The New Zealand Heading Dog is a working and
herding dog
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog, shepherd dog, sheep dog or working dog, is a type of dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds that are developed for herding.
Herding behavior
All herding behavior is mo ...
that uses its visual prowess, intelligence and quick movement to control sheep. Bred from
Border Collies
The Border Collie is a Scottish breed of herding dog of medium size. Widely considered to be the most intelligent dog breed, they are descended from landrace sheepdogs once found all over the British Isles, but became standardised in the Ang ...
, Heading Dogs are a sturdy, long-legged and even-haired
breed. They are generally black and white in color, but may also be tan.
History
The New Zealand Heading Dog is descended from the Border Collie, a breed of dog originally from the Scottish border. Early settlers brought these dogs to New Zealand to herd sheep, then went on to breed more specified dogs. Due to the Border Collie's long hair, they were bred with shorter haired dogs to create a breed that was better suited to the hot summers of the local environment. They were also bred to have less of an instinct to lie down than a border collie, standing still on their feet to make them more visible to the shepherd at long distance in the native tussock, and to run longer distances, and in some lines to be larger and more "hard nosed" to deal more easily with cattle.
The New Zealand Heading Dog has since been an integral part of
sheepdog trials
A sheepdog trial (also herding event, stock dog trial or simply dog trial) — is a competition or test for working abilities of Herding dog, herding breeds dogs. It is a type of List of dog sports, dog sport that emerged in the 1860s in New Zeala ...
, which began in New Zealand as early as 1867 in
Wanaka. The competitive
dog sport
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
involves herding sheep around a field and into enclosures.
The Heading Dog is the fourth most common breed of dog in New Zealand.
Description
New Zealand Heading Dogs are very aware of their surroundings and are able to adapt to quick movements that are in their
line of sight
The line of sight, also known as visual axis or sightline (also sight line), is an imaginary line between a viewer/observer/ spectator's eye(s) and a subject of interest, or their relative direction. The subject may be any definable object taken ...
, suiting their shepherding requirements, and are able to run long distances day after day. These types of dogs are specifically bred and trained to work in farms to circle sheep and cattle. They work with a strong eye, barking and nipping is discouraged in trials, but some will when more pressure is needed. They are medium to large dogs with smooth, straight hair. New Zealand Heading Dogs are often black and white, but some may be tan or other colors. The breed requires an
agrarian environment and are generally not intended to be kept as house pets. New Zealand Heading Dogs are extremely intelligent, active dogs with instinct to herd animals; if left alone for too long, they may try to escape and/or herd small animals or children.
See also
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Dogs portal
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List of dog breeds
References
{{Pastoral dogs
Dog breeds originating in New Zealand
Herding dogs