A World of Herding Dogs
Links and information about many stockdog breeds
Breeds developed in response to local situations and needs. In many cases, the work required versatility, while in other cases there were particular conditions that led to some specialization. Conditions could change over time. The Way They Work provides a view of many of the tasks of stock-working dogs. The Border Collie Museum website has an excellent overview of herding dogs worldwide, with many photos.
Some breeds have pages galore, others have at most a mention in passing on a general list of dog breeds. I have tried to include pages that provide information or the most direct links to pages with such information. If you know of a page which should be included on this list, or come across any broken links with regard to any of links set out below, please let me know.
ALTDEUTSCHER SCHAEFERHUND / ALTDEUTSCHER HUTEHUND:
Altdeutscher Schäferhund / Altdeutscher Hütehund -- the principal herding dog in Germany, which retains the earlier variety in coat, color, and type. In the 19th century, some of these dogs were at work in America, too.
Arbeitsgemeinschaft zur Zucht Altdeutscher Hütehund (in German)
Interessengemeinschaft Altdeutscher Hütehund (in German)
APPENZELL MOUNTAIN DOG:
Appenzell Mountain Dog Club of America
AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG:
Australian Cattle Dogs On-Line
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE:
Working Kelpie Council of Australia
North American Australian Kelpie Registry, Inc
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD:
The Working Aussie Source -- dedicated to the working Aussie stockdog
Australian Shepherd Club of America
A View of Australian Shepherd History
AUSTRALIAN STUMPY TAIL CATTLE DOG:
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Club of NSW
BASQUE SHEPHERD:
Perro de Pastor Vasco/Euskal Artzain Txakurra -- shepherd dog of the Basques of Spain
BEARDED COLLIE:
Bearded Collie Club of America
BEAUCERON:
American Beauceron Club
Gentilhomme Campagnard (in French)
BELGIANS:
In the United States, the Belgians are considered separate breeds by the American Kennel Club. In other countries, and by the United Kennel Club, all four are considered varieties of one breed.
United Belgian Shepherd Dog Association
BELGIAN LAEKENOIS: American Kennel Club Belgian Laekenois information
BELGIAN MALINOIS: American Belgian Malinois Club
BELGIAN SHEEPDOG (GROENENDAEL): Belgian Sheepdog Club of America
BELGIAN TERVUREN: American Belgian Tervuren Club
BERGAMASCO SHEEPDOG:
Bergamasco Sheepdog Club of America
BERGER PICARD:
Breed information
BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG:
Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America
BORDER COLLIE:
International Sheep Dog Society
American Border Collie Network
All About Border Collies
U.S. Border Collie Handlers Association
Border Collie Museum -- articles about the history and lore of the Border Collie and related breeds
BOUVIER DES ARDENNES
Bouvier des Ardennes
BOUVIER DES FLANDRES:
North American Working Bouvier Association
American Bouvier des Flandres Club
BRIARD:
Briard Club of America
CAN DE PALLEIRO (Galician Shepherd Dog):
Can de Palleiro
Club Can de Palleiro -- breed club (in Galcian)
CANAAN DOG:
Canaan Dog Club of America
CÃO DA SERRA DE ARIES (PORTUGUESE SHEEPDOG):
Portuguese Sheepdog -- breed information
CÃO DE FILA DE SÃO MIGUEL (AZORES CATTLE DOG):
Azores Cattle Dog
CAREA LEONES:
Carea Leonés - Shepherd dog of the León region of Spain (in Spanish)
Carea Leonés, Shepherd Dog of León - by José Luis Prieto Morán (in English)
CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG:
Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog
CATALONIAN SHEEPDOG (GOS D'ATURA):
Catalan Sheepdog -- breed information
CHODSKY PES or BOHEMIAN SHEPHERD:
Chodsky Pes, from the Czech Republic
COLLIE (ROUGH AND SMOOTH):
American Working Collie Association -- promoting the working abilities of Rough and Smooth Collies
Collie Club of America
COOLIE (see also KOOLIE)
Australia's German Collie -- Some Background on the Coolie/Koolie
CROATIAN SHEEPDOG:
Croatian Sheepdog
CUR BREEDS:
The Cur breeds were developed from the all-purpose dogs used for stock work and hunting by early settlers in the U.S. -- "Old Yeller" was a dog of this type, as are the Catahoula, Lacy, Florida Cur, and others. There are a number of local strains of Cur dogs; some are used more for hunting than herding.
