
Herding dogs are renowned for their intelligence, agility, and unmatched work ethic. Originally bred to assist farmers and shepherds in managing livestock, these remarkable canines possess a natural instinct to herd and protect. Breeds such as the Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and German Shepherd exemplify the traits of a herding dog—keen observation, quick response, and boundless energy. Their ability to understand and follow complex commands makes them not only invaluable working partners but also loyal and trainable companions for active families. Whether guiding sheep across vast pastures or excelling in agility competitions, herding dogs continue to demonstrate their versatility and dedication, solidifying their status as some of the most beloved and respected breeds in the canine world.
There is little that is more thrilling than watching the special partnership between a man and a dog in the field. Making the most of interspecies communication, these teams epitomize a working relationship that has fostered livestock farming for hundreds of years. Without herding dogs, there would have been no British or Australian wool industry and farmers throughout the Old World would have been hard put to get sheep and cattle to pasture and market.
As with hunting dogs, herding and driving dogs developed in each region had their own sets of skills. Some were specialists at gathering sheep in rolling terrain. Some drove livestock to market down country lanes and through village streets. Two drove and herded reindeer. Some worked cattle, some kept to sheep, and some did both. And a few breeds developed to guard as well as drive and herd.
These brief looks at the herding dogs breeds barely skim the surface of these remarkable dogs, but they provide a starting point for those who like to know more. Most of these breeds retain their herding instincts and may nip at the heels of children or herd other pets in the family. When considering the purchase of a herding breed, make sure to ask the breeder about screening for hip dysplasia and eye diseases to lessen chances of buying a puppy with joint or vision problems.
Herding dogs

Australian Cattle Dog
This hardy, pint-sized herding dog was instrumental in building the cattle industry in its native country. Reaching 18-20 inches in height, this muscular breed weighs less than 50 pounds, yet is capable of working equally tough range cattle many times his size. Independent, alert, and courageous, he is well-suited for rough Australian terrain and climate.
The Australian Cattle Dog developed from smooth-coated blue merle Collies crossed with Dingos and from subsequent crosses of the pups with Dalmatians and Black and Tan Kelpies, a native herding dog used on sheep. Collies and Kelpies gave herding ability, Dingos gave toughness and silent working technique, and Dalmatians gave loyalty and guarding ability. The red or blue speckled coat came from crossing the Collie’s blue merle with the Dalmatian’s black or liver spots.
Australian Kelpie
Another specialist from down under, the Kelpie challenges the Border Collie for top Type A canine personality. Show a Kelpie a sheep and he’s rarin’ to go; if there’s no livestock, he’ll herd anything that moves – including children and pets.
The Kelpie uses “eye” to control sheep and nips more difficult-to-handle cattle. He works thousands of sheep at a time, often running over their backs of tight-knit flocks to get to the other side. Although he may range over thousands of acres to collect the sheep, he excels in close work in the paddocks, helping to move the sheep through series of gates with a minimum of fuss.
Australian Shepherd
This breed actually developed in the US but got its name from the Basque shepherds who came to this country from Australia. However, the breed’s ancestors likely came from the Basque region of Spain and Portugal, the original home of the sheepherders.
The breed was developed by ranchers as a herding dog and horseman’s companion and filled both jobs admirably. His herding style is similar to the Border Collie but he is not as intense. The Aussie is hard-working, versatile, intelligent, adaptable dog still used to herd livestock in the western US and compete in herding trials.
Bearded Collie
A native of Scotland, the Beardie is both a herder of sheep and a drover of cattle and sheep. His harsh overcoat and soft, furry undercoat suit him to work in the rainy, cold climate of his homeland, and his independence and skill made him an invaluable worker, especially when driving recalcitrant cattle.
Beardies are relative latecomers to the US, where he is prized mostly as a show dog and pet. The first US litter of this old British breed was born in 1967.
Belgian shepherd dogs
There are four dogs from Belgium in the herding group: the Lakenois, the Malinois, the Turveren, and the Groenendael. The breeds have common ancestry and differ mainly in coat type and color. Developed by breeders in and around the city of Malines, the short-coated Malinois was most popular of the four, but each of the breeds impressed observers with their versatility as shepherds, watchdogs, police dogs, and war dogs.
