An important part of a farm dog\u2019s behavior comes to light during novel, uncommon or high-drive situations.\u00a0 In these situations, I see farm dogs fall broadly into two categories.\u00a0 In the first category are dogs who look to the handler to decide what to do.\u00a0 These dogs begin offering behaviors until the handler gives them feedback that they are doing the right thing.\u00a0 In the second category are dogs that begin to act in their own self-interest during novel, uncommon and high-drive situations. \u00a0They become unmanageable and unproductive. \u00a0Until training remediates the undesirable situation, dogs from the second category enjoy less freedom on my ranch and will not be bred.\u00a0 Dogs from the first category are what I\u2019m looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs in the first category, who look to the handler for guidance and are responsive to feedback, are more desirable for a working farm environment. These dogs demonstrate an eagerness to learn, strong communication skills, and a level of trust with their handler that allows them to navigate new or high-pressure situations with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, dogs in the second category may not be as well-suited for a working farm environment. Their tendency to act in their own self-interest can make them difficult to manage and potentially disruptive to the overall efficiency of the farm. Limiting the freedom of these dogs and not breeding them helps to ensure that future generations of farm dogs continue to exhibit the desirable traits that contribute to a successful working relationship between dog and handler. Some dogs can be trained to mitigate this type of behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To cultivate the desirable traits in farm dogs, early and consistent training is fundamental. It is essential to establish a strong bond and trust between the handler and the dog, as well as to reinforce positive behaviors through praise and rewards. By doing so, one can increase the likelihood of developing working dogs that are reliable, adaptable, and effective in various situations on the farm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An important part of a farm dog\u2019s behavior comes to light during novel, uncommon or high-drive situations.\u00a0 In these situations, I see farm dogs fall broadly into two categories.\u00a0 In the first category are dogs who look to the handler to decide what to do.\u00a0 These dogs begin offering behaviors until the handler gives them … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[517],"tags":[577,579,100,576,112,581,582,99,578,580],"class_list":["post-6420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-shepherd-behavior-and-cognition","tag-adaptive-behavior","tag-breeding-selection","tag-farm-dogs","tag-handler-communication","tag-positive-reinforcement","tag-responsiveness","tag-teamwork","tag-training","tag-trust","tag-working-environment"],"cp_meta_data":{"_edit_lock":["1680527155:1"],"_last_editor_used_jetpack":["block-editor"],"_thumbnail_id":["6422"],"_better_yourls_short_link":["http:\/\/esbt.us\/f9"],"_edit_last":["1"],"wp_featherlight_disable":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["517"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["To cultivate the desirable traits in farm dogs, early and consistent training is fundamental."],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["30"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["2"],"_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp":[""],"_oembed_0db7e581d2867c7cf3964a94a190eade":["Farm Puppy Owner’s Manual<\/a><\/blockquote>