DUCK HERDING is a sport?! O.O

[nao57]

So yesterday I was looking around for some information on duck research. I happened to do some of the searches on Youtube in order to find several points of view.

But by accident, I was able to find mention of this subject; 'duck herding'.

And it seems its a sport in the UK?!

How did I not know this? (Granted, I haven't had ducks long.)

But I put a few links, so you can see it. And it seems both interesting and raises questions about how animal intelligences work.

But to be fair, some of the videos about this sport seemed unfair. Some of them were 'cheating' by having more dogs than ducks lol. That seems like a cheat, because its not sustainable to have more dogs than ducks. That would be like going in a high school and having more teachers than students in a room.

It raises the question also; if you were nomadic in life style, or just moving the ducks around to more than one field, could you move them from one pen one day to a different pen another day, and so on if they were trained enough? And is it possible for them to be trained to do such a thing without the 'duck herder' suffering from stress and failure?

It seems like some of the videos about this, the duck herders don't always have dogs.

This part seems neat too.

Wonder what you think about this?

And even though I'm not British, I find this to be an interesting sport to be appreciated.

Now if you could make teenage kids chase the ducks like the dog that would be even more amazing!

I'm guessing you'd have to be careful to not overstress the ducks also.

 

[Jpat]

Haha I think the concept is based in showing the dogs skills not the ducks, ducks are probably the best substitute for sheep

 

[Teneniel]

Try your hand at googling Indian runner ducks dressed up, which is something I stumbled upon when going down my initial rabbit hole of research.

apparently it’s a big thing in Australia

but yeah I think that runners are a good sub in herding competition because they have a strong flocking instinct. It’s interesting and I’ve been watching training videos to get my dog doing the basic commands. She loses interest quickly though

 

[DuckyDonna]

The woman we got one of our border collies from lives in N. GA and she uses Indian runners to train her dogs at times. It's more of a competition for the dogs, not the ducks as @Jpat said. She goes all over the country for the competitions as well as overseas.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would rather see them herd sheep than ducks. I feel sad for the ducks. My ducks herd real good. If you start them off young they learn what you want pretty quick. I can now get out my old mop handle( with out the mop) and soon as they see it they are up and ready to go.

 

[Knighstar679]

I have done herding training with my dogs. Some breeds are very good and gentle with ducks so are better suited. But usually duck herding is actually considered harder for the dogs to do as the flight zone on ducks is much smaller and more sensitive than sheep.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just see stressed ducks I know my Runners would be.

 

[nao57]

I have done herding training with my dogs. Some breeds are very good and gentle with ducks so are better suited. But usually duck herding is actually considered harder for the dogs to do as the flight zone on ducks is much smaller and more sensitive than sheep.

So does that mean some breeds train better? And if so which ones? Are they smarter?

 

[Teneniel]

Herding is a trait people breed for. I have a standard humane society mutt for example and she’s smart, I can train her to do what I ask, but she doesn’t have the natural drive to “herd” my kids when they run around. She also sees my ducks and rabbits and just wonders why they won’t play with her.
A herding breed would see them and think “THEY ALL NEED TO BE IN A PILE”

 

[Teneniel]

Edit to add I meant to quote Miss Lydia oops! Better drink my coffee ️


I’m an odd - wait for it - duck
and while they’re fascinating to watch, the idea of compartmentalized competitions if that nature are hard for me as well. I love the idea of 4H and have been a leader in horse programs, but some part of me twinges at the stress on the animals when it comes time for transport.
But in our world, I do see the value of keeping old skills alive in whatever ways we can until they’re needed again. I just wish it wasn’t so flashy and commercialized and loud, yknow?
That being said, I can’t turn away when I see old Derbies at Spruce Meadows on TV.