The Malinois has a short coat in a range of rich brown hues with black-tipped hairs, and his face and ears are black. The Groenendael is long-coated and black; the Tervuren is long-coated and fawn to mahogany with black tipped hairs and black face and ears. The Lakenois is rough-coated and lighter colored (from fawn or sable to gray) sometimes with a bit of white on the chest or toes and always with black-tipped hairs. All four are double-coated.
Border Collie
The Border Collie is a specialist. He herds sheep in his own particular way, using his hypnotic eye and carefully controlled prey drive to pressure the sheep into moving.
The Border Collie is 19-22 inches tall and weighs 30-50 pounds. He is generally black and white but red, blue, chocolate are also acceptable with or without white or tan markings. He is double-coated for weather resistance; the outer coat can be short or long.
Briar
A very old French herding breed, the Briard is both shepherd and guardian. An enthusiastic and versatile worker, the Briard is also an expert tracker and hunter and served the military as a sentry and messenger. Bright, steady, and independent, he needs a firm hand as he can be dominant to people and aggressive to other animals if given the chance. He needs a fair amount of exercise, early socialization, and consistent obedience training.
Canaan Dog

A newcomer to AKC, the Canaan Dog is still feral in its native Israel. An ancient breed, he herded and guarded the flocks of the Israelites, a job he still holds today among the Bedouin and Druze tribes in the Near East.
At first glance, the Canaan Dog does not appear to be purebred, for his curled tail, muscular body, pointed muzzle, and upright ears could belong to mixes of many types. However, the breed is gaining recognition as people learn of its intelligence, trainable character, and hardy constitution.
The Canaan Dog is medium-sized (19-24 inches tall, 35-55 pounds), good with children, and multi-talented. His outer coat is short and harsh; undercoat is soft and very short. He can be predominantly white with black, sandy, red, or liver patches or solid color with or without white trim.
Collie
Born and bred in Scotland, the Collie comes in two coat types – the lush long coat of Lassie, known as the rough coat, and a smooth-coated version in the same colors.
The Collie can gather sheep and bring them to the shepherd and drive the sheep ahead of the shepherd to the barn or market. Tender as a rule but tough when necessary, they are calm with lambs but may body-check rams and cattle to keep them under control. Many Collies are noisy workers.
The Collie is 22-26 inches at the shoulder and weighs 50-75 pounds. Bitches are smaller than dogs. The breed is good with children, easy-going, moderately easy to train, sensitive, and dignified. Some Collies are high-strung and must be accustomed to strangers at an early age.
German Shepherd Dog
Easily the most recognizable and versatile breed in the world, the GSD retains strong herding instincts even while he serves man as companion, military and police officer, search and rescue teammate, contraband detective, arson expert, guide dog, assistance dog, therapy dog, family and business guardian, and obedience, schutzhund, tracking, or agility competition dog. About the only thing the GSD doesn’t do is hunt game and pull carts or sleds.
The GSD is 22-26 inches tall and weighs 65-100 pounds. He can be black, black and red, black and tan, sable, or white. The German Shepherd Dog Club of America and the AKC do not accept white dogs, but the United Kennel Club has recently recognized them as White Shepherds, a distinct breed.
Kerry Blue Terrier
A rather strange addition to the herding dogs is this terrier from Ireland, an all-around working dog that hunts small game and birds, herds sheep and cattle, retrieves shot game, and guards farm and home according to his master’s needs.
Kerry size has a narrow range. Ideal is 18.5 inches for a dog, a bit less for a bitch with a little leeway in either direction. Weight should be 33-40 pounds. The coat is soft, dense, and wavy. Puppies are born black; the coat changes to steel blue or silvery gray at about 18 months.
Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
The second of two herding breeds developed in the US, this breed is the state dog of Louisiana. Better known as a boar-hunting dog and guardian, the Leopard Dog is also expert at herding wild and Brahmin cattle. The breed developed when livestock were turned loose to fend for themselves, then were rounded up for market or branding. The Catahoula dog found the stock and brought it back to the cowboys, not by pressuring the animals from behind, but by antagonizing the animals to chase them – right into the hands of their masters. The method is a far cry from the studied control of the Border Collie, but it works.
Tough, agile, fearless, and intelligent, the Catahoula Leopard Dog is 20-26 inches tall and 50-95 pounds, with females at the lower end and males at the upper. The breed developed from dogs abandoned by Spanish explorers crossed with Indian dogs living with the local tribes. The Cat is a dedicated guard dog and hunting companion and can be a faithful family pet if socialization and training begin with young puppies and continue throughout the dog’s life.