Blackmouth Cur
DUTCH SHEPHERD:
Dutch Shepherd Dog Club of America
ENGLISH SHEPHERD:
The English Shepherd Club
ENTLEBUCHER SENNENHUND:
National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association
FINNISH LAPPHUND:
Finnish Lapphund Club of America
Finnish Lapphund Club of Canada
Finnish Lapphund Club of Great Britain
Original Reindeer Herder (in Finnish), with many photos
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG:
German Shepherd FAQ
German Shepherd Dog Club of America
GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG:
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
ICELANDIC SHEEPDOG:
Icelandic Sheepdog Association of America
Canadian Icelandic Sheepdog Club
KOOLIE (also COOLIE):
Koolie Club of Australia -- the Koolie, one of Australia's oldest working breeds
LACY DOG
Texas Lacy Game Dog Association
National Lacy Dog Association
LANCASHIRE HEELER:
Lancashire Heeler database and archive
The United States Lancashire Heeler Club
LAPPONIAN HERDER:
Lapponian Herder
McNAB:
McNab Shepherd Historical Society -- comprehensive history of the McNab breed
MINIATURE AMERICAN SHEPHERD/MINIATURE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD:
Miniature American Shepherd Club of the U.S.A.
Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America
MUDI:
Mudi Club of America
Mudi Association of Canada
The Mudi, Hungary's Driver Dog - The Mudi at work
NEW ZEALAND HEADING DOG:
New Zealand Heading Dog -- New Zealand Farm Working Dogs: Heading or Eye Dogs
NEW ZEALAND HUNTAWAY:
Huntaway
NORWEGIAN BUHUND:
The Norwegian Buhund
Norwegian Buhund Club of America
OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG:
Old English Sheepdog Club of America
OLD FARM COLLIE/CLASSIC COLLIE/FARM SHEPHERD:
American Working Farmcollie Association
Old-Time Scotch Collie
Scottish Collie Preservation Society
OLD GERMAN SHEPHERD (see ALTDEUTSCHER SCHAEFERHUND/ALTDEUTSCHER HUETEHUND)
OVELHEIRO GAUCHO:
The Ovelheiro Gaucho, from Brazil
Gaucho Sheepdog
PASTOR DA MANTIQUEIRA (MANTIQUEIRA SHEPHERD)
Pastor da Mantiqueira, a Brazilian shepherd dog
PASTOR GARAFIANO
El Perro de Pastor Garafiano, from the Canary Islands
PICARDY SHEPHERD -- see BERGER PICARD
POLSKI OWCZAREK NIZINNY (POLISH LOWLAND SHEEPDOG):
American Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club (APONC)
Canadian Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club
PORTUGUESE SHEEPDOG -- see Cão Da Serra de Aries
PULI:
Puli Club of America
Hungarian Puli Club of Great Britain
PUMI
Hungarian Pumi Club of America
Herding with the Pumi in Hungary
PYRENEAN SHEPHERD:
Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America
ROTTWEILER:
American Rottweiler Club
United States Rottweiler Club
SAMOYED:
The Samoyed Club of America
SAVOY SHEPHERD/BERGER DE SAVOIE
Berger de Savoie (in French,)
SCHAPENDOES
The Schapendoes, a shaggy herder from The Netherlands (in Dutch)
Schapendoes (in German)
SMITHFIELD
The Smithfield Dog -- a shaggy herder from Australia
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG:
Shetland Sheepdog history, genetics, and other information
American Shetland Sheepdog Association
Association of Working Shetland Sheepdogs
SHILOH SHEPHERD:
International Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club
Shiloh Shepherd Dog Club of America
SPANISH WATER DOG:
Spanish Water Dog Club of America
Spanish Water Dog Club, UK
SWEDISH LAPPHUND:
Svenska Lapphundklubben (in Swedish)
SWEDISH VALLHUND:
Swedish Vallhund Club of America
WELSH CORGI, CARDIGAN:
The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America
WELSH CORGI, PEMBROKE:
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America
WELSH SHEEPDOG:
The Welsh Sheepdog Today
Welsh Sheepdog, an old strain of working collie from Wales
WESTERWALDER COWDOG (KUHHUND):
Westerwälder Kuhhund
WHITE SHEPHERD, SWISS WHITE SHEPHERD:
