Lin Daugherty Herding Clinic

These are my notes from teaching clinics on the subject of livestock handling and herding dog training, given by one of the most gifted herding teachers I have ever met. Lin Daugherty was my mentor for many years and what I learned from her was beyond price. These clinics were aimed at people who were complete herding novices and whose dogs were mostly AKC breeds, ie loose-eyed upright dogs .

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Notes from Lin Daugherty Herding Clinic

(transcribed and augmented by Pam Green)

(from notes taken at clinic given in June, 1988 & Oct ,1991)

Orientation

This clinic deals with teaching handlers to understand dogs and livestock and is oriented towards practical livestock management , not simply stockdog trials.
Trialing started because of farmwork, not vice versa. When the needs of the farmer/rancher are forgotten, trials become artificial and may reward qualities of no practical value. When handlers become obsessed with prizes, they forget to be friends with their dogs

Handler's attitude

NEVER forget that your dog is your friend!
The handler must provide calm , self-assured leadership.
You must keep your temper -- or abandon the lesson. The handler cannot control dog if cannot control self .
You must learn to keep your voice calm and soft. Loudness and shrieking alarm livestock and either frighten dog or send him into frenzy
Herding is teamwork and communication. The dog must know what you want in order to do it. And you have to help your dog get the job done more easily.

Livestock knowledge

The handler's knowledge of stock is essential for successful work with stock.
The dog inherits much knowledge; the handler has to study and learn to earn knowledge
All proper livestock handling seeks to minimize stress and exertion for stock. Stress is harmful to weight gain, wool production, reproduction
Pressure points :

Livestock (prey) are always looking for an escape from the threat posed by the dog (predator).
The handler must not block the route he wants stock to take. If handler is in the way , stock will either run over handler or split around handler
The handler is usually perceived as a potential or actual threat (predator); but stock may learn to rely on handler to protect them from dog.

All stock judge a dog's strength ("power") instantly at first sight.

Species of livestock

Ducks

excellent to start dog
to slow dog down
to build dog's confidence
for dog and handler to learn commands
handler can easily keep up with stock and position self to influence and control dog
inexpensive & easy to keep
mixed flock will tend to split into family groups
duck breeds

Indian Runners : fast & sensitive to dog's movements; flock together well
Khaki Campbells : similar to Runners, not quite as fast
Mallard

Sheep

The dog must work wider off sheep than off cattle

Generally loose-eyed dogs naturally tend to work closer, but can be taught to widen out

Dog's jigging , bouncy gait disturbs sheep

Walk or pace is smooth, trot is usually bouncy and disturbing
Bouncing hair of long coated breeds can make the trot and gallop seem even more bouncy, jiggly, as well as making dog look even larger.

Handler's art of "reading sheep" = watch sheep's head carriage to see where and how fast sheep will move

head up & alert = aware of dog
head up & nervous= about to explode
wait for sheep to relax before you try to move them
handler and dog must reduce pressure (threat) on sheep
head down & relaxed = will move at steady gait
head down below shoulders = plodding or ready to stop and stick
nose on ground = bothered by flies; sticky

Flocking behavior : sheep that are not used to living together will not flock together : will split into groups according to flock of origen. Sheep of different breeds will not flock together well : will separate into breed groups. Some breeds are tighter flocking and some are looser flocking.
Sheep's "pressure points" (sheep are attracted towards)

usual feeding and resting places
shade in hot weather
want to travel into wind (to be warned of predators) or accross wind

Sheep become sticky (unwilling to move) when

hot and / or tired
going downhill with full stomachs
going into water
from sun into shade (hidden predator) : will leap over a stripe of shade
unsure of footing ; on poor footing
with tailwind
difficult situations
groups smaller than three especially singles
ewes with new lambs will fight to protect lamb who can't flee
heavily pregnant ewes do not want dog near udder
ewes with lambs separated will seek to rejoin lambs

sheep in strange area will be spooky : don't know escape routes and safe havens
range sheep are more spooky and quick to react as compared to more handled sheep
breeds

blackfaces : scatter more than whitefaces, ie less flocking instinct; dog must use more pressure to keep flock together. Hampshires easier to move than Suffolks; don't start dog on Suffolks.
whitefaces

Rambouillet good herding sheep ; good for starting dogs: flock tightly, drive well; hard to shed
Dorsets more jumpy
Polypay nice for starting dogs, but not genetically well fixed & don't have good rate of gain
Shropshire herd well with a bit of excitement; smallish, with good meat
Cheviots are flighty, jumpy, screwball -- as dificult as Barbados
Southdowns work well, flock well

