Herding

The purpose of noncompetitive herding tests is to offer herding breed owners a standardized gauge by which a dog’s basic instinct and trainability are measured.

The purpose of the competitive herding trial program is to preserve and develop the herding skills inherent in the herding breeds and to demonstrate that they can perform the useful functions for which they were originally bred. Although herding trials are artificial simulations of pastoral or farm situations, they are standardized tests to measure and develop the characteristics of the herding breeds.

AKC (2022). Sports & Events. https://www.akc.org/sports/