Why Do Border Collies Make Great Herding Dogs?
In our last post, we introduced you to several of our team of border collies. Mack and Cash are excellent geese herders, and Spot and Syd were extreme athletes in their day too. Have you ever wondered why border collies make such great herding dogs? It’s not a coincidence that we have twelve of them on our staff. Every dog breed has unique traits that make them special, and border collie traits make them outstanding geese herders. Here are a few reasons why we use border collies to herd geese at Go Geese Go:
They’re extremely intelligent
As the American Kennel Club puts it, border collies are the undisputed brainiacs of the canine universe. Border collies excel at quickly picking up new commands because they have sharp memories and can understand a wider range of words and phrases than other dogs. Because border collies are so smart, they require a lot of mental stimulation. Geese herding gives border collies a job to do, keeping them happy and healthy.
Since border collies are so smart, they pick up on everything: good and bad. If border collies don’t get enough mental exercise, they can easily get into trouble. Border collies are notorious for finding ways to escape their cages, open doors, chew things up and more. It’s important to keep border collies busy. They’re smart cookies.
They’re athletic
Border collies have an extreme amount of energy. They require a lot of exercise, and herding provides them with a perfect outlet. Border collies love running and are exceptionally agile. Some can even reach speeds up to 20-30 mph. The geese on your property don’t stand a chance.
Since border collies are so fast, they also excel in agility competitions, dock diving, flyball and other canine sports. You’re sure to see at least one border collie in Purina’s “The Incredible Dog Challenge” every year on TV. If you want to adopt a border collie, make sure you have the means to let them run off some of their steam. Border collies thrive with physically active owners.
They’re medium-sized
Border collies are a medium-sized dog breed. By the time they’re adults, border collies are usually around 20 inches tall and weigh 30-55 pounds. Medium-sized dogs make good geese herders because they’re big enough to intimidate the birds, but small enough to move swiftly at high speeds. Their medium-sized frame makes them nimble and allows them to put on a good amount of lean muscle too.
Another herding talent that border collies have due to their bodies is the ability to move in a crouched, catlike position. Border collies have a space between the tops of their shoulder blades that allows them to slither close to the ground like a jungle cat. Border collies use this technique to stalk and hunt the animals they herd. This technique, along with their piercing gaze, is effective in intimidating geese and other animals to leave your property.
They have an intense gaze
Border collies are known for their “herding eye.” This intense gaze is a hallmark of the breed, and it helps them intimidate geese and other animals they herd. Border collies aren’t natural predators of geese, but their herding skills and daunting glares are enough to make the geese feel unsafe and nest elsewhere. When they’re not herding, our border collies also use their eyes to beg for whatever tasty foods we have on our table. It’s super effective!
It’s in their blood
Herding is what these dogs were born to do. Border collies, along with other herding dogs, were bred to gather, herd and protect livestock. Because of their history, these dogs share an instinctual ability to herd other animals. This instinct is so strong that border collies will sometimes try to “herd” their owners—especially smaller children in the family. If a border collie ever nudges you or nips at your ankles, they’re probably trying to herd you. With proper training, border collies can be taught not to corral or nip at family members.
Border collies are the ultimate herders. They’re intelligent, athletic and were bred to herd. They love having a job to do, and geese herding is an exciting challenge for them. The geese on your property will have no choice but to leave when we put them up against our team of border collies. Let Mack, Cash and the rest of the team get rid of those pesky birds for you.
Contact us today to learn more about border collies and the best geese control methods in Columbus, Ohio. Herding geese is one of the most effective and humane ways to solve your geese problem.