Page 47 - The Pembroke & Cardigan Welsh Corgi Worldwide Magazine
P. 47
GATHERING
DOGS
or headers, like the Border Collie. They
tend to use "eye" and oftentimes display
a very slinking posture. They can work
on big distances , running fast hundreds
of meters to fetch the flock by using their
strong eyes and body posture. Born To Be Your Morning Dreams Come Treowe
Driving dogs
or heelers, like Pembroke, Australian Working stock with a dog is extremely difficult
Cattle Dog. They are working behind without a proper relationship and training
a flock of sheep, herd and push them foundation.
forward.
Human and dogs must work as a team to gather
Tending dogs herds, flock on a pasture, move them to the
like German Shepherd, Beauceron. They barn, move them into handling systems, and
act as a living fence to keep large flocks sort them into groups, for example.
of sheep together while grazing. Tending
dogs move the flocks, but typically at a The human is an essential part of the herding
slower pace than driving and fetching team, but he has to know how to read the
dogs. livestock and its habits, understand his dog, and
control it. A dog with a great herding instinct is
Drovers not enough if the handler doesn't know when
Here we can talk not only of pastoral and where to send the dog. The owner/ handler
breeds. These were dogs who moved has to teach the dog about directions (left, right),
livestock over long distances and they driving, stop, pace and other skills, and the dog
had to be large, tireless and independent must work with its owner; it has to be able to
enough to move cattle. listen and understand its handler's commands.
The dog has to communicate with the livestock
as well. These are some basic things you must
Breeds use different body posture while know if you want to succeed.
herding, depending on their working style. They
can be silent and stalking, using their eye, they These skills allow the dog and the handler to
can have a more upright posture, and some use work efficiently and calmly with the livestock.
their bark. If there is no bond between a dog and its
human, then there will be no good work. Basic
Herding is much more than just chasing animals. obedience, control and trust between the parties
Herding is a team activity involving both the dog are essential if someone wants to start to work
and the human. with his dog on sheep or any other animal.
A herding dog controls and takes care of the The dog controls the flock, and the handler
livestock. Chasing sheep, running after livestock, must control the dog, teaching the dog what is
and diving into a group of sheep is not herding. expected from him.
The Pembroke & Cardigan Welsh Corgi Worldwide Magazine | 47
