Training Australian Shepherd Dogs
Often shepherd dogs are used to do the rounding up job. There are people dedicated to train these dogs, look after their welfare, and supervise the activity. At a big ranch your job will be interesting and rewarding if you can train a dog perfectly.
Shepherd Dogs can be Trained to Guard and Muster Livestock due to their Highly Obedient and Trainable Character
Shepherd dogs have distinct instincts, which make their personality strong. Efficient trainers will use this quality so that the dog can employ its instinct gainfully. Training a shepherd dog is fun as long as you know how to work with dogs and quite at ease in doing the job.
In ranches where there can be different types of livestock, such as bison, sheep, cows, buffaloes, and pigs, rounding up or cattle driving can be dangerous and tiresome. There are some trained shepherd dogs which help the rancher to muster livestock, act as a stocking dog, or guard a particular shed or gate.
Unique Characteristics of Australian Shepherd
Generally, the Australian Shepherd is used as a stock dog in the ranches or cattle stations to help with various activities related to the livestock. As the dog is intelligent, trainable, energetic, and sociable animal, it can perform chores as that of a service dog. It can use its incessant barks to tame and guide an unruly herd as well as listen to the commands of its master very patiently.
Pre-Training Commands a Shepherd Dog
Training a dog to work in the ranches can be easy only when you have taught it some basic commands. Before learning the fine tricks of dealing with livestock, the dog must know basic commands, such as ‘come’, ‘down’, ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and so on.
Remember, Australian Shepherds are very energetic dogs that require exercise daily. If you don’t allow it to run for sometime during the day, it can go aggressive and become hyper.
You can engage and focus the dogs with such job work as they are highly agile, hyper-active, and intuitive. As the dog is patient, it can be trained to utmost perfection even for an intricate task.
Training a Stock Dog
As Australian Shepherd dogs are agile and social, a part of the training deals with games where they need to fetch and bring an object. Once they do the job well, they can be treated with something tasty.
The other way of training a dog, is to use a clicker. The idea is to condition the dog to obey certain commands —say, clicker sound. The clicker training will also allow the dog to be alert and start off with its job right away. In cattle ranches where animals often stray off, the dog must be agile and alert to round up the herd immediately.
Banking on the Temperament
Shepherd dogs are instinctively herding dogs which are ready to confront the stock. It however, does not mean that it is aggressive bad-tempered dog which will bite a human for nothing. It will judiciously follow its objective.
The dogs are noted for barking at the animals to get their job done. You can also get much more if you keep it away from fear and encourage it for all the positive chores it does.
Do you require some details on how to train an Australian Shepherd dog or are you ready to train your dog yourself? To get the right information or training tips, contact our counsellor.
