Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/06/17/incredible-herding-dogs-guide.html
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Incredible herding ducks lead dogs through an obstacle course!
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Looks no dog day afternoon was had that day
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Good doggos!
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Best herding demo ever!
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Actually this breed of ducks - indian runner - is commonly used to train herding dogs, especially for competitive herding. It is a lot easier to deal with (and to have access to) for training than a flock of sheep.
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My mom had one of these kinds of dog… she had no ducks. nor sheep. but she had cats. and this freakin’ dog would just circle the cats all day long. used to drive me nuts…
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When I visited Wales (yeesh, it’s been almost twenty years now?!), at one point I had to stop for a farmer driving his sheep across a road. It was fascinating to watch the dogs doing their job.
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My kid’s dog is one of these kinds of dogs, or a mix of it. But he isn’t nearly as well trained 
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That’s too bad… border collies have a strong drive to work (herd things)… they can be a handful if they don’t get some sort of stimulation… They are beautiful dogs, and smart, too.
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Well he’s mostly a good doggo. A rescue. He could just use more training. I don’t think they have the time, inkling, or space to “work” him.
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I wonder how much effect the whistling had, and how much the dogs just understood the objectives.
I frequently watch sheepdogs working in the English Lake District, and the whistling seem to indicate things like “yes, that group” or “hang on, you’ve missed one”; beyond that, the dogs deal with the actual herding themselves.
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Wolf OS, version 1.0 (in pseudo code)
Stay approximately equidistant from the wolf on your left and right.
Maintain the same distance to the prey as your Alpha.
When the prey moves, keep station.
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When amateurs try herding:
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Doggo needed a partner!
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He’s a born leader, I tell you!
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The whistles are commands, usually to circle left, right, stop and go. Most farmers will have separate whistle commands for each dog as you can see when one dog moves and the others stay put. The dogs probably have a good idea about what they’re supposed to do. They’re well trained and have obviously done this kind of thing many times before. They learn from experience what is expected.
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Humans are some crafty sly fuckers for sure.
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I would also like to acknowledge the child who held the backbend for as long as they did, and the graceful exit and end pose. My lower back salutes you, and then grumbles at the notion of having to do anything at all.
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