Is she herding

[DixiesDad]

A lot of you will remember Lady and her story. I have always felt she might have been someone's working dog, and lately she has been showing traits that have kept me wondering. When I let everyone out for the afternoon exercise at first she use to take off on her own, then she started staying close to us, and now she concentrates on the two pups. As they play and move around she circles them always facing inward. She seems to press in from one side to move them in the direction she wants. When it appears she has them where she wants she just stands motionless facing them with her head down and ears facing them. When they split up she'll let the one go and stay on the one in the space she has marked. If I am in the yard nearby she will sometimes look at me, so yesterday when She had them stopped and she looked toward me, I made a sweeping motion to the left. My jaw dropped as she immediately circled them to the opposite side, stopped and looked at me again. Unfortunately this is the only thing I can get her to do. What really puzzles me is she only started this in the last 3 weeks. Aren't they amazing? It doesn't matter if their young or old! No issues here I just wanted to share. Wish I was more experienced or she could talk.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

She's not really herding, as she can only actually do that on herd animals, if you know what I mean. She's kind of going through the motions, like a kid who lines up a bunch of chairs, gets in the first one, and says it's a train and he's the engineer.

 

I wouldn't encourage it. I know it looks cool but as she gets desperate to do what she wants, she can make a real nuisance of herself. Instead, teach her games where you direct her here and there - touch games, if you have access to agility equipment that's perfect, hide and seek where you put her in a down/stay and hide, hiding an object and directing her to it once she knows directions you teach her. If she chases a ball, it's very easy to teach directions.

 

Good luck!