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My daughter has taken our shepherd out to a herding class today and he passed class 1. What does this mean. We show and have no concept of the timeline in taking a dog through herding titles.

She was told she needs to join a certain club to be able to get his herding titles, is this the case? Or does he just need to join to train and then go to VCA herding events to gain his title.

Apparently he herded sheep today without touching them so we are pleased but totally in the dark.

Please someone turn on the light for us?

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EF no idea about the class 1 thing, but all we did was join the WA ankc club and start entering in trials. We're fortunate because WA is so small we train & trial with the same group of ppl, but anyone with a registered dog should be able to enter an ankc trial. You start with an instinct test which is just whether the dog has sustained interest in stock and can recall from them, then 2 more levels of (fairly easy) tests before you start competing :)

Edit - we took about 6 months from starting to train to entering trials, but that is way more than you need. You can enter an instinct test without much training at all. We've been herding for about 12 months (but with no training over summer) and our dogs have all their tests done and have their first trial in 2 weeks.

Edited by Weasels
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The owner and handler just need to be Dogs Vic members the same as for a show. The instinct test they have to have seen sheep before the test but it can be performed on lead. It is just to show the dog has a sustained interest in stock.

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and does the instinct test have to be done at a particular event?

It needs to be performed at an ANKC herding trial. Trials are entered the same way you enter shows, usually on the same form with Instinct Certificate put in the space for trial class.

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There is a trial at Nyora at the end of this month - run by the Aussie Shepherd club, schedule is not up yet but should be soon.

The vicherding site has the schedules uploaded when available http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/vicherding/

Looking at Dogs Vic events calendar, looks like there is a VHA trial on the 12th and 13th of May - generally tests are run on the Sunday.

There is usually at least one ANKC herding trial a month between March and October/November, so there's plenty of time.

Get as much training in before you start, makes it all a lot less stressful on the day :-)

ETA: Just need to be reg with Dogs Vic to trial, no need to join a particular club. Herding rules are on this page http://www.ankc.org.au/Rules.aspx to give you an idea of what is required for an instinct certificate and herding test. Herding test is the first title (HT).

Edited by superminty
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Did a bit of herding with "the girls" a few years ago

"Phoebe" did really well with the sheep but wasn't interested in the ducks.

"Gracie" thought the sheep weren't fun then when on the ducks she thought the drake was so interesting she plucked feathers from his butt!

needless to say we never went agan lol

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let us know how you go at your trials.. joining a club is not "necessary" but it supports that club and in turn the club supports you...

I'm president of the all breeds herding club of wa.. to enter our trials you dont need to be a member.. but its great to have members in our club.. and I look foward to seeing everyone of them and the non members at trials.. in some of the others states there are a few clubs that herd, we are the only one in WA..

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They probably just meant that you join Vicherding so that you get the list of trials. It seems the best place of info. You can join the Yahoo list (that Superminty put up) without joining the club though.

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