogs are popular across the globe, and were originally bred to gather, move, and protect livestock. But did you know that there are big differences in how they do this? Some dogs were designed to gather stock and do so fairly quietly and with lots of ‘eye’ and stalking, like Border Collies. Others were bred to drive massive herds across expansive and harsh landscapes, such as Australian Kelpies. German Shepherds often served a tending role, creating a living fence around herds and shepherding them where they needed to be. As the name suggests, Australian Cattle Dogs were developed to work cattle, boldly facing these large animals, and often nipping at their heels. The New Zealand Huntaway ranged over vast areas of land with limited visibility, using their impressive bark to move animals and alert handlers to their location.