The Herding Dog Breeds: Did Your Dog's Ancestors Have a Job?

It's easy to guess why German Shepherds were originally bred: To herd sheep and other livestock. Other dogs originally bred for bossing the livestock around are the Shetland Sheepdog, the Australian Shepherd, and the Australian Cattle Dog. And of course, the beloved Collie dog, including the Bearded Collie and the Border Collie. But that's not all: the American Kennel Club recognizes 22 breeds as belonging to the herding group.

The herding dogs were bred to have high energy and high agility, and they have those traits to this day.­They do not respond well to unemployment; they need a job to do to be happy. They are task oriented and extremely teachable. They excel at obedience, which is why training them is so rewarding. Whether you need a guard dog, a dog who protects your children, or a dog to become a celebrity for catching frisbies in the air and dancing with you, these are the dogs to select. But, if you have nothing more in mind than a dog to lie around the house or hang out at the end of a tether, don't get one of the herding dogs. You will have a frustrated unhappy dog who may even engage in some destructive behavior.

Both German Shepherds and Collies have a heroic side to their natures, which has been heralded in stories and movies. In fact, two of the most famous movie star dogs are herding dogs: First, Rin Tin Tin, probably still the most famous German Shepherd, who was found in an abandoned German trench in France in 1918 by an American officer. Rin Tin Tin's amazing intelligence and love of exploits went on to make movie history as he became the consummate professional. He could stay motionless for as long as thirty minutes or jump from the second story if the shot called for it. He had his own limo, dressing room, production unit and personal chef, who prepared steak for him. His stardom rescued Warner Brothers.

And then there is Lassie, whose traits of intelligence, loyalty, and protectiveness were exaggerated to the point that she/he seemed to be the most intelligent being on the Lassie TV show. Since the 1943 movie, Lassie Come Home, eight generations of Lassies have warmed hearts and thrilled families. But Lassie, unlike Rin Tin Tin, was trained and groomed for the screen. "Lassie is unique in another way - the world's most famous collie is perhaps the world's most famous female impersonator: Lassie was a male, and his real name was Pal. In fact, all of Pal's descendents who played Lassie were male as well. Male collies were preferred for the role because they tend to be larger and more outgoing than females," according to Alex Lieber at PetPlace. Guess nobody wanted to change the series' name to "Laddie."

Of course, there are many other movie star dogs who were not from the herding breeds: Toto, Old Yeller, Benji, and Petrasche in "A Dog of Flanders," to name a few. But that's for another article.

HERDING
"(e.g., Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Bearded Collie, Border Collie, Collie, German Shepherd Dog, Shetland Sheepdog among others. ) Bred to manipulate and protect livestock either independently or as a partner with their human guardians. These are very high energy dogs, and while they are generally quite people-oriented, they also have a independent streak. These dogs need jobs to do, and if under-exercised and/or bored, they will find things to do, and those things will not always to acceptable to their humans (e.g., rounding up kids in the neighborhood, destructiveness). These dogs excel at obedience, agility, fly ball, and, of course, herding. They need supervision around small children as they have a strong tendency to chase and nip, behaviors well-suited to their role as herders, but problematic for people." (AKC)

Sources:

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/the-true-story-behind-hollywood-s-top-dogs/page1.aspx

http://www.dogsgossip.com/dog-movies.html

http://www.akc.org/breeds/herding_group.cfm