American White Shepherd Association
White Shepherd Club of Canada
White Swiss Shepherd/Berger Blanc Suisse
Throughout the world there are breeds or strains of herding dogs bred solely for work, unrecognized by kennel club authorities. Some may eventually be developed into recognized breeds, some may be supplanted, some rare ones may only be preserved at the last minute. Some of these are: In Italy, the Luvin/Lupino del Gigante, the Cane di Oropa/Cane da Pastore Biellese, the Cane da Pastore Apuano, and the Cane Toccatore/Paratore; in France, the Chien de Crau and Berger d'Auvergne; in Spain, the Carea Castellano, Can de Palleiro, Pastor Garafiano, Pastor Mallorquin, Perro Lobo Herreño and others; in Hungary, the short-coated Sinka; in Russia the Nenets Reindeer Dog/ Nenets Herding Laika, closely related to the Samoyed; in the U.S., the Hairy Mouth or Wire Mouth Heeler, with an Airedale background, and a new breed developed as a working cattle dog, the Hangin’ Tree Cowdog, In South America, Patagonian Sheepdogs are spread throughout the pampas regions of Argentina and Chile, descended largely from working collies brought by settlers from Britain intermixed with other local working dogs. Appearance varies considerably, with a wide variety of colors, sizes, and coat types, but the overall impression of many is of loose-eyed working collie characteristics; a beardie-coated type is known as the Barbucho. The book Dog’s Best Friend, Journey to the Roots of an Ancient Partnership, includes a chapter about these dogs. The Ovejero Magellanico is a Chilean dog of this type. Border Collies and Kelpies also are used as stockdogs in Patagonia. Dog breed encyclopedias such as The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World, by Bonnie Wilcox and Chris Walkowicz, give an overview of many herding breeds. History of the Working Collie Breeds by Carole Presberg comprehensively covers collie-related breeds worldwide. Information on a wide range of stockdogs and their work, along with photos and illustrations, can be found at the Stockdog Savvy blog. Many of these dogs can now be seen in action on Youtube.com by searching on the breed name.
General-Purpose Dogs Also Used for Stock Work
There are several breeds which, while not primarily bred to work livestock, included that work among their tasks. These include such breeds as the Kerry Blue Terrier, Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Airedale Terrier, Danish/Swedish Farmdog, Schipperke, German Spitz / Keeshond, American Eskimo, Tibetan Terrier, Giant Schnauzer, Standard Schnauzer, and others.
Mixed Breeds
Mixed breeds have also served as helpful herders, and, as is the case with most other breeds, crosses played their part in the development of many sheepdog and cattledog breeds. Frequently-seen crosses on farms and ranches in America today involve various blends of Border Collie, Australian Shepherd and Australian Cattle Dog (some of these combinations are called "Texas Heelers"). The German Shepherd X Rough Collie was popular as a farm dog for many years in the Midwest.
Livestock Guardian Dogs
These aren't herders, but serve as protectors for the flock, usually living full-time with the animals they are protecting. In some regions there would be both local guardian breed and a local herding breed; for instance, in the Pyrenees Mountains in France the guardian dog was the Great Pyrenees and the herder was the small, active Pyrenean Shepherd. Some of the guardian breeds on occasion would provide a low-key, gentle guidance of the flock, but they weren't active herders, a behavior that would be frowned upon in a livestock guardian breed. Information about these dogs is available at:
Livestock Guardian Dogs (includes an excellent article on the history of breed development applicable to many breeds)