Sheepdog Training Video Library

TOP TIPS FOR EASIER SHEEPDOG TRAINING

The most popular tutorial in our sheepdog training video library. With nine important training tips to make teaching your sheep dog to herd livestock easier. Nobody would claim that training a dog to work sheep or other livestock is easy. But understanding what’s going on and why, and paying attention to a few details, can make the lessons easier. We ask new members to watch this video first.

THE GOLDEN RULE OF SHEEPDOG TRAINING

There are important rules that you should keep in mind when you train or instruct a dog to work cattle, sheep or other farm livestock. After all, whether we’re beginners, novices or experts, nobody wants to make a complete mess of it, do they? Andy takes a look at some essential guidelines to help establish and maintain order and makes recommendations for broadening the farm dog’s skill level.

SHEEPDOG SELECTION AND PREPARATION

An important tutorial!   Packed with essential information to help you to understand, and look after your farm dog during the course of its working life. The video includes housing, choosing the right breed, choice of dog or puppy – and also what dogs to avoid. There’s also a wealth of information on how to prepare your pup or young dog for herding sheep, cattle and other livestock.

SHEEP – ESSENTIAL FACTS FOR TRAINERS

People think sheep are irrational. They can be at times. In some ways, though, they can be clever, as well as determined. When you start training your first sheepdog, it’s easy to overlook the importance of learning about the sheep and their behaviour. Accordingly, the more you know about sheep and undestand their funny ways, the easier it will be to train your sheep or stock dog.

STARTING A YOUNG PUPPY (2 parts)

The usual age for starting a young dog on sheep or other farm stock is between six and twelve months. If you have the right sort of sheep, and know what you’re doing though, you can train a farm dog to work at a much younger age. Puppy Ezra goes to sheep in this video at 11 weeks old! Starting lessons early can make training easier but it must be done with care. Sheep must not frighten or injure the pup.

STARTING A STRONG DOG

An important video showing how to begin training with a dog that’s hard to control around sheep. Your dog may have its own ideas about controlling sheep! Additionally, if the dog’s tough, you’ll need to be both assertive and patient at the same time. We watch Tess’s training session at half-speed with an in-depth description of the action, before watching again at the normal speed.

AN INSIGHT INTO PACK BEHAVIOUR

A sheepdog training video tutorial to help you understand your dog and how it behaves. We’re taking a close look at the dog’s natural instincts, rather than simply how to train a farm dog to work. ‘An Insight into Pack Behaviour’ was originally a chapter on our “Still Off Duty” DVD. It’s 33 minutes of our observations when we’re out and about with our dogs. It might surprise you!

THE TRAINING AREA

The size, shape and nature of the training area can make a massive difference to your training experience. Sheep quickly learn to use vegetation, corners and the slightest irregularity in a training area, to avoid the dog. This tutorial gives an insight into suitable ground for training. It also suggests ideas for making simple changes to improve your training ground dramatically.

GETTING THE SHEEP INTO THE RING!

OK! You’ve built a training ring of the right size, and you need to get the sheep into it, and begin teaching your dog to work sheep. But if you don’t have access to a trained sheepdog, that might appear to be a difficult task! But don’t despair! In this twenty minute video lesson, you’ll soon learn ways to easily get some sheep into the training ring without the use of a trained dog.

WHAT SHALL I DO NEXT?

When you start training a sheepdog, many issues need attention. You can’t address them all at once. There’s no rule for the order of training, but here’s a logical syllabus we follow and why. Don’t stick too rigidly to any pattern though. Once the dog’s making good progress and controlling its sheep, events, locations and (if possible) sheep, should be varied to keep the dogs interest.

PUPPY TRAINING ESSENTIALS

It’s tempting to introduce a puppy to stock at an early age, but be careful if you do. Unless you can be certain you’re in a position to protect the youngster from attack or even the threat of it, there’s a real danger that sheep or cattle will frighten the young dog and damage its confidence – possibly permanently. By all means walk the dog around sheep, but take care to do it this way!

THE TRAINING STICK

One of the most important videos in our sheepdog training library. It’s about a simple lightweight plastic pipe we call the ‘Training Stick’. We wouldn’t like to have to train farm dogs without one! Learn how we use the training stick for guiding and directing the sheepdog in the early stages of training, particularly for controlling direction, pace, and the distance it works from stock.

THE DOG’S CONFIDENCE

To be a successful sheepdog trainer, you must understand factors that affect the dog’s work. One of the most underestimated of those factors is the dog’s confidence. Efficient work, long-distance work, and working with stubborn animals all require confidence on the part of the dog. It’s also important when farm or ranch dogs work in confined spaces, like between the stock and a fence.