Barbados (hair sheep; look goatlike)

very light and flighty;
flock well when calm; split if spooked
leap if startled : will leap into or over handler.
excellent for intermediate & advanced dogs
more stamina and heat tolorance than woolies

cattle
never start dog on cattle

too much risk of dog getting hurt or killed !
too much risk of handler getting hurt
encourages dog to be too rough on stock

cattle shy away from people

hard to fetch
hard for handler to position self near stock so as to influence dog

cattle do not flock together closely : dog must wear a lot to re-group , keep grouped
mother cows with young calves fight dogs -- very dangerous !!
type of dog needed for cattle

highly confident dog
loose-eyed , closer working dog has advantage
barking can be useful, but often indicates lack of confidence (high pitched yapping)
must nip at head and heel when needed to move or turn cow; but must have sense not to get kicked , run over. must nip only when it is really nescessary and not just to start a rodeo.
must be controllable so as to allow cattle peace when they are moving as you desire them to : constant harrassment makes cattle fight
jigging, bouncy gait doesn't bother cattle

breeds

blackface cattle harder to work than whitefaced
Brahma more difficult, spooky
dairy breeds have less flocking instinct than beef breeds

Stockdog work

starting the young dog

Wait on Nature = don't start pup too soon

young pup's attention span is very limited
confidence is easily shaken
pup under 6 mo is too young to work
tie pup nearby to watch
occasionally let run around outside of round pen

dogs are inherrently right-handed or left-handed

notice the pup's preferred direction of circling movement in play
then when starting on stock, begin in preferred direction
later, work more often in non-preferred direction untill dog becomes ambidexterous

making a stockdog takes a long time

plan on (at least) 6 months to teach all basic commands and 1 year to perfect them
even a precocious dog won't be ready to trial for 2 years, won't be polished till 4 years

try to see something beginning to go wrong and then start fixing it, rather than waiting untill it's a firmly established bad habit
build distance from you to dog slowly : if you cannot control your dog when he is close to you , you sure can't when he is far away
puppies grip out of fear, not out of strength
puppies bark out of fear , excitement, confusion
some breeds are more vocal, eg Kelpie
barking is useful in some situations, eg to move a large flock down a lane
don't work pup when you are tired, grumpy, etc
don't work pup on stock that may fight or charge
dogs differ in the amount of pressure they can take from the handler
essential commands

"whoa" = to halt , and "stay"
"come" or "that'll do" = stop working and come to the handler
"get out" = to increase distance from stock

training equipment

collar

flat collar is least inhibiting
according to dog's temperment, may need slip-chain ("choke chain") or pinch-collar ("equalizer") for control
remove tags (or tape them) to prevent jangling : jangling irritates stock; interferes with dog's attention on handler's commands

tie chain :

lightweight & chew-proof
secures dog while others are working
tie dog short and low : don't risk dog getting hung by the chain

long line

initially 20-30 feet, later 10 feet, later 2-3 ft
light smooth cord without knots; snap on one end
you may want to wear light gloves to protect hands when working keen young dog
used in teaching control, especially whoa
can be helpful in beginning to teach driving

muzzle

(not needed for most dogs, but occasionally useful)
used to keep handler calm when starting fiery or aggressive dog : "takes the worry out of being close"
choose one with free airflow, eg wire-basket

PVC or other longish pole

used as a "stop sign" to block dog from going wrong direction
used to haze dog out wider off his stock
later will be replaced by short, light pole or shepherd's crook
crook is a shepherd's tool used to catch sheep by neck and used to influence sheeps' movements (eg at pen)

shepherd's whistle

at close range, irritates sheep
useful for long distances, windy weather

demonstrations of basic training

use of round pen (stock inside; dog outside) to start outrun, widening , flanking , down , walk-up
the outrun, lift, & fetch

balance point for lift and fetch is not nescessarily at 12 o'clock
the balance point must offset the pressure points so that stock's heads are directed towards the handler, thus dog may need to stop outrun before or after 12 o'clock in order to make straight lift
dog's path on fetch may be parallel to stock's path in order to offset attractive or repulsive influences.

eg the exhaust pen (other sheep) is almost always a strong attraction
other dogs' threats are a repulsion

cross-over a grave fault : when sheep reach the place where the dog crossed, they will often balk, acting as if they smell the dog or otherwise think he might still be there

crossdrive : you can see that sheep are balanced on straight path if you don't see too much heads or tails, ie want to see pure sideview
penning : send dog around back of pen to block escape efforts, ie in opposite direction to side towards which sheep are trying to escape

the farm dog course (everyday practical situations & tasks)

dog's behavior on leash
going through gate politely
demeanor while handler engages in conversation with strangers (visitors, customers, etc)
recall with halt mid-way
waiting in the pickup truck & recall from truck past stock to handler
dog holds sheep against fence or corner while handler removes ribbon from one sheep's neck as if handler were giving shot or checking hoof
dog moves sheep from one place to another, then holds sheep within a marked circle as if handler were inspecting stock
dog and handler pen sheep in freestanding pen

farewell & parting thoughts from Lin Daugherty

I hope you have enjoyed yourself , learned something new, and have a greater appreciation of the value of a working farm dog
The dog is the farmer's best friend !!
You are always welcome back to learn more

site author Pam Green	copyright 2003
created 1988, 1991	revised 7/15/03
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