herding test - Page 1

Just tested my Danika on sheep...she did so good. I love it when they get really excited learning something new...she had a very nice bite like they are sappose to. I am really excited now we get to go herd sheep.

Het, Would you please explain the herding test? I read something about a herding instinct test also, is it the same? Thanks, -Tina

well with Danika, I took her out on my own sheep. I have 3 right now..anyway I just let her in to see what she would do..I had her drag a line so I could catch her if I needed to. But she has her CD and is very well behaved, actually I thought this would be a problem, haveing done alot of obedience with her. Anyway, took her out let her go and watched what she did, took her about 2 min to focus on the sheep, I hasd the Border collie get them going and then she started chasing them. What I am looking for is if she will give up quickly and when she bites how does she bite, a gentic grip is what you want, she will bite the wooly areas and avoid the legs,face ect..also you want her to bite the wool and not the meat. I have a hair sheep and she really focued on him, and had the perfect bite... She will be going for her Herding instict test next month, and I haven't done anything with her up until today. So I am very pleased.

oh and when we were done, I called her to me and she came right to me and sat, we left the feild she did a down while I opened the gate and out we went, did another down stay while I closed the gate and off we went, going on and on about what a superstar she is. lol

Het, Would you please explain the herding instinct test? I don't think I understood correctly when I was reading it. We too have sheep and have taken our one male out there. He loved them. :) Now I wish we still had our hair sheep too. The Scotty has so much wool she over heats easily.

Het, BTW. thanks for answering and the information. I would like to know how she does in the test.

A herding instinct test will depend on the tester/trainer/judge you get and which program (if it associated with a specific program) you are doing it under. When I do them, I am looking for many things. I am looking to see if the dog is working in a gathering/fetching vs driving style. Do they circle the stock? Will they work in both directions. Do they work close, reasonably wide, very wide. Will they give to pressure, how much pressure can they take? Do they like to work as a team or more independently. Do they bark, used forced barks or do they work quietly. Do they have sustained interest? How strong is thier drive or attraction to sheep? Do they keep the sheep together, or do they want to split them? When they do split do they zone in on one sheep or do them want to regroup them? Will they go between the fence/sheep? Will they give me a stop (does not have to be a down). Is the dog good to thier stock? Hard on stock? I go further then and talk to the owner about what I am seeing, I explain everything to them and then talk about what they can expect to work/train thier dog on stock. They get a written critique as well as my verbal. (also get a certificate if they pass) I also look at the stock and how they responded to the dog. This tells me a LOT about the power of the dog, the dogs ability to cap thier drive etc. Did I need to use reationary sheep to get the dog to work? Did I use heavier wool sheep? Were they cooperative etc. A dogs first introduction to sheep is important in my opinion. I most often bring a dog in on a leash. I work with them a bit intially to see certain things (how they respond to me, are they biddable? what kind of correction is needed? Do they want to work as a team or for themselves? Once I know a bit of this I will move to the next step. Depending on what I am seeing will determine the next step. If it is a very strong dog with a ton of drive and the sheep are very reactionary I will work on helping the dog learn to control thier drives etc. Eventually 99% of the dogs come off leash and do some very nice work on the stock. An instinct test is not about a dog chasing sheep (not saying that is what happened above...just making a comment), It is about working/taking control /'owning' them. If you go to this link, you will see what is expected in an AHBA (American Herding Breed Association) herding capability test. http://www.ahba-herding.org/hct.htm

One should note that a grip is usually NOT allowed in formal tests/trials etc. I do like to see the grip of a german shepherd when I test them (and it usually happens) but I also have a ton of experience with them, they are usually done on my sheep and the grip is controlled and CORRECT. If it is not a correct grip I also do not allow it.

Thanks Chey! I love learning about the various deciplines. -Tina