Sheepdog Training 1 – How to train a sheepdog
A Beginners’ Guide to Training a Dog to Herd Sheep First uploaded Feb 8th 2003 – revised October 2022. Introduction Struggling on our hands and knees in the base of a very overgrown hedge one day, it occurred to Gillian and me that there ought to be more information for beginners to sheepdog training and… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 2 – Basic requirements
Some of the details you should address if you wish to train a sheepdog Safety first! It’s the responsibility of the sheepdog trainer or handler to ensure the safety of the dog, the livestock, and most importantly, any bystanders or assistants in the vicinity. Dogs get very excited when they are first introduced to livestock,… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 3 – Why sheepdogs work stock
Find out why sheepdogs work stock – tirelessly for hours on end. Many years ago, some neighbours stopped to watch a training session with my first dog, Dot. One of them asked me why Dot would work for so long without some kind of reward. I know little of training other breeds but the greatest… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 4 – The definition of a sheepdog
At what point does a trainee dog becomes a sheepdog? Some would say a dog becomes a sheepdog when it’s fully trained but we disagree. We believe there’s no such thing as a fully trained sheepdog! Dogs are learning throughout their entire lives and sheepdogs are no exception. Furthermore, who is to say when a… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 5 – A dog is for life
Admirable though the maxim is generally, “A dog is for life” needn’t always apply to sheepdogs” This may seem a bad point to start discussing the negative side of training a sheepdog but it’s worth bearing in mind that dogs are individuals, just as we are, and not all dogs get along with their owners!… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 6 – Bond with your dog
The importance of forming a bond with your dog. A good dog, which is strongly bonded with the handler, will do almost anything it possibly can for its handler. Its number one priority in life is to please. To form this bond isn’t so difficult if you’re kind and consistent whilst leaving your dog in… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 7 – Be firm fair and consistent
Be FIRM, FAIR and CONSISTENT with your dog. Being consistent is one of the most important factors in successful training but it can go too far. From the dog’s point of view, we should feed them at the same time every day, visit them at the same time and take them out training at the… Read more…
Sheepdog Training 8 – Never punish your dog for coming back
NEVER punish your dog for coming back to you. Picture a typical scene. You’re out walking your dog in the local park and he runs off to play with another dog he’s just spotted. You call him back but he’s having a great time and ignores you. You call again – this time much louder… Read more…
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Sheepdog training articles
Sheepdog training articles first published in February 2003 to help farmers, shepherds and hobbyists teaching dogs to herd sheep.
Since then, we have revised and improved the articles. There are now more than thirty pages of valuable information for sheepdog trainers in this series.
Do your sheepdog training articles apply to cattle dogs?
The basic training principles apply equally to cattle and other livestock herding. In the case of cattle, there is a greater risk of injury.
For this reason, we recommend you train your dog to work sheep or smaller types of livestock first, and then move on to cattle when the dog is more controllable.
Find out more about this in our sheepdog training tutorials Top Tips for Easier Sheepdog Training (which you can watch FREE) and Starting a Non-Starter 1.
Use the “Next” or “Previous” buttons at the bottom of each article, to move forward or back. Use the “Index” to see a list of all the articles in this category.
For frequently asked questions about teaching dogs to herd sheep, cattle or other livestock, see our FAQ pages.