Better Learn to Duck!
Adventures Working Cattle with Australian Shepherds

by Gwen Litz, Herding Editor,
March/April 2008 Australian Shepherd Journal

People are always asking how I can possibly risk my dogs by working cattle. They express quite a bit of apprehension at the idea of exposing their own dogs to cattle. There is a general misconception that cattle are all aggressive and out to hurt any dog that tries to look at them. People think their dogs will be killed if they get within 100 yards of cattle. While there are some dangers, it really is not as terrifying as people think. My dogs have never been hurt and really enjoy cattle.

Yes, cows are big. They may have horns. Dogs need to work closer to cattle than to sheep in most cases. They may need to get close enough to bite. Cattle can kick. They can put their heads down and run over a dog. Working Australian shepherds know all of this and can read livestock better than we can. The head structure of the Australian shepherd has evolved to protect the dog from kicks. Their bodies are built to work by keeping the dog agile enough to react and fast enough to get out of the way.

How would you know what your dog would do on cattle? The only way to find out is to try. The best situation is to work with a knowledgeable trainer on calm, dog-broke stock. Work in a fairly small area at first, but with room for you and the dog to escape. Some dogs will go at it hot and heavy, running right at the cattle at 100 miles per hour. Other dogs are terrified and will not even glance at the huge beasties. Most Aussies fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

Start off by helping the dog. If your dog is apprehensive, by all means get in there and move the cattle with him. If you are calm and consistent—and the cattle are cooperative—you can build confidence by making the dog believe he is moving those big beasts. Pretty soon, the dog will move them. If the dog is fired up, try to slow things down. Calm control is the goal. Running and indiscriminant biting, while a great time for the dog, is not.

The first time I worked an Aussie on cattle, I sent my dog into a three acre pasture to gather about a dozen cows who were lounging in the corner. She ran directly toward the cattle like a blur and started heeling. The next thing I knew, I had a dozen big cows fetching right at me at a brisk trot. Yikes! This dog did not have much finesse, but she sure could move cattle.

If your dog has worked sheep quite a bit and is used to fetching stock to you, switching to cattle can be intimidating for the handler - because the dog will want to bring the cattle to you. The handler should move when the cattle start trotting right towards her and the dog should flank around to compensate, which would redirect the cattle back to the handler. Most cattle will avoid people, so do not be worried about them running you over. Remain calm and move as necessary.

The young dog mentioned in the last herding article trialled on cattle, as well as sheep and ducks, last fall. He did not have much exposure to cattle prior to the trials. This may seem unfair (and probably is), but this is a calm, biddable dog working decent cattle. He was fine. He got a grazing kick at one trial, but went right back to work. He was not physically hurt, but was a bit more cautious. That is fine. Dogs don’t learn about kicks before they see them and feel them. Sometimes dogs are impressed and gain some respect for the cattle. The smart dog learns to watch those back legs and duck when necessary.

One of the funniest things I ever saw happen at a trial took place in a muddy arena. The cows came out kicking, and clumps of mud went flying off their hooves. The dog started her outrun and then stopped in her tracks to watch the trajectory of the flying mud. The dog had a look on her face that said: "Man, I didn't know they could do that!"

Heeling cattle is another thing that scares people. Dogs who heel correctly do not usually get hurt. By correctly, I mean heeling to initiate movement by biting low on the hock of the cow with the dog turning the head out (so their eyes are on the outside). This cannot be taught. It is a genetic trait. The dog who reaches up to heel is putting itself in danger. The dog who heels correctly, at appropriate times, should be safe.

Sometimes dogs put themselves in danger. They have so much fun doing what they do that it becomes a self-rewarding behavior. Some dogs will dive underneath cattle while they are running away from them to try to grab a front leg. This is very difficult to watch, because you just know the dog is going to get trampled and killed. Dogs usually get away with this, but it does not stop the cattle. Other dogs will grab tails and swing around on them instead of letting go. They can get thrown quite a distance. Inattentive dogs can get into trouble also. If their attention wanders, they can miss the clues that would warn them that a kick or a chase is coming, and they get walloped.

Another difference between working cattle and working sheep is that the handler can really get the dog in trouble. If you see something about to develop that could get the dog run over or kicked, you need to keep your mouth shut and let it happen. If you speak to the dog at the wrong second and the dog takes his eyes off the cattle to look at you, the incident can be much worse than if you say nothing. This is one of the most difficult concepts in the entire herding world for a lot of people. My dogs love the fact that I am quiet. It is probably why they enjoy working cattle so much. I shut up and let them work.

Most people have seen flashy photos of dogs working cattle. The photos show dogs biting heads or starting fights or running. They look great. You rarely see a calm shot of a dog walking next to cattle. It’s boring. While confrontational styles of working cattle can be exciting, they are not very efficient. If you have ever watched dogs work cattle at a trial, you might see a run where the dog starts a fight and wins it. Pretty impressive, huh? This same dog goes along smoothly for a while and then just can’t stand it and starts another fight. The dog wins that too. The crowd loves it! Then another dog goes out into the trial arena and calmly takes control of the cattle and walks them around the course. Yawn!

What should the judge do under these circumstances? Most people think the first dog, who won the fights, would get a much higher score. When we study the rules and judging guidelines, however, the calmer run should win every time. The rules are set up for the most efficient movement of the livestock around the course. The dog who fights is wasting time and adding turns and moving the cattle off line enough to lose a lot of points. The calmer dog keeps the livestock moving in straight lines without causing the cattle to turn and fight. There are no stops and starts and no wasted time. The calm, controlled working of cattle should be valued above the confrontational style that seems exciting. If you think of this when you are contemplating working your dog on cattle, it might take some of the anxiety out of it.