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  • From: "Shelley Pasco" <whistle AT halcyon.com>
  • To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re:border collie pup as herd protector
  • Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 18:37:00 -0800

Title: Re:border collie pup as herd protector
Liz, about the border collie pup and chickens--

You may already know that the herding instinct is a human modification of the prey drive. Basically what happens is in herding is that we train the herd-dog to "fetch" the flock, or "prey" to ourselves, the alpha "dog". In dog culture the alpha dog does the killing and assigns roles to the lesser dogs. We stop it at the point where we pen the flock.

My experience is that if you leave the dog alone with the flock, he WILL take some of the prey. I presently have a cattle-dog/border collie cross that I am taking to herd-dog school, and hopefully he will be able to help in moving my pigs and chickens. I was explicitly told by the instructor not to leave my pup alone with the livestock, and even not to let him near the livestock off-leash until he learned voice control. That is, the commands that will stop him in his tracks. Also, keep in mind that border collies are among the smartest dog breeds, and keeping company with chickens may be too much to ask of him.

If you ever intend to use him for herding, you must NEVER correct him for chasing the livestock, and the easiest way to do that is not let him near it.

My previous australian shepherd pup was killed by a car last summer, and he was a proficient chicken killer (he licked them to death) even at just 5 months old.

Shelley
Whistling Train Farm
Kent, WA
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  • Re:border collie pup as herd protector, Shelley Pasco, 01/30/2000

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