General Herding Articles work in progress please be patience as we update
Herding Programs and Rules
The problem with herding regulations is that by the time you print them, someone has changed them, so I’m going to give a brief overview of the programs. Belgians in Europe have an opportunity to herd, but it is still fairly limited… read full article
Livestock in Belgium and France
Currently, there are 11 different breeds of cattle kept in Belgium, 4 breeds of goats and 11 breeds of sheep. These reflect ONLY the registered purebred animals, not the unregistered or mixed breed animals. While Belgium does not have LARGE numbers of stock, it is a myth that there are none. France is more heavily agricultural…
Herding Training Articles
The following articles are provided for whatever help or amusement they may provide. However I am the author and hold copyright. If you use or reprint any of these, please include my name as author as well.
Picking a Belgian Sheepdog Puppy for Herding
The more the bloodline has produced dogs that work for people, the better the chances are for a dog with talent that will work with me. Once I have a litter to choose a puppy from, I do a puppy aptitude test. The one I use is slightly modified …
First Introduction To Stock
Young novice dogs are a little different than older novice dogs on stock. I am going to start with what one does with a true puppy and then go into what one might do differently with an older dog. The major difference is that pups do not have the physical or mental development they will have later, and so certain precautions are needed …
Introducing the Young Dogs to Stock
Of course, when one reads this, the thought is that the article will begin with talking about the dog and stock. Not exactly. For most dogs, the first step in introducing a dog to stock is obedience work. Yep. Obedience work. …
Guardian Vs Herder
The first herding dogs were indeed hunting dogs – before humans domesticated livestock they first hunted them. However, if prey “drive” were the only requirement, hounds would be the best stock dogs. Obviously this is not the case. What changed?….
The Dead Sheep
Okay, if you haven’t a slight sense of macabre humor, stop reading. I wrote this a few years ago, but it’s still valid. Back a couple of weeks ago I got some Dorset sheep. One of them was a “freebee” thrown in as an “extra”. I think all the gypsy horse traders went into business as sheep traders.
Related Links
Sheep in Belgium – list showing numbers of sheep in Belgium.
Herding in Europe – information on European transhumance
Great Montana Sheep Drive
For those who are interested, there are some “sheep drives” in the US where you can go and watch the stock being brought in. This one is in Reed Point, Montana.
Trailing of the Sheep Festival
Another sheep drive, this one in Idaho. Sheep are moved from mountain pastures north of Ketchum and Sun Valley through the Wood River Valley to their southerly winter grazing areas
Herding Courses – Australia
American Herding Breed Association (AHBA)
Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA)
United States Border Collie Handler’s Association
Cow Dog News – primarily cattle herding, primarily BCs