Old English Sheepdog
The OES or Bobtail is a drover’s dog traced back about 150 years in western England. The breed was used to drive cattle and sheep to city markets. Speculation places the Bearded Collie in its ancestry, but as with many breeds, early records were either lost or nonexistent.
The OES is 21-25 inches tall and weight 60-90 pounds. He has a shaggy double coat, long on top and thick underneath and need frequent brushing to prevent mats and tangles. Coat color ranges from gray, blue, and grizzle to blue merle, usually with white markings.
Although he is good with children, good-natured, and sociable, the OES has a stubborn streak that can make him difficult for novice owners. He needs firm handling and gentle training; jerking and hitting can make him nasty.
Puli
Like the Australian Kelpie, the Hungarian Puli jumps on the backs of sheep, but he rides the animal to turn the flock in the right direction instead of using the woolly backs as stepping stone to the other side of the flock.
The Puli is small as sheepdogs go. Standing no more than 18 inches at the shoulder and weighing about 30 pounds, this hardy dog is highly intelligent, assertive, and inquisitive. He is also bouncy, a characteristic that gets him on furniture and counters as well as the backs of sheep. As a pet he needs firm and fair obedience training – jerking or hitting may make him bite – and plenty of exercise for his body and mind.
Samoyed
Another breed that is seldom considered a herder, the Samoyed was an all-around worker for the Samoyed people in eastern Siberia. A member of the spitz family of breeds, the Sammy did everything for his people from warming beds on bitter cold Arctic nights to herding the reindeer that provided milk, meat, and skins to the tribe.
The Sammy is 21-23.5 inches tall and weighs 55-70 pounds. Females are smaller. His outer coat is long and weather resistant; his undercoat is soft and insulating from harsh Arctic winds. Usually white, the Sammy can also be cream or biscuit or white with biscuit markings.
Shetland Sheepdog
The rugged, inhospitable Shetland Islands were home to hardy people, sheep, and the Shetland Sheepdog, a cousin to – not a miniature version of – the rough and smooth Collies of today.
In keeping with his small island home and the small sheep he worked, the Sheltie ranges from 13-16 inches tall and weighs 14-18 pounds. However, there are some larger Shelties available as pets although they are barred from the conformation show ring.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
The older of the two corgi breeds, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is the one with the tail. A member of the same family that produced the Dachshund, the Cardi came to Britain with the Celts from Central Europe more than 3000 years ago. An all-around farm dog, the Cardi had an invaluable skill: he could drive off the neighbor’s cattle from the home dooryard as well as send his owner’s cattle to graze on the common lands owned by the king. The little dog nipped at the heels of the cows, then dropped to the ground to avoid the kick that followed. In this way, he nettled the cows to the grazing lands.
The Cardigan is 10.5-12.5 inches tall and weighs 25-35 pounds. His double coat is weather-resistant and can be brindle, black, black with tan markings, blue merle, sable, or red. He is easy-going, spirited, and dependable but can be a barker.
Herding dogs are truly remarkable companions, whether they are working alongside farmers or joining a family as a beloved pet. Their intelligence, energy, and dedication make them unique and invaluable. Understanding the traits and needs of herding dogs can help ensure they live happy, fulfilled lives, whether they are herding livestock or participating in agility sports. We hope this overview has given you a deeper appreciation for these incredible breeds. If you have a herding dog, we’d love to hear your stories and experiences—let us know in the comments how your furry friend has enriched your life!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are herding dogs good family pets?
Yes, herding dogs can make excellent family pets. They are loyal, protective, and great with children. However, they require plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to stay happy and well-behaved.
How much exercise do herding dogs need?
Herding dogs need a lot of exercise—typically 1-2 hours of vigorous activity per day. This can include walks, runs, playtime, and training sessions.
Do herding dogs require special care?
Yes, herding dogs require special care to keep them healthy and happy:
Exercise: They need 1-2 hours of vigorous exercise daily to burn off their high energy levels.
Mental Stimulation: Engage them in activities like agility training, puzzle toys, and herding tasks to keep their minds active.
Grooming: Regular brushing is essential, especially for long-haired breeds, to prevent matting and shedding.
Training: Consistent, positive reinforcement training is important due to their intelligence and strong work ethic.