Posted: 26.06.09 20:57. Title: Herding in breeding

I just wanted to ask how many breeders are interested or even using "herding dogs" in their breeding?
I know in US they officially compete in herding, but over here it is not yet possible. I am a member of our
Finnish Collie Associations new working group which is aiming to change all
of that. We are aiming for official herdingtest, which is made by a
official herding judge of Finnish Herding Association and it purely
messures dogs willingness and capacity to work with the animals (mainly
sheeps). Former this kind of test have been availabe, but only unofficial. How many breeders regonaize this test and messure their
breeding with it? My dream is that one sunny day collies would be seen also in official competitions in herding, not just
in aglity or obedience ect.

Now, I would be really interested to hear about herding in other countries and your opinon of it.
As a small-scale smooth collie breeder, I would love to know your own opinion about
herited herding instict. Should it be saved? Is there any reason for it? And how does it pass on? I have followed many border collies as they do
their job with the sheeps and I must admit that it is amazing. I wonder if there is any other breeders, who would like to
increase the value of herdingcabacity in our breeding. I would hope that more and
more breeders would regonaize that collies indeed can, and should, do the
work they were intended to do as herding dogs!

What I am also interested is, is it possible to have important new blood
somewhere in to my own breeding WITH cabacity of
working "lines" in herding? How do you feel about your dogs passing down
their workingcabacity in this matter? I am training my dogs also for
obedience and agility, but herding is to me, above all.

I hope I wrote clearly, my english is not at its best...

-Hanna-

 Posted: 16.10.09 16:24. Title: Hello to all! :sm36..

Hello to all! Sorry for my uncorrect Englsih - I use on-line translator for the faster transfer I hope it comprehensible enough

Here in Russia we have "almost official" test only in one place, it is in Moscow region. So having test is a difficult task for all who live not in Moscow or Moscow region. I and my moscow puppies are have Some advantage
At present moment we (russians) have some testing smoothies:

- My Natalain Normandia is energetic and impudent . She does not like to be trained CORRECT herding. She always takes offence, when I force her to be fixed or I change a direction of her movement ("leeeeeeeeeeeeffffft-left-left! LIE!!!!!!!!! now riiiiight-right-rigt")... or something else. She likes only "natural" shepherd's behaviour . Hooligan-girl...

















And a little video http://video.mail.ru/mail/emiliyan25/_myvideo/6.html

- Natalain Prime Minister - As Duna has already told, Vovan has shown the very strongly expressed herding instinct. I consider that if Duna with Vovan lived more close to Moscow region and would have possibility to go on employment Vovan easily would receive the working certificate on this discipline. Here`s some pictures (clickable)







Duna tries to lay him to replace a direction, but he is very-very hazardous



- Grazel Antares (Helga Neitin Tsaari Timo*Nat.Normandia). Antar for the first time almost has not shown the shepherd's instinct, but he have very purposeful owners, and now they have started to go to be engaged. Antar has started to show interest to sheep







- Grazel Abissal has shown some interest to sheep. I think, in the presence of regular trips to sheep, her interest to them too would increase (she live in Murmansk, it`s near Finland)





Ohter smoothies (Grazel Aquarelle for Natalain, Natalain Tarielle, Talisman, Triumph, Hailory Hope) have not shown interest to sheep, but also fear too. Simply herding is not their path As time has shown, they are masters absolutely in other areas

Now briard`s & border`s kennel "Nafani" (organizer of "the herding movement" in Russia) use the best efforts that the shepherd's test became officially recognised i.e. that enthusiasts could receive the working certificate on the dogs. And though it while has occurred only for borders (and I consider as it already much), but all of us are glad that our smoothies have not lost the working essence.

PS. While we do not have possibility to go on studies, my Dolli tries to graze ducks on a wood pond

 Posted: 16.10.09 17:32. Title: That's great and..

That's great and bon continuation as they say in France.

 Posted: 20.10.09 21:11. Title: Shame on me, i thoug..

Shame on me, i thought i had answered to this topic long ago...

I did herding training with Skip when he was younger, about 11 months to 1,5 years. We did it only occassionally because we live in the city centre of vienna, so ther aren#t many sheep arround as you could guess
I think about continueing with my training as soon as I fonished Skips InterCh. and have to look if there is a trainer more closely to vienna, because we had a one-hour-drive from vienna to the trainer i used to go to.

Skip showed a lot of interrest and behaved very well at first, but generally he doesn't like to be sent away from me, which is necessary in herding of course. i hope we can work on this and improve his self-confidence at the same time

 Posted: 20.10.09 21:13. Title: PS: there are pictur..

PS: there are pictures at my homepage here, its in german but just scroll down to the botton part of the gallery:

http://www.braveheart-cody.de.tl/Welpe-und-Junghund.htm

 Posted: 06.01.10 20:36. Title: Some video with my N..

Some video with my Natalain Normandia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EnLXwqSQ_s

 Posted: 04.08.10 17:42. Title: Hello again! I have ..

Hello again! I have created a new fanpage in to facebook http://www.facebook.com/#<\/u><\/a>!/pages/Smooth-collie-herding/111100578941937?ref=sgm
It is my dream that people would send their pictures and links to herding videos & photos on our wall so that we could find as much information about collie herding as possible. Welcome to explore! :)

Hanna

 Posted: 04.08.10 18:54. Title: At the moment I am t..

At the moment I am taking lots and lots of pictures from the american Collies in herding, as we go every wednesday to train 3 of them. So I will post the link to my facebook album to your page and you can all have a look :) Two weeks ago we had a herding instinct test here and all smooth collies passed!