Herding dogs are breeds which can assist in herding sheep and cattle. Although the natural instinct of a dog is to treat these animals as prey, selective breeding has created dogs which use their hunting skills to bring in the herds. It is amazing to watch a small dog herd huge cows by nipping at their heels!
Herding dogs were first bred in nineteenth century England. Farmers wanted a sensitive, well-behaved dog which wouldn’t cost them too much money in food. When Americans began to move west after the 1894 California Gold Rush, wildlife food sources were quickly depleted and herding dogs popular to help provide food for the settlers. Today, the dominant herding dog in the United States is the Border Collie.
As pets, these dogs may gently herd their owners, especially children. They are intelligent and respond well to training.
Breeds of herding dogs:
- Australian Cattle Dog
- Australian Kelpie
- Australian Shepherd
- Bearded Collie
- Beauceron
- Belgian Sheepdog – Groenendael
- Belgian Tervuren
- Bergamasco
- Berger Picard
- Blue Lacy
- Border Collie
- Bouvier des Flandres
- Briard
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Catahoula Leopard Dog
- Collie
- English Shepherd
- Entlebucher
- Finnish Lapphund
- German Shepherd
- Hovawart
- Icelandic Sheepdog
- Laika
- Lancashire Heeler
- Miniature American Shepherd
- Mudi
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Polish Lowland Sheepdog
- Puli
- Pumi
- Pyrenean Shepherd
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Standard Schnauzer
- Swedish Vallhund
