All I can do is relate this story just as it happened, I’m still shaking my head. We were out this afternoon and when we came home, we went out to feed the animals, and we herd a sheep baaahing out in the rear pasture.
Sheep are rarely alone, it could mean something was wrong.
I’d told Red to stand and hold the sheep, but I saw his head looking out to the rear. Fate was just waiting for a command to run around the sheep. Bud turned to see what Red was looking at and then we saw Griselle emerge from the bushes, all the way to the ear of the back pasture.
Sheep sometimes are alone if they don’t realize the flock has moved away, and Giselle found herself in the bad position of a proud Romney ewe cut off from the flock with two border collies and Boston Terrier who thought he was Old Hemp, the legendary first famous border collie.
While the two border collies remained frozen, Bud took off into the rear pasture and got behind shocked Giselle and ran her out of the back pasture and back up towards us and the feeder. He herded her right out of the pasture and back with the others.
The really surprising thing was that Bud executed a basic herding move. He didn’t run into Griselle, he ran around her and pushed her out of the pasture and towards us, just like a border collie would or Red would. It was herding, not chasing.
Red watched, waiting for a command, but it wasn’t necessary.
When Giselle came bursting through the gate, Bud rushed past her and got in front of her and held her in place, waiting for further instructions.
I don’t think Boston Terriers are supposed to herd sheep, even when they think they are dinosaurs, but Bud had just done that with Griselle a tough and seasoned old ewe.
She definitely let Bud her out of the pasture and did what he told her to do. By the time I got my camera out, Bud was keeping her right where she was. We told her to leave it, and he backed off and Griselle was ever so glad to get back to the sheep.
What an amazing sight, one border collie from Wales (Fate) the other from Northern Ireland (Red) and this little squirt of a dog herding sheep as if he was born to do it. I love the farm, I see something amazing every day. Maria was just as surprised as I was.
Bud does not have the agility or stamina to herd sheep or move flocks any distance, it would be a mistake to assume he could do that or put him in that position. But this was pretty special. I don’t want to take it too far.
I have to be honest, that was sheep herding, plain and simple, there is no other way to describe it. Perhaps Bud has been studying his hero Red, and maybe there was a herding dog running loose somewhere back in Arkansas.
I don’t have any better explanation. We know what we saw.
I know certain breeds of dogs are bred that way to have instincts for a certain type of work or for temperament. But I also believe dogs are smart and can learn anything. So why couldn’t Bud learn how to herd from watching Red and Fate? I still think it’s amazing that he did it though. But not so surprised that he learned what to do. On another note, I went to a local Highland Festival and got to see a small demo of sheep herding with Border Collies of different ages and training. It was really amazing to see in person. I have only watched your videos and some others I have see online. In person I could really see the intensity in the eyes of the dogs.
Susan, thanks Bud has not learned sheep herding, it requires so much more speed and stamina and presence than a dog his size could possibly have. His lungs and breathing are very limited in not weather, and he hates being out in the cold. He can only run short distances and does not respond to any herding command, even though he has seen Fate and Red respond hundreds of times. I would be careful not to get carried away, he is a remarkable creature, capable of herding moments, but he can’t and can never be a herding dog. That would be dangerous and unfair to him. Red sits out -20 temperatures for an hour watching the sheep. Bud could never do that, nor can he match Fate’s speed and stamina, she runs just as hard in extreme heat as she does in extreme cold. I wouldn’t underestimate the work of the herding dog, it is very intense, Bud can’t do that.
Thanks for sharing the amazing story. Wonderful Bud has been learning by observing Red. Heartwarming to know animals can work together for good. Hopefully people will step up and do more of the same.
Jon This is the first time in months I saw something posted on your blog. I really miss your posts and Marias.
How strange, Diane, the blog has been published every single day, usually more than once. http://www.bedlamfarm.com.
They learn by example…Bud watched the ‘bi dogs’ dottier job, and just assumes he can do it too. Good job, Bud, and that’ll do! Would have loved to see video of that. LOL!
I don’t know he gives it much thought, it seems instinctive, he is a mayhem dog…
Bud: I got this! Red: Listen Grasshopper. Fate: Huh?!
I think Bud has learned what to do from his good friends Red and Fate, dogs do copy each other but it’s usually some negative behavior you don’t like. I groomed dogs for 32 yrs. lived with multiple dogs all of those years the things that I observed when I was home with them was sometimes just unbelievable. One thing I learned for sure is there is communication between them that you cannot hear. I think Bud is feeling like he belongs and has seen Red do this enough he just did it. Seeing a rescue come into there own is priceless.
Such a heartwarming experience! Bud is in the most happy place he could ever be in!