Herding dogs are energetic, loyal, focused, and intelligent. These dogs are happiest when they have a job to do and do best with plenty of room to run. They require an above-average amount of daily exercise and get bored quickly if they aren’t given enough tasks or engaging activities.
When herding dogs aren’t given enough to do, they become anxious, resulting in excessive barking or destructive tendencies such as chewing or digging. Due to their genetic makeup, herding dogs also possess a high prey drive, which can sometimes make keeping them on your property difficult.
Due to these factors, herding dog owners often assume that a hidden fence is not an option. However, a DogWatch® Hidden Fence won’t only keep your herding dog safe, the freedom to roam their yard will keep them happy. Here’s how!
Any Size Dog, Any Size Property
This Turkish Boz from DogWatch® of Montana, is one of the largest herding dogs in the world! This breed can withstand extreme temperatures of any kind and excel in herding large livestock. This pup spends her day herding horses and ten border collies on his family’s 40-acre farm. The issue with such a large property, and a dog with a high prey drive, was frequent escapes. Her parents would spend a tremendous amount of time searching the 40-acre farm for this gentle giant, and eventually, she had to spend portions of her day hanging out in the horse barn for her own protection. However, a herding dog made to stay inside for extended periods doesn’t make for a happy pup. DogWatch® of Montana was contacted for an install, and they were on it immediately, allowing this lovely lady to run free and safe on all 40 acres!
Big Dogs And Big Families
Michelle and John Stewart, and their three children, run a progressive family farm in Illinois. Their farm, which offers locally grown fruits and vegetables, locally raised meat and frequently hosts public events, is always busy. The farm is also home to Paloma, Finn, Jerry, and Jessie. That’s a lot of dogs with a lot of high prey drives!
These four pups are always working, carrying out different jobs on different parts of the farm. With all these moving parts, it’s not always easy to keep an eye on them. Michelle decided that an underground hidden fence was the solution she needed, since installing a physical fence around the entirety of her farm was not an option. She first attempted a DIY solution, but found it unreliable, both in performance and customer service. She eventually contacted Stateline DogWatch® Hidden Fences and had a SmartFence® installed. Her four pups have stayed safely on the property ever since!
Busy Streets
Even herding dogs who don’t live on farms or have the daily task of keeping a flock in line will still seek an outlet for their instinct and prey drive. Magnus and Kiva from DogWatch® of Mid-Canadahad just that problem. Magnus, a Belgian Tervuren, and Kiva, a German Shepherd, are genetically dispositioned to chase and herd!
Their parents live near a busy road and were becoming increasingly worried about their instincts getting them into trouble. After a period of chasing cars, deer, and even tracking down their neighbors to say hello, Magnus and Kiva’s parents decided to give DogWatch® a call. These two beautiful pups haven’t had any unplanned off-property adventures since the install, but are still able to run freely in their yard and burn off any extra energy they might have.
Puppy Party
Working dogs and dogs in residential homes are one thing, but what about daycare dogs! Victoria from DogWatch® of Upstate NY, runs a daycare and is also a breeder. She regularly has more than a dozen daycare dogs on her property. These pups range from Boston Terriers to American Bullies, and also include several herding dogs such as German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and White German Shepherd.
With all these high-energy pups in the same place at the same time, Victoria knew that security was key, especially when dealing with other people’s pups! She called DogWatch® of Upstate NY for an install and now ten of her daycare dogs use the system. The dogs are able to run and play all they want and Victoria doesn’t have to worry about them journeying out into the nearby roads. She also uses her DogWatch® Hidden Fence to keep the puppies she breeds safe, helping them understand boundaries from a young age!
Conclusion
DogWatch® Dealers have successfully trained every type of herding dog from miniature Australian Shepherds, Corgis and Border Collies to German Shepherds and Great Pyrenees and everything in between. No matter your herding dogs size, activity level, or training level, a DogWatch® Hidden Fence is the perfect way to keep them safe on any size property.