LEARN YOUR COMMANDS

If you want to train a farm dog to work, be sure to learn your basic commands first. Trying to train a sheep or cattle dog when you’re not fluent with the commands yourself, will cause problems such as blaming the dog for going the wrong way when in fact, it was doing exactly what you asked. Training a dog to work stock can be confusing enough, without making it worse by talking rubbish.

THE SHEEPDOG HANDLER

As well as learning about the dog, the sheep, and the training area, the trainer should understand the qualities required in a sheepdog handler and how to make improvements. Topics covered in this video include using your body position to encourage the dog to go in the direction you want it to, as well as a brief look at some traditional commands and meanings, as well as training aids.

STOPPING THE DOG (3 parts)

To control your dog properly around livestock, you must be able to stop it. Don’t make the mistake of being too eager to get a great stop though, it could damage the dog’s confidence. Part one of three “stop” tutorials shows how to teach your dog to stop on command, without damaging its confidence. It also recommends containing the action inside a training ring.

HOW CAN I SLOW THE DOG DOWN?

An excited dog racing around sheep or cattle, will stress and frighten them. Distressed animals become less productive and move erratically. This further excites the dog, which in turn runs faster. Training a dog to work livestock shouldn’t be like this any longer than can be helped. Learn how to get your dog working steadily around stock, and your training lessons will improve quickly.

HOW OFTEN, AND FOR HOW LONG?

There are no hard and fast rules, about the frequency and duration of sheepdog training sessions, but it’s counter-productive and even dangerous to work the dog until it’s exhausted. Learn how your dog’s behaviour can indicate when to stop a lesson. Although tiredness can help to slow the dog down, you should stop training before the dog becomes too physically or mentally fatigued.

LOOK BACK!

How to train your dog to ‘look back’ for sheep that are behind it. This could be sheep that have separated from the group, or we might want the dog to bring sheep from another location. It’s useful for dogs that don’t bring all the sheep. Once the dog has learned the ‘look back’ command, use it as soon as you see sheep left behind. The dog will quickly learn to keep its sheep together.

BRONWEN AND SCYLLA (9 parts)

Nine valuable and interesting tutorial videos comparing the training of two litter sisters, with very different temperaments.

Follow Bronwen and Scylla along their sheepdog training journey where their differing personalities are reflected in the quality of their work, particularly when they’re first introduced to sheep.

BALANCE, WHAT’S THE POINT?

Sheep and cattle dog trainers often refer to ‘the point of balance’ but what exactly is it, and how can it help us teach our dog to work sheep or cattle? In this short sheepdog training video tutorial, we discover what exactly the ‘point of balance’ means, and the effect it has on sheepdog training. Surprisingly, the point of balance is not always found on the other side of the sheep!

THE TRAINING RING (2 parts)

You can’t train a dog to work sheep if it constantly chases them away! A simple training ring of the correct size, makes teaching your dog a lot easier. It’s one of the most useful assets that help us to train a farm or ranch dog. The closer you are to your dog, the more control you have over it. The training ring also helps with more advanced work such as driving and shedding.

GET (THE SHEEP) OFF THE FENCE!

To avoid the attentions of a dog, sheep will cluster tightly against a fence or hedge. Inexperienced dogs can find it hard to get them away from there, but this video shows how to overcome the dog’s fear of going between sheep and a fence, and remove them from it. You’ll also learn how to use the dog’s instinctive ability to circle the sheep, as a tool for moving them into the open field.

MOVING OUT – INTO THE OPEN FIELD

Getting your trainee dog to bring the sheep out of the training ring cleanly, can be difficult. The sheep usually grasp the slightest opportunity to bolt, and this often results in an ugly chase. This tutorial shows how to use a simple routine to get sheep out of a training ring and into the open. A method which also greatly increases the chance of a smooth transition through gateways.

THE OUTRUN (3 parts)

To gather sheep, your dog must do an outrun. Good outruns are the cornerstone of a good sheep dog. They’re not difficult to train, as dogs love outruns! Learning to do them improves other aspects of the dog’s work, such as flanking, working distance, and the stop. Because dogs enjoy doing outruns we use them as stress-relieving treats when teaching more difficult work.

GIVE THE SHEEP SOME SPACE!

A common reason for sheep herding not going well, is the dog being too close to the sheep, and upsetting them. The dog must give the stock plenty of room. Of course there are times when the dog needs to be close and assertive, but usually, the less the dog pressurises sheep or cattle, the better. Instruct your dog to give the sheep space in early training. It will pay you dividends.

