Is It Possible?

[MonElite]

that my DOBERMANN wants to herd?

I have chickens and at first she tried to chase them and I guess kill them. they were in an enclosed area and she never suceeded. I trained her not to hurt them, and they now can be let out with the dogs.

Its been a week or so now when we let the chooks out when the dogs are out and each day I notice that Divani displays herding behaviours!

I know nothing aobut herding, but I noticed that she does the stalking movements, that when one chicken separates from the group she will go around and bring it back to the group, she does the low head, lowered body posture all the time, but yesterday and today she even did the drop, like a border collie would do :rolleyes:

Now this is a Dobe, I never thought this breed had anything with herding........

Opinions welcome.

[ruthless]

Ivan likes to herd too... can I bring him over to herd your chickens :rolleyes:

[MonElite]

We can take Ivan onto the golf course and see first how he goes with the resident duck over there.

If he passes he can than herd my chooks ;)

BTW Divani wants to kill the Muskovy duck on the golf course pond, she herds our one :rolleyes:

[Poodle wrangler]

I have a miniature poodle who's pointed before (nose forward, tail out, front paw up) while keenly listening to the kangaroos near our place ;) .

If a poodle can point, can a dobe herd?

The drop you describe sounds like what some dogs do at our local dog beach- see dog, low crouch, drop, wait ...... then launch a surprise dog play "attack" after a quick circle. Mini poodle does this, too.

:rolleyes: but was annoyed on your behalf when reading "Dog's life" magazine (impulse purchase): Had a photo showing a couple of dobes in a play bow, teeth out (as in playing) with a mention below about "dog aggression." ;) . Photo of editor shows she has 2 dobes, too ;)

They also crossed captions to label a toy poodle a standard and vice versa- only 25kg size difference .

Doesn't someone with a little dog experience proof-read this crap?

[MonElite]

If a poodle can point, can a dobe herd?

The drop you describe sounds like what some dogs do at our local dog beach- see dog, low crouch, drop, wait ...... then launch a surprise dog play "attack" after a quick circle. Mini poodle does this, too.

No its not this type of a drop, she never does this with other dogs.

Admitedly she did one bow towards the chooks few days ago, but not since, and she seems getting very serious about the whole thing

And both of my dobes point all the time, but to me this is explainable given the history of the breed making.

My girls in whatever she does is very serious about doing it, when I take her lure coursing she gets fruitloopy, I started teaching her tracking, I ahve trouble holding her just before the start, when she barks she barks. Now this! She is jumping out of her skin each morning when we let the chooks out!

Where do I sign up to do the herding instinct test?

[montall]

When I was in highschool, a long long long time ago, I had a friend who's pet pig would herd the chooks. We thought that was pretty unusual at the time but obviously since then we have learned that herding is in the breed, remember Babe.

[Janba]

Herding is a modified hunting instinct where instead of killing the prey the dog brings it back to the pack leader. Colin Webster says there are two types of dogs when it comes to herding, the gatherers and the killers (not literally) that follow from the way a pack of wolves or dogs hunt. The gatherers drive the prey to the killers for the kill and as these instincts are still in most dogs I would say you have a gatherer.

[MonElite]

thanks Janba. That makes perfect sence.

So Divani is a gatherer, Rex is definitelly a killer.

Almost like human male and females, istn it?

[Tonymc]

Well said Janba. Tony

[MonElite]

Sorry I better add.

Rex has not killed any chickens, but he behaves completly diffferently around them to Divani.

He wouldnt hurt them, but loves and opportunity to chase one from time to time.

[sidoney]

One of the Vizslas I bred helps round up the cattle on the cattle property where he lives.

[wolfgirl]

Why not try a herding workshop and see how they go, they are great fun and it's all very well controlled I took Bear for his first go a couple of months ago, have never done this before and we both thoroughly enjoyed the day.

[Kelpie-i]

Certainly not impossible to see a non-herding breed of dog herding. After all, herding is shaped from the primitive instinct to hunt and Janba put it very nicely.