brookcove
Posted : 11/21/2006 12:53:12 AM
I love the way they herd sheep, though my aussie seems to use an"eye" when she heard's my relatives lab.Is that normal for an aussie?
Eye is an outgrowth of stalking behavior (the old timers used to call it "setting" as in a setter setting birds). So you can see it in any breed with a reasonable amount of prey drive - and wild canids of course. Additionally, many herding breeds have more or less eye, though only a couple other breeds show it to the extreme that most BCs do. Aussies, beardies, and Kelpies, specifically - oh, and NZ Heading Dogs. I've never seen one of those personally - though it's my dream to own one some day.
I've seen Aussies with a whole lot of eye, even more than my BC Ben does (in the signature pic below). I've seen Bouviers, collies, and ACDs show a respectable amount of eye when it's called for. Never as flashy as my Cord, though. He's the most stylish dog I've ever owned, though I suspect my puppy Ted will beat him there - it's in his genes.
What eye does is convey the message -
I can catch you, so don't even try getting away - to the animal being worked. But unlike body language, it also allows the dog to transmit the message -
I'm staying back here as long as you go with the flow - you can trust me because I'm going to stay here where you can see me with your rear view vision (ruminants can see 270 degrees around their heads, which includes almost all the way behind).
A dog working back and forth, closer to their hind feet, would be in their blind spot and make the stock uneasy. See how the sheep hold their heads up to try to see where June is, but can relax and drop their heads into a more natural position because Cord works further back? June's learning to use her eye now and very shortly will be able to settle sheep like Cord can do (when he behaves. [8|])
June - trying to get the knack of using eye - sheep heads high and ears slicked back. I might add that Junie had some good moments too but I didn't happen to get them on disk!
Cord - sheep settled, heads low and ears coming forward - if you see sheep with their ears right forward they are very relaxed!
If I had any of my pup Rocky and the sheep HE was working, you'd see some real panic. Even though he looked pretty stylish he was still a bit of a loose cannon and he broke out several times, blasting through the sheep - and they don't forget that easily. He didn't know how to get the sheep to forgive him, poor guy. [
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