Herding Group

Herding dogs were bred to move livestock, which means they are smart, sensitive, and tuned to every signal you give off. They learn fast, they want to work with you, and they notice when something in the routine changes. This is the group that produces the dazzling obedience and agility dogs.

The trade-off is that all that intelligence needs somewhere to go. A bored herding dog invents its own job, usually one you will not like, and the sensitive ones can be vocal or nervy without enough structure. The Shetland Sheepdog is the compact version of this: brilliant, deeply bonded, and happiest when it has something to think about.

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