Farmdog Traits

A herding trial cannot test for...

a dog that stays home without being penned

a dog that knows which livestock belong to the neighbor and returns them when they visit

a dog that keeps our livestock home and knows where the boundaries of our farm are so that when our cattle are out in the neighbors newly planted field on a dark and rainy night, he doesn't need us to tell him how to take them home.

a dog that keeps our livestock in the correct pen.

a dog that keeps our kids out of the street.

a dog that babysits our kids when they go through the hedgerow to watch daddy haying in the back forty.

a dog that lets you know when the stoopid Suffolk ewe has her head stuck in the back fence again, or that there is a lamb pinned between a feeder and the wall so tightly it can't draw a breath to cry out.

a dog one who isn't too afraid to wade into a battle between *three* rams to help you get them separated without getting your legs broken.

a dog who will stick to you like Secret Service to the President when you go running out into the dark without a gun to see what predator is making a ruckus in or around the barn.

a dog who will stand over the down ewe or cow to keep the others from bothering her until you can get there to help.

a dog who will run barking beneath a descending hawk to keep it off your laying hens, and not chase or eat the hens himself, so that you can allow them to free range and destroy insects and other pests that threaten the health and prosperity of the family and farm.


Old Shep

Border Collies as compared to English Shepherds
Farmdog Motivation
American Working Farmcollie Association
Farmdog email list

Blacksheep Homestead