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started to read, I was completely drawn in to the history
of herding dogs, all herding dogs. As the title says,
this book is about the origins of the herding breeds
and how they've developed over the decades, and in many
cases, centuries in Great Britain. And Irish Combe is
not just a noted expert in the field of Border Collies
and herding breeds, she's also a brilliant storyteller.
It's difficult to imagine that some of our best-loved
dogs today were once active working dogs. Corgi's aren't
just the Queen's dogs, Beardies aren't just cuddly pooches
and Old English Sheepdogs aren't just encouraged to
not eat the daisies.
In reality, each breed within the herding category
had a purpose and was bred specifically for that purpose.
Just as Golden Retrievers were bred to bring back the
hunter's ducks, Jack Russell Terriers were bred to "go
to ground" to capture rabbits for the masters table,
and Irish Wolfhounds were bred to protect the clan from
wolves, our herding breeds were bred to manage the flocks
for shepherds.
A sheepdog could go where a shepherd could not, take
risks the shepherd didn't dare because of his size and
lack of such agility. Sheepdogs were bred to be fearless,
sturdy and bidable. As a result, these dogs are some
of the smartest dogs in the world, the top dog being
the Border Collie.
I was amazed to learn so much about herding breeds,
to be honest. I spent a good number of years in the
pet industry, in another life, and learned what I thought
was a lot about dogs in general. I could tell the difference
between a Belgian Tervern and a German Shepherd, but
apparently I wasn't all correct about why they existed.
In the herding world, a shepherd required different
things from different dogs. The collie was the traditional
"round em up" dog. The collie also did a certain
amount of droving, but the drovers were the smaller
dogs, like the Corgi. They could intimidate a flock
of sheep enough to keep moving forward, give them a
little nip to keep them in line if necessary without
getting kicked in the process. Breeds like the German
Shepherd and even the Old English Sheepdog were bred
as guard dogs. The Old English Sheepdog was bred with
a coat that mimicked the sheep so that the dog cuold
wander amongst the sheep and even sleep with them in
order to fool predators. Woeful was the wolf that discovered
the teeth of the sheep-dog hiding in the flock!
This book is a terrific history of the herding breed
and includes dozens of photographs and artistic images.
As well, Ms Combe's details where these breeds are going
today, which includes the show ring and other dog sports.
It's important to note that the ISDS, International
Sheep Dog Society, plays a huge role in keeping the
sheepdog a working breed, and Ms Combe's finishes her
book with a look inside that fascinating organization.
To fully appreciate your herding dog, find a copy of
this book and give it a thorough read. It's brilliantly
told and will inspire you to read further. You may just
find a new respect for your family pet!
Other books by Iris Combe are out of print as well
but can be found by searching eBay and many USBs. Those
titles include -
Collies, Yesterday and Today
Border Collies
Shepherds, Sheep and Sheepdogs
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