Watching a sheep dog demonstration
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326170)
Rockingham, Australia
May 29, 2023 8:52pm CST
While at the Small Farm Field Day at Gidgegannup (another of our great Aussie names, don’t you think?), we watched a demonstration of sheep dogs working with a small mob of sheep.
Sheep and cattle dogs are incredibly clever and love their work. They are always looking for something to herd and have enormous energy. Even as young pups, they will start rounding up chickens or whatever else they can find.
The dogs in the photos are kelpies. The kelpie was created in Australia and has enabled drovers and graziers to handle large mobs of sheep/cattle with minimal help.
21 people like this
23 responses
@rsa101 (37968)
• Philippines
30 May
I think I saw it on one documentary film. It is amazing that they have this skill to herd a group of animals together. I am just amazed that it seems like they are imprinted on their genes that they have those instincts on them. Or are they undergo training to be one?
4 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95804)
• Marion, Ohio
30 May
They are amazing to watch. Yes Patch tries to herd Pretty cat 
4 people like this
@AmbiePam (85701)
• United States
30 May
That is SO cool. I just love watching that. Last week I saw, what I think was a Collie, herd a bunch of baby ducks that escaped their little pen. It was beyond adorable as he was so gentle with them. Sheep dogs are probably my favorite breed of herder dogs though. They handle the bigger animals so well.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (85701)
• United States
30 May
@JudyEv I should probably mention that the dog "herding" the ducks was part of the demonstration they were putting on to gain the community's interest in training dogs. You probably guessed that, but I thought I'd clarify since it sounds silly to compare that with what you're talking about.
@ptrikha_2 (45563)
• India
30 May
I can see a lot of dust flying!
Very busy dogs, these must be !
Gidgegannup - one can write a full article on this name and place !
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45563)
• India
31 May
@JudyEv
That is quite interesting.
I would like to read more about this sometime.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130164)
• India
30 May
@JudyEv We had one that loved peeling coconuts (lol)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 May
@allknowing That sounds a bit different!
1 person likes this
@rebelann (111268)
• El Paso, Texas
30 May
Yes, it shows how determined people were to create dogs for special purposes. The only breed I can think of right now that was developed before the Ancient Romans is the Rottweiler, Roman soldiers used them to pull carts and protect their goods.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86828)
• United States
30 May
They are lovely the sheep dogs Judy.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86828)
• United States
30 May
@JudyEv They are indeed Judy..its in them to be so their nature.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 May
I can get totally absorbed in watching them putting their sheep through gates or up ramps, etc.
@LindaOHio (157337)
• United States
30 May
It's fun to watch dogs herding sheep. We've seen Norwegian Buhunds herding sheep too. We had two of them a while back.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
@LindaOHio Thanks for the photo. They look to be one of the spitz breeds with the tail curled over like that.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (157337)
• United States
31 May
@JudyEv Here's a picture. Their coloring is usually a bit darker than this shows.
1 person likes this
@manikarnika (3222)
• India
31 May
This makes me to recall my memories of childhood, where our school arranged flim @Rs.2 about Rhinoceros
1 person likes this
@manikarnika (3222)
• India
5 Jun
@JudyEv Yes...It is only 1 hour flim and it's memory life long.
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@Butterfingers (66585)
• India
30 May
Gidgegannup is interesting but what does it mean
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170598)
• United States
30 May
I saw one of those exhibitions one time with border collies. Pretty amazing really. They know their jobs and stick to it
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73749)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 May
That is a great photo. You reminded me of a wonderful movie called Babe where a pig was able to work with sheep. It was just a movie but my question is do you think that in real life a pig could do what these dogs do?
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94944)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
30 May
I used to two dogs who are no longer with me that were sheepdogs. They were very nice dogs who were friendly to relatives and myself throughout their life span.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
Yes, they do but they also have a great instinct for herding.
@JudyEv (326170)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Jun
Yes, they are trained but it is also in their nature to herd sheep and/or cattle.
@ainnaqo66 (303)
• Indonesia
30 May
glad you had a good time. I didnt know there is a sheep dog demontration in other countries. do you think the dogs think those sheeps are their toys? seems like that
seems like that1 person likes this
