Duck herding with sheep dog

[katharinad]

Go bother some sheep, hayseed: Hillary the border collie makes the social blunder of trying to herd red-carpet VIPS at the posh opening of the Purina Event Center in Gray Summit, Mo.

Photo: Elie Gardner / St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 

[duckluv]

Ha!

 

[GrannySue]

My sister has had a couple of Border Collies. The kennel where they came from also has a training facility for flyball and herding. Runner ducks are also bred there, just for the herding aspect.

 

[beardiemom]

Very nice shot! We have Magpie ducks that we are using for herding practice with our bearded collies. We haven't dressed them up though

 

[love_a_duck]

Quote:
Now, you know beardiemom, they must be dressed up, and video taken of the whole herding practice with your bearded collies.
Why?
Because I wanna see it!

I didnt know ducks were used for herding practice.
Why is that?

Beth

 

[beardiemom]

Why are ducks used for herding?

Many people who cannot keep sheep will have a small flock of ducks for herding practice. Often they are Indian Runner ducks, but they can also be Khaki Campbells, Blue Swedish, Magpies, or Call ducks.

Our dogs only got to herd once a week and never got over the pure excitement of sheep, so it was hard to get them to the point of "working." Now we have 8 and can spend 15 minutes a day working the dogs with them. Because they are smaller and move slower than sheep, the dogs need to be more considerate and gentle with them. It teaches them wonderful control.

I have some photos, I'll try to post. But no clothes on the ducks (yet).

 

[love_a_duck]

I have some photos, I'll try to post. But no clothes on the ducks (yet).
​

Wonderful! I look forward to seeing them.
Herding dogs are fascinating to me.
Their intensity and focus is amazing.

So the ducks are used say for competitions?
I must find some herding competitions.
Stat!

 

[tia]

There are some u-tube videos of border collies with Indian Runner Ducks - fun to watch.

 

[beardiemom]

Here is a photo of the dog's first introduction to ducks last week. This is Rupert, 9 years old.

The ducks were in a dog's exercise pen so we can make sure that they wouldn't hurt the ducks.

This week we changed over to a larger exercise pen with the dog on leash inside the pen. That photo will come next.

 

[love_a_duck]

Quote:
thank you tia.