Herding vs Hurting
Today on my walk a black and tan coonhound ran up to Franklin and a fun play session began. As it got more intense Franklin started herding the hound. I told the owner he is just trying to "herd" him, trying to explain he is just playing, but the owner didn't really seem too reassured by this statement. Only later, after we were a little down the trail did I realize he probably thought I said he is trying to "hurt" him! I need to come up with a new phrase to explain why my dog is barking and nipping at other people's dogs because herd and hurt just sound too similar! Anybody else ever have this problem?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Rachael & Waffle on
-
Just add the phrase, "Like he would herd sheep", and hopefully the context clues will help them figure it out! Maybe preface everything with "Corgis are from the herding group" or something similar too.
-
Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on
-
yeah I said he thinks he's a cow. I think the owner realized what I meant when his dog stopped running and Franklin stopped chasing. I just never really thought how similar the two words sounded and how somebody might think my dog was in attack mode vs herd/play mode!
-
Permalink Reply by Laura Rochette on
-
Surely folks can see the difference between playful behavior and actual "attack" mode? Body language is just so different. In any case, I would go with what Rachael and Waffle say to give it some context. I don't run across this often. My immediate community is full of dogs of all kinds and people seem to be pretty up on their dog groups, so Lucy's behavior dosn't alarm them, though some dogs just don't want anything to do with puppy! Most of us use the same vet clinic too.
-
Permalink Reply by Beth on
-
We just say "They think your dog is a sheep." I know Corgis herded cows, not sheep, but a) most people associate herding with Border Collies and therefore sheep, and b) "Cow" can be seen as a bit derogatory! Don't want to call anyone's dog a cow!
-
-
oh, true. Lucy wants desperately to herd members of my school's Nordic ski team who have been practicing on roller skis a lot this winter due to lack of snow. Her reaction to them is hilarious! I refer to them as sheep on wheels.
-
Permalink Reply by Snickmom on
-
I think a video clip of Lucy herding the skiers would be mighty fine.
-
-
lol so true, they may take the whole cow thing a little wrong! I think I will just say he is a herding dog and hope that is enough. Most people don't seem to care all that much, its just when the dogs start running harder that Franklin starts in on the herding and some people get alarmed by the barking thinking he is being aggressive when he is totally not. You'd think people would know to look at body language but sadly a lot of people just hear a bark and automatically think aggression and then there are those ones with "friendly" dogs who are actually being quite aggressive.
-
Permalink Reply by Priscilla, CARLY, and Frankie on
-
Haha No dont want to call them a cow, ..my Carly is really bad at this, she runs after any dog if they are chasing a ball and barks the entire time nipping at them , so embarrassing!! I try to get her to stop but NO not on you life! She still tries to nip at me if i run with her , but not Frankie i guess hes a different breed in side his head LOL
-
Permalink Reply by Sam, Gregg & Poopdeck on
-
plus the saying "it's a bit like herding sheep" puts a size to it and people can grasp it easier than if you were to use cattle or even elephants. No one would get" like herding cats" but it is fun. Especially when the cat sits and gives THE LOOK.
-
Permalink Reply by Beverly Butler Redford & Tucker on
-
The comment about herding the ski team reminds me that when I was a kid, our corgi would try to herd us when we rode our bikes. He was smart enough to nip at our heels-not the tires.
-
Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
-
I do not allow my dogs to chase, herd or bark excessively at strange dogs. Even though it is a trait of herding dogs it really is not polite and could really get the corgi hurt if it is done to the wrong dog. Franklin should respond to you calling him off.
-
-
Franklin will absolutely respond to me calling him off, but when he plays, if he is chasing another dog, he is herding and barking (not excessively). If the dog is running and playing too I see no reason to call him off, he is a corgi and that is how he plays, I will call him off if the other dog seems annoyed by the behavior though (the dog today was having a great time being Frank's "sheep"). He is also just fine being chased and generally will be both the chaser and chasee in a play session. When I am on my walks and approached by a strange dog Franklin is always at a heel until they have greeted and if the dog is approaching in an aggressive manner or a manner I am not comfortable with I will tell the owner to call their dog back and say mine can be aggressive (though this isn't true at all, but I don't want to risk Frank getting hurt and this usually works to get them to call their dog back). Its generally the owners who don't seem to know what to think of herding behavior. I don't go to dog parks and so the dogs I meet on walks aren't necessarily owned by dog savvy people and many have no idea what a corgi is, let alone that it is a herding dog so all they see is a dog that barks. The owner today didn't seem too concerned but I just hadn't realized until today how somebody might think I am saying my dog is trying to hurt theirs, not herd theirs.
Rescue Store
Stay Connected
FDA Recall
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Recall
Groups
We support...
Badge
© 2024 Created by Sam Tsang.
Powered by
