FAST FACTS
A well-defined hunting instinct is an important determination of a dog's ability to herd stock efficiently.
At the start of a dog's training, the farmer may be taken aback by the dog's apparent aggressiveness towards the stock.
Stock learn very quickly that a calm dog can be calmly obeyed.
The image of a sheepdog herding a flock of sheep is synonymous with small-stock farming across the world. Herding dogs have been an essential part of livestock production since the late 1500s, according to historical records.
Sheep and cattle dogs are generally controlled using different whistles to indicate which action the farmer wants the dog to perform. While sheep and cattle dogs rely on instinct to herd animals, training is still required.
Andy Nickless has been training sheepdogs since 2002. He is based in Worcestershire in the UK, where he runs seminars for farmers on how to train their dogs.
Nickless says one of the first challenges farmers run into