STARTING A NON-STARTER (2 parts)

To find out your dog doesn’t want to work, can be disheartening. You may be able to change the dog’s mind though. As with most aspects of training dogs to work stock, if you understand what’s happening and why, there’s a better chance of putting things right. Learn ways that you could spark your dog’s natural instinct for working in this two-part online sheepdog training video.

CALM, BUT FIRM

Dogs which are too hard on the sheep, but run away as soon as the trainer attempts to correct them, are among the most difficult dogs to train. When schooling a farm dog on stock, it’s important to appear calm, even if you’re not! It’s not easy! Audrey fits this description perfectly. She refuses to go ‘Away’ around sheep too. But with patient, firm control, Audrey makes good progress.

BACKWARDS IS THE WAY FORWARD!

The most important exercise you can do once your dog has basic control of the sheep. It’s boring, and may appear pointless to the novice. Done properly though, it improves the dog’s pace, working distance, stop, sheep control, and much more. The technique involves walking backwards with the dog bringing the sheep up to you, at the pace you walk back. A highly recommended exercise.

BACK TO FORWARDS!

The next step, once you and your dog have mastered “Backwards is the Way Forward“! As the dog brings the sheep up to you while you walk backwards, turn around and walk forwards! It shouldn’t take much more training before the dog responds by bringing the sheep up along behind you nicely, even when you’re not watching it! Teaching your dog will become far easier, and progress quicker!

STICKY DOGS!

“That dog’s got too much eye”  is what some trainers say when a sheepdog appears mesmerised by the sheep, and won’t move. We don’t like the term ‘too much eye’. It suggests there’s something physically wrong with the dog. There isn’t though. What people refer to as ‘too much eye’ is simply the dog’s lack of confidence. It’s also not difficult to correct if you understand what’s happening.

TRAINING MAX – THE GRIPPER! (3 parts)

Not for the faint-hearted! One of the most difficult aspects of teaching a sheepdog is coping with a very strong-willed dog which persists in violently attacking the sheep. In part one of the video, you’ll see Max at his worst, despite his trainer being vigilant, but with care and the use of a rope-chain, the lessons pay off and the bad boy soon begins to make progress.

STARTING A RELUCTANT DOG

If your dog doesn’t show any interest in working sheep, there are things you can do to boost it’s confidence and encourage it to get involved. Most dogs are over-excited when they first encounter sheep or cattle, and the trainer must do their best to protect the stock. Occasionally though, the dog takes no interest. Watch how Maisie’s dormant instinct comes alive in the training ring!

CLOSE WORK (2 parts)

Bringing sheep to you in the open field is great, but your farm dog’s capable of doing much more to help you. Efficiently moving sheep around at close quarters as well as taking them to fresh pasture, putting them in and out of yards, pens buildings and races, are essential tasks for farm dogs. In part one Carew and Tess take sheep through a gateway into a field – and back!

SENDING THE DOG THE WRONG WAY!

No, not a mistake! The technique we call ‘sending the dog the wrong way’ widens the dog’s flanks around stock. It’s not easy to describe in print, but easily understood when you see the video. Sending the dog the ‘wrong way’ is a great training technique to get a dog to give the sheep space as it works. Once you can achieve this, your dog’s well on the way to becoming a fine sheepdog.

FLOCK WORK

A dog working a flock of sheep seems perfectly natural activity to us humans. We don’t see the transition from training to farm work, as a problem. For a trainee dog though, it can be a huge step, similar to when the dog was first introduced to sheep. The flock work sheepdog training video tutorial has some great ideas which will make your dog’s introduction to flock work a lot smoother.

THE SHEEPDOG WHISTLE (2 parts)

How to blow the notorious shepherd’s whistle! If you find your sheepdog whistle difficult to blow, you’re not alone. Many people find it tricky to master at first, but this his video will teach you how to blow a sheepdog whistle. Part two shows how to get your dog working on whistle commands. Unless your dog is in the advanced stages of training though, there’s really no need to hurry.

SOMETIMES NICE IS NOT ENOUGH

Does your dog need more “GRRRRR”? It’s fine training a dog to keep back from the stock and not upset them, but what can you do if the sheep refuse to go where the dog’s trying to put them? For their own welfare, sheep, cattle or other farm stock must be treated for ailments and managed. That means we need to teach the dog to get tough sometimes. Give your dog’s confidence a boost!

TESS IN THE OPEN FIELD

Highly recommended. This sheepdog training video is a complete training session, packed with important training examples. Watch Tess learn to widen her flanks, and not cross over on her outrun or split the sheep up. We also encourage her to work more calmly around the sheep, and come away from them more reliably. In addition, she gets an introduction to driving. Plenty for Tess to learn!

