Sheep Dogs
Regret not this year (2011) : Sheep Dogs
Unlike the famous film hound, Lassie, a sheepdog will alwys come home (usually with a few disciplined sheep in tow). Highland Games often include an animal display or a sheepdog competition. The sheepdog trials are a competitive dog sport in which herding dogs compete by moving sheep around fields, fences and gates as directed by their handlers.
A competitive shepherd, keen to show off the skils of his dog, is thought to be most likley to have devised the sport. A well-trained dog and its puppies can fetch a high price. These Highland Hounds start from a young age and practise for hours a day before they can start moving the lamb chops around!
Working dog... Working dog...
So how do the sheepdog trials work?
The dog must leave the handler and fetch sheep some distance away.
The dog must then take control of the sheep and bring them to the handler.
The dog and handler should be able to move sheep into a confined space, typically a pen (but in some trials they are asked to load them onto a vehicle).
It is against a sheepdog's instinct to drive the sheep away from the handler, so an "away drive" is a good test and should be included.
