Working dog or show standard?

[Chub_by]

Been to sagres area.. Nice,but a
Lot( always min. 5 degrees C) colder than the east, and Windy !

 

[Miguel]

Yep, Harley. That is how it is and how some breeds should be kept and cherished.

When we have a litter, if one of the herds needs an extra dog, the pup is put with the sheep at 2 months, kids are forbidden to touch and play with it from that moment on, and it will stay with the herd, sleep with the herd, eat with the herd, and will shy from all human contact except with the sheppard that feeds him.

I won't be able to approach the herdif the shepperd is not there.

 

[Miguel]

In the ancient times, when herds were taken far away to graze in wintre dogs would go with them and stay with them for months without seeing no one except the shepherd.

 

[Chub_by]

Saw a documentary about swiss shepherds once. Being such an integral part of the Herd, they actually think they are sheep

 

[Miguel]

They do. It is exactly that.

And when they are young it is the rams that discipline them. When you have a pup that likes to play rough with the young sheep ( a trait to avoid at all costs, but it happens ) you put it in aclosed pen with a male ram and the pup gets the lesson of its life.

 

[Chub_by]

Seems pretty harsh, but I understand why they do it. The dog is supposed to protect the herd, not fight it!
By the way miguel... You should get a bouvier

 

[Miguel]

Too long haired for my taste. Too pretty, know what i mean?

 

[Chub_by]

You've never seen a working line. They can look pretty rough

 

[Miguel]

Uou are right. I see them a lot as fashion big dogs in the city.

 

[Chub_by]

So do I but when I lived in the Netherlands there were lots of this type



Though it has to be said, that with bouvs it matters really much how you shave them. With long strait hair, they look like pretty, harmless show dogs. With short, curly hair, they are the rough, hard-working breed they were created to be