The Lancashire Heeler (LH) is the smallest herding breed of dog. They are known for their talents as drovers—dogs that drive stock from behind by nipping at the heels of stock and ducking out of the way of the kicks. This is why LHs are often called “nip and duck” dogs. Stock includes ducks, geese, and even chickens; sheep and goats; and cows. The dog moves the stock at the direction of the human handler. The LH can also hold stock in place while its human handler opens or closes gates or barn doors to keep stock from crowding the gate or door. There are many different herding styles that dogs use, and some breeds are more adaptable to certain styles than others. The LH is not a breed that works like a Border Collie or some of the larger breeds that sweep across large pastures to gather up all stock and head them toward a particular destination. The LH’s legs are too small for those long sweeping outruns. LHs are very good at droving or moving stock down a lane or road for long distances. A good herding dog is also an intelligent dog that can “read” stock and in doing so knows where  

a particular animal is headed or when a particular animal is going to challenge him for authority. In fact, if you watch your dog’s eyes, you’ll soon understand that his awareness of stock movement is amazing.

The LH breed has been around for several hundred years, working on small, humble rural farms in the Ormskirk area of Lancashire district in England. Historically, these invaluable little working dogs were used to move stock from the barn to the pasture or back again. They were used to hold stock back while one animal might be pulled from the herd for care. Chickens or ducks might be rounded up at night and placed in their coops to protect them from nighttime predatory animals. The little LH might be sent out into the family garden to chase off a rabbit or sent into the barn to find the mice and rats that carry disease and eat the stock’s feed. With their acute hearing and awareness of their surroundings, they barked to alert their families to strangers arriving. For this, they are called “alert barkers.” The LH was a protector of the farmstead and his people.

Today, most people live in towns or cities and have herding breed dogs as pets. Because of the dog’s need for engagement and activity, people are turning to performance training and events as outlets for exercising the dog’s body and mind.

There are performance events like Agility, Barn Hunt, Scent Trials, Obedience and Rally competitions that all aid in the formation of the bond between the handler and the dog. Herding is still an activity available to pet owners through what is termed “trialing” your dog. Trialing provides herding breed owners and handlers with the opportunity to demonstrate that their dog still possesses the ability to work stock under the direction of a handler.

One of the best ways to find a competent trainer is to attend local herding trials in your area. To find these local events, Google herding trials near you. Herding trainers have the arenas and proper equipment and experience, and most importantly, they have dog-broke stock.

To begin exposing dogs to herding, