A GLOSSARY OF HERDING
TERMS
For New Border
Collie Trainers
Click to check out the Border Collie Herding Page!
Listed
below are a number of common terms you will hear associated with herding.
It is not meant to be all inclusive nor is it meant to provide the only
definition of each term. You may expect to hear slightly different
usages, but at least after looking over this glossary you will have a good
beginning understanding of herding terminology. If you would like to
contibute alternative definitions or would like other terms listed, please contact
Richard Whorton, awho@duke.edu.
HERDING INSTINCT in Border Collies is often referred to as an aborted
prey instinct; that is, they stalk and eye stock (their prey) in much the same
way as wild dogs hunt prey. Herding dogs, however, don't (or shouldn't)
follow through with the kill. Many other breeds exhibit various forms of
prey drive. For example a Jack Russell Terrier may chase sheep around a
round pen like a young, inexperienced Border Collie - but they clearly don't
have the ability or talent to become a herding dog. Thus herding
instinct is much more than prey instinct and includes a number of inherent
behavioral traits that allow a dog to effectively work stock.
Basically anything that the dog does naturally in working stock can be thought
of as being part of their instinct. This includes, gathering/heading
behavior, eyeing, balance, wearing, pace, flanking, and a number of other
responses to stock. Many of these aspects of instinct are not apparent on
initial exposure of a dog to stock and can only be evaluated with training and
careful observation in different situations on stock.
A Border Collie is said to have HERDING ABILILITY if he can use these various aspects of herding instinct to effectively accomplish a job. Obviously, different dogs have varying degrees of ability (different amounts and combinations of instinctual behaviors) and thus will present a whole range of training challenges and problems from easily trained to very difficult. Herding ability in a Border Collie allows the dog to apply his instinct and develop capabilities with each exposure to stock. For example the distance a dog works off stock, the amount of eye the dog displays, the keenest with which he works, etc, increases as the dog learns how to apply his instinct in various situations. Certainly, an important aspect of herding ability is being able to learn valuable lessons from the stock. These lessons are often the best learned and allow the dog to work independently when required, that is, they respond appropriately to the stock. In addition to the above, enthusiasm for work, strong desire to please (biddability), endless energy, and courage are traits that figure importantly into herding ability in Border Collies. A Border Collie without the ability to use his instinct and to learn from his handler and stock is not much more useful to a farmer than a Terrier with lots of prey drive.
HERDING TALENT in a Border Collie usually refers to attributes in a dog that make him an exceptional herding dog. Talented Border Collies have precise balance, the correct amount of eye (and an understanding of how to use it), natural pace, natural square flanks, and an understanding of how to hold himself off stock. They are able to work independently at distances, think on their own (and make the correct decision), deal with stubborn stock that a less talented dog couldn’t handle. They possess and understand how to use power and have the strength and knowledge to deal with a reluctant sheep. Dogs with talent learn quickly from experiences on stock and easily master difficult situations. Without some talent it is very difficult to train a herding dog - that is, the dog can have all the instinct in the world but no ability or talent to use it.
HERDING INSTINCT EVALUATIONS are commonly done by many organizations. They are useful because evaluations provide an opportunity for BC owners to see their dogs react to sheep. For many this first exposure leads to more training and hopefully to herding titles and a better understanding of what herding ability and talent are. However, herding instinct evaluations are not a reliable gauge of herding ability. In many cases they are nothing more than a test of prey drive and certainly don't measure ability or talent. Training, exhibiting and using the dogs for farm work are the only mechanisms to accurately evaluate what ability/talent the dog has. For breeding purposes we have to be very careful not to over interpret what herding instinct means. While instinct certification could suggest that you have something to work with if you want to do herding, it might also simply mean the dog is having fun chasing sheep and will never have a clue about herding balance, how to do an outrun, how to gather sheep, how to handle a single, etc. We have to be truthful to the public by explaining these limitations when selling puppies. In the best of all worlds we should do more to evaluate true herding ability before breeding. If we don't we could easily end up with lots of BCs that have all the herding instinct of a Jack Russell Terrier and no talent to use it.
The GATHER is instinctual in Border Collies and consists of 3 parts; the outrun, lift and fetch. Many times at sheepdog trials a tie will be broken with a "silent gather" - the dog is sent to gather the sheep to the handler's feet without a single command. This instinct and natural ability is what defines a BC and separates it from all other herding breeds.
The OUTRUN is the first part of the gather. The outrun is where the dog runs out to get behind stock off in the distance. As the dogs runs out, he should be casting out (moving off the center line to the left or right depending on the direction he was sent) and looking in for his stock. As the stock is spotted, the dog should hold himself off at an appropriate distance such that he can get behind the stock without upsetting them or causing them to move in a direction other than toward his handler. The outrun ends when the dog begins to approach the stock in a manner meant to cause them to move from where they are standing.
TheLIFT is defined at the instant the stock begin to move off of the spot where they have been standing. It is that magical moment in which the dog communicates an understanding between him and the stock such that the stock will go where dog asks/tells them. This is probably the most important part in any gather, it sets the tone and tempo for all that follows. In that split second a dog can communicate any number of things to its stock - assurance, dominion, fear, aggression, weakness, etc; depending on the dog and its attitude toward work and stock. The ideal is a calm assurance where the stock seem to float from the spot where they had been, comfortably giving control over to the dog, not terrified and not wondering if perhaps this dog can be challenged and beaten.
The FETCH is the last element of the gather and consists of the trek from the lift to the handlers feet. The dog should maintain a position that keeps the stock calmly moving directly toward the handler, moving himself around as needed to keep the stock moving in a relatively straight line. The stock should be brought calmly to the handler, not rushed, not run, but also not allowed to dawdle.
The DRIVE is the controlled movement of the stock in any direction other than directly towards the handler. This includes driving the stock away and/or across the field. Driving can be difficult for Border Collie since their primary instinct is to gather and bring the stock to the handler. To drive requires that the dog understand DRIVE BALANCE and INSIDE FLANKS.
The term WEAR is used in two different ways. One
refers to a dog keeping stock bunched to his handler as his handler walks in
the field. The other refers to a dog that is fetching stock and whipping
back and forth behind the stock. This action is necessary on larger
groups of stock, in order to keep them bunched and to hold balance. When
seen on smaller groups of stock it usually reflects a dog that doesn't want to
or know how to pick the balance point and stay on it or just doesn't want to
slow down behind the stock.
A FLANK is the movement of a dog around its sheep in response to a command from the handler.
Typically, a SQUARE FLANK, is movement at a 90 degree angle from the line in which dog is traveling or standing. When the dog turns squarely, he releases a bit of contact on the stock moving further away rather than just maintaining his distance as he goes around. This allows for a more precise way of moving stock since the initial movement of the dog takes pressure off the stock and doesn't change their speed or direction. At the end of the flank, he comes back onto a more concentrated contact.
An INSIDE FLANK is when the dog is asked to come between the stock and his handler. This is very difficult for a Border Collie as his instinct and breeding direct him to be on the opposite side of the stock in a position to gather. However, Border Collies can be taught to refocus some of that gathering instinct and to drive stock away from the handler. The inside flank becomes important when the dog is driving stock away from the handler and the dog is asked to come between the sheep and the handler to change the direction the sheep are moving. Left to operate on instinct alone, a Border Collie will *always* choose the shortest path to get himself into a position to gather the stock to the handler and thus prefers to go around on the outside (shortest path) rather than the inside (longest path). The area between the stock and the handler is a very uncomfortable one for most Border Collies.
A SLICED FLANK
or TIGHT FLANK is a less-than-square
flank. This type of movement is very upsetting to stock. Border
Collies work by "heading" stock, working (concentrating) on the heads
of stock and making them move by influencing where their heads are facing and
moving. Movements concentrated on rumps or shoulders are inefficient and
leave stock feeling threatened and unsettled. The ideal is to move stock
calmly, in a settled fashion, without causing undue stress. Slashing
movements in the field of vision of the stock are counter to this goal. A
square flank allows a Border Collie to slip out of the range where it is
affecting the movement of its stock and then slip back in at the appropriate
point where it can again influence their heads.
A dog has COVERED its stock when it has gone far enough around to have affected all of the animals. This doesn't seem so important when talking about gathering up a few animals, but Border Collies were bred to gather many animals spread over many rough, uneven miles of terrain. Even on a few animals, a dog that doesn't cover his stock is likely to leave behind stragglers and is not communicating a proper attitude to its stock.
A dog is maintaining CONTACT with its stock when it is in a position to effect its stock.
HEADING is the act of affecting the heads
of the stock. A Border Collie is a heading dog, it moves stock by moving
the heads (the tails will follow). If stock is running away, a heading
dog casts out and around the stock and heads it to stop it.
BALANCE is the ability to hold stock to a particular line or point. A Border Collie balances stock to the handler naturally, bringing it in a straight line directly to the handler, by controlling the heads of the stock. The BALANCE POINT is the particular point or spot a dog must be in to cause the stock to move or continue to move directly toward the handler. This point is constantly changing from moment to moment as dog and stock move. It is a Border Collie's unique talent to find and know this balance point. A more advanced dog that has been trained to drive stock away from the handler will also learn to hold DRIVE BALANCE. Basically, this dog can be set in motion driving stock in a certain direction and he will maintain balance and continue to drive the stock away on that line.
A Border Collie works stock by using EYE, an intimidating sort of stare/eye contact. Border Collies have varying degrees of eye. A very loose-eyed dog doesn't use that calm, intimidating manner of movement as much as a dog with more eye and has more trouble moving stock calmly. The stock is upset by the jerky movements of a loose-eyed dog. A very strong-eyed dog, on the other hand, may get into a position to stare at the stock and become completely mesmerized, never following through on that stare with any movement at all. These dogs sometimes end up just watching the stock as they ignore him. EYE is very much tied in with a Border Collie's unique working style and abilities.
PRESSURE is a general term describing more than one thing and might be defined
differently by different people.
--There is said to be FIELD PRESSURE caused by areas on a field where sheep either want or don't want to go. For example, sheep may be strongly drawn to a gate or strongly repelled by a particular pen in a pasture. The dog has to take this into account when deciding where the balance point is on stock. If a field has no pressure, the dog may be able to get directly behind the stock and bring them directly to his handler. However, if the stock really want to move off to one side, the balance point will be somewhere towards that side as well.
--There is also a type of PRESSURE ON THE DOG. When the dog is uncomfortable for one reason or another, he is experiencing pressure. Many things can create this pressure, especially in younger or less-trained dogs. A dog that is in over his head will feel pressure from the situation or from the stock. A dog being asked to do something he doesn't understand or isn't ready for is experiencing pressure from the situation, his handler and probably the stock too. A dog in a tight spot or a situation that he perceives as potentially dangerous is feeling pressure. Different dogs react differently to these pressures. One may bite the stock (GRIP), another may turn and run, another may calmly try to figure things out.
TYPICAL HERDING COMMANDS:
Away to me -- flank
counterclockwise around the stock
Come bye -- flank clockwise
around the stock
Lie Down -- Lie down or stop
Steady -- slow down
Walk up -- approach the stock
Look back -- turn around and
go back for more stock behind you
No photos or images can be taken
from this site without written permission from the owner of the dog. If
you have questions, comments or would like to contribute to this page contact Richard Whorton.
This page was constructed
and is maintained by Richard Whorton.
5/98 revised 8/99