By six weeks of age, a dog from a traditional breeder of Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherds has been exposed to rifle fire, large diesel farming equipment, chainsaws, 4-5 varieties of livestock, and possibly a few wild animals. One can call any dog a farm dog, kind of like one wants to call a sub-compact a tractor, but then one would have to call these dogs something else.
Environment shapes behavior, especially during critical periods of development.
Here’s a tip: Before you take a farm dog puppy home, ask the breeder to fire a gun or start a tractor a few dozen yards away from the litter. Watch the puppies and you’ll know which ones not to take home. If your breeder doesn’t have a gun or a tractor, you’re probably not getting a farm dog.
