Dog Breed Questions

Border Collie

Shetland Sheepdog

German Shepard

Collie

Old English Sheepdog

Dog Breeds in the Herding Group

Formerly the dog breeds in The Herding group were members of the Working group, they are now the newest members of American Kennel Club. All of the breeds in this group have the ability to control the movement of other animals, and their owners if you let them, especially young children. These dogs are highly intelligent, make wonderful companions, and respond well to training.

Border Collie

A Border Collie is intelligent, agile, and very obedient. This sensitive breed thrives on praise from their owners. However in order to keep this breed happy they need lots of activity and exercise to keep them from becoming overly aggressive. If they are left alone for extended periods of time they become bored and exhibit destructive behaviors. They do not like other animals such as cats, and do not like young children.

Shetland Sheepdog

Known for its beauty and kindness the Shetland Sheepdog is a popular companion dog. They are sensitive, loyal and very lively. They do not trust strangers or children that are not family members. Extensive socialization is a must when they are puppies to avoid instances of a noisy persistent bark. An important factor to be aware of, they love to chase things, especially cars: never allow a Shetland to run free near a road, as this can spell disaster for the dog

German Shepard

Direct, fearless, eager, and alert the German Shepard is used quite often as a working dog. They love their families, but are very very wary of strangers. This breeds strong protective instinct causes them to be overly aggressive and guarding of their owners and family, therefore early socialization and dog training is a must. These dogs are task oriented and need a job to be truly happy, that is why they make excellent service and rescue dogs.

Collie

Being good natured, noble, and kind makes the Collie a great family dog. They make a good companion for children because they are playful, yet gentle. Being wary of strangers they can sometimes be a bit stubborn. You will need a dog trainer who is also gentle as they can be willful and refuse to cooperate. They are not overly aggressive, but are suspicious of people they do not like.

Old English Sheepdog

It may be hard to believe but many years ago the Old English Sheepdog used to be regarded as fierce and untrustworthy. In reality this breed is very loving and gentle. They make a good family companion dog because they love kids. Additionally they like to relax by alone. they don't mind not be entertained all the time. Even though they are gentle they can also be very independent and strong-willed, (they like to do things their way) therefore this dog will need some stern training. Keeping them motivated works best.