WHY YOUR DOG SHOULD FLANK BOTH WAYS

Just as most humans are left or right-handed, the majority of herding dogs favour working in one direction over another. But this is simply a habit that can fairly easily be trained out of the dog. This video emphasises the importance of teaching your dog to go both ways around stock. Find out how to train a dog to work farm livestock properly and go both ways around the livestock.

MY DOG’S NO GOOD

Don’t believe it! As long as your dog is a herding breed with an active hunting instinct, willing to work for you, and physically fit, it’s able to work livestock to a reasonable standard. Farmers, shepherds and handlers often assume a dog’s useless because it’s working badly, when it’s probably their own fault, for not properly instructing or showing the dog what they want it to do.

DRIVING (3 parts)

Some sheepdog trainers dread teaching their dog to drive, because driving the sheep away from the handler, is the opposite of what the dog’s been taught in its basic training. The dog’s hunting instinct tells it to capture the sheep. If you understand what’s going on though, it becomes much simpler and more enjoyable, for dog and trainer, as it learns to drive sheep.

INSIDE FLANKS – CIRCLE ON COMMAND (2 parts)

Once you can get your dog to take a few sheep fifty metres or so (50 yds) away from you, and then flank the dog 360° around them both ways fluently, you could say you have a highly trained dog! Inside flanks are essential if you’re teaching a sheepdog trials dog. It takes patience and determination to teach, but the dog’s confidence and its control of stock will improve a lot.

WOOLLY JUMPERS!

Sheep jumping out of the training area, don’t just disrupt the lesson. They can injure themselves and also damage fencing and hurdles into the bargain. Sheep learn very quickly from each other, so if you do nothing about it, before long, you’ll have a whole flock of jumping sheep! Learn how to minimise the likelihood of your sheep learning to jump out of the training area during classes.

USE A REWARD TO GET TRAINING ON BOARD!

Dog won’t get into the car, truck, quad or tractor? Poor Odo went to a sheep farm, but his new owner brought him back a few days later. He couldn’t get Odo into his car to go to work! That was a pity, Odo was working really well. Getting a dog into a vehicle is a very simple matter – if you know what to do! Learn how easy it can be to persuade your dog into a vehicle in a few minutes!

ELIMINATE THE TOILET BREAK

A farm dog that stops to relieve itself can lose control of its sheep or cattle because it’s no longer concentrating on them. If this happens in a sheepdog trial, you’ll lose a lot of points. You might even be disqualified. There’s no need for it though. Learn how easy it is to teach your dog to toilet on command before the dog works, and soon the dog will take care of the matter itself.

NO EXCUSES PLEASE!

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking your dog’s work is good when it’s not. (It happened to me and my first dog Dot, years ago)!  Novice trainers are often over-eager to move-on with their dog’s training. Some even overlook bad habits which the dog adopts to get the job done quickly. Find out how to train a farm dog to work better, and accurately assess the dog’s skill level.

EVE AT THE PEN

A complete training session. This is another important tutorial in our video library. Watch Eve learning good pen manners, getting sheep into a tight spot and back out again, and boosting her confidence and control. Eve’s basic training is in place, but she still shows typical weaknesses for a sheepdog learning to herd sheep. Her stop’s not 100% reliable (yet) and her flanks, one-sided.

SHEDDING

Shedding contradicts rules we’ve taught the dog so far. In early training we insist the dog keeps the sheep together. To shed sheep however, the dog must part them! Some dogs take readily to shedding, but a large number of young dog’s are confused and even worried by it. As with so many things we teach a trainee sheepdog, the secret is to make the task as easy as possible when we start.

EDUCATING GLORIA!

This is Gloria’s fourth training session, with well-dogged sheep. The video shows how to train a dog to work stock using techniques seen in other tutorials, including the training ring; training stick; reinforcing the stop, and flank commands; widening flanks; taking sheep out of the ring (whoops – the wrong way!) and dealing with gripping. Gloria’s no angel, but we think you’ll like her!

SHEEPDOG TRIALS – GETTING STARTED (2 parts)

Two videos, delving into competitive sheepdog herding trials in the UK and other parts of the world. They’ll give you a great understanding of how a sheepdog trial is run, as well as how to prepare your trials dog for your first event. There’s also a clear description of how a sheepdog trials course is set out. What to do and what to avoid at sheep dog trials, is also covered.

SHEEPDOGS TIME-OUT!

Following on from “An Insight Into Pack Behaviour,” we present a captivating video from our sheepdog training library, “Sheepdogs Time Out.” This video features four chapters from our second DVD, “Border Collie Sheepdogs & Friends – Still Off Duty!”. “Sheepdogs Time Out” offers 17 minutes of engaging Border Collie content, with practical training lessons from “Super Sheepdog” Kay.