Herding Sheep

[Ellen]

Has anybody ever tried sheep herding with their doodle? A local dog obedience school is offering some interesting "adventure dog" classes this summer and fall, focused on generalizing the dog's social manners and responsiveness to obedience cues outside of the typical classroom. The first class was a trip around urban areas and understanding how to expose your dog to people, traffic, other dogs, and making walks more interesting for the dog.

The next class (next Saturday) will be on a farm where each dog will have a chance to herd sheep with a champion herding instructor. According to her, all dogs have natural tendencies to herd.....well, we'll see about that... none of us that signed up have traditional herding dogs.

Just wanted to know if anybody had any sheep herding experience with their doodle and if so, what happened?!

My doodle definitely has a very high chase instinct for little critters (esp. squirrels), but I have a feeling that he might be spooked by a small herd of sheep. If not, I bet he will be zooming all over the place -- he's so spastic and I just don't think he has the patience to herd sheep into one area. At the very least, it should be interesting.

Please share any sheep herding experiences!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

No herding experience here, but that sounds like fun and a very interesting class...wish they offered them here in PA, I think my dogs would either be affarid of the sheep or try and play with them...lol. We have Celtic Classic in September and they always have a man who comes and does a show with his herding dogs ( Aus. Shepherds). It's neat to see them all working together and the different tones with one whistle he uses to make two or three dogs herd together. Let us know how you make out with these classes.

[1xar0x2rcx0li]

I watch the sheep dog trials every year, mostly Border Collies. Herding instincts are incredible. I dont think my doodles have any, they would just want to play with the sheep, but it sounds like a fun experience to try out.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

I know that Boomer definitely has the herding instinct. When Shayna (our second GD) was a pup she got out of the house, snow on the ground and me in only my bathrobe. Boomer ran out and kept circling her bringing her closer and closer to the front door until he had her inside.

[Adina P]

Never tried it...I'm a little afraid of what my doggies would do, but it sure would be fun to try it!

The closest I've gotten to herding was when a border collie puppy pretended Rosco was a sheep at the dog park. Never got too close to Rosco, but as soon as Rosco would run after a ball, the BC would run after him...always staying juuuuust far enough away. Then when Rosco would flop down and chew on what he'd caught, the BC would lie down and stare at him juuuuuust far enough away. The instinct is amazing!

[Debbie and Thomas]

Wow-that sounds like fun!! Our dood has not displayed this instinct-but I do have a story. Our trainer boards dogs in her home and her husband is a dog walker who picks up maybe 10-12 dogs every day and takes them on a group dog run to an off leash park. Our doodle goes with him three times a weeks and it is fabulous. Anyway-they boarded "Rufus" a really sweet black lab who goes on the dog runs. While he was at their house being boarded(they have THREE boarder collies of their own) Rufus seemed to pick up on this herding thing and from then on during the dog run , he felt it was his responsibility to keeps the group of dogs together. One day they were all in the "lake" ( really just a 3 ft pond) and would not come when Wayne-the dog walker called them- so 10 mth old Rufus jumped in and herded them up and the entire group of dogs came charging out of the water. So it looks like some dogs will have an instinct for this-my doodle would probably just lie down on his side and put his leg in the air showing his submissiveness to the sheep!!!

[Adina P]

I'd like to hear from Aussiedoodle owners...since their doodles are half herding dog!

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

wow that sounds really cool. Unfortunately I am quite sure our doodles would try to chase/wrestle with the sheep and not try to herd them :)

[Ellen]

Well, I'll let you guys know what happens next week with the herding class. I'll try to post some pictures or video.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I will be very interested to hear about this adventure.
The squirrel chasing instinct is prey-drive, and in our doodles, is coupled with the retrieving instinct that makes GDs and LDs such popular hunting companions and sporting dogs. It really is very different from herding. Having spent a lot of time around dogs from the Herding group, specifically GSDs and OESs, I have to say that in my experience, the two instincts are very different, and the personalities of the dogs are very different as well. I would agree with Adina that the Aussies would probably do best among doodles at actual sheepherding.

[Adina P]

I agree...herding is very different than chasing in prey-drive. Prey-drive leads a dog to chase, catch and 'kill' or bring the thing back to the owner. Herders are like puppeteers...trying to move sheep to where they want the sheep to go (or where the shepherd is telling them to go).

I would say training a non-herding dog to really do well in herding is like training a person with no natural athletic ability to be a basketball player. If you took someone who showed real potential and abilities and trained that person along the side of someone who was not at all gifted in that area...they will both grow in their skills, but the natural athlete will be eons beyond the other person in a much shorter time. They both can have fun and develop what skills they do have, but for example, a Lance Armstrong is born...not made.

Nevertheless, I suppose a gifted trainer could teach a retriever to follow instructions and perform behaviors on command even if it's not their nature to herd instinctively.

I can't WAIT for a report on how it goes! I'm so curious how the non-herding dogs do!

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

No experience but sounds fun to watch! When I was a child a friend had a border collie that herded the hobby chickens in the backyard. It was hoot to watch (probably not much fun for the chickens though)

[Tammy & Gracie]

I think that sounds like a great time! Let us know how it goes. A video would be appropriate....LOL