Herding dog
Commonly mustered animals include cattle, sheep, goats and reindeer,[6] although it is not unusual for poultry to be handled by dogs.
The main task for dogs in the early stages of cattle breeding was protecting herds from a variety of wild predators, that were very numerous.
Shepherd dogs are mentioned in the Old Testament, the writings of Cato the Elder and Varro, their images are found in works of art created more than two thousand years ago.
[10] From the regions of Western Asia, herding spread to west and north, followed by an increase in the number of domestic animals.
After the extinction of large predators in most of Europe and Great Britain, with the massive spread of sheep breeding and with an increase in the share of cultivated and populated land, the main task of herding dogs was to protect crops, private and protected areas from harm during grazing and moving herds.
With the spread of reindeer breeding among the northern peoples, hunting spitz-like dogs were "retrained" into shepherds.
The coat has structure and density to protect from getting wet and temperature extremes common in the region of the breed origin.
Economic studies in Australia have shown that herding dogs are worth more than five times their cost, including training and maintenance.
They retain their herding instincts and may sometimes nip at people's heels or bump them in an effort to 'herd' their family, and may need to be trained not to do so.
Their owners need to maintain their physical and mental health, taking into consideration their herding instinct and qualities.
The services of dog-trainers are in demand, along with the training centres for working and sporting herding dogs, offering sheep rental and walks in the pasture.
[12][13] The combination of quick learning ability, physical strength, endurance, predatory behavior with dedication to the owner and a desire to work has led to the widespread use of large European Shepherds for a number of other civil and military jobs.
These are the most common police and military dogs employed in the guard, search, rescue and other types of services.
Here, border collies and other strong-eyed herding dogs are used to patrol crops, residential and recreational areas, parks, beaches, golf courses and, above all, airports.
[16] Such events are particularly associated with hill farming areas, where sheep range widely on largely unfenced land.
These trials are popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Chile, Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand[17] and other farming nations, and have occasionally even become primetime television fare.
[6] The world record price for a working sheep dog was broken February 2011 at the auction at Skipton Market, England, with £6,300 ($10,270) for Dewi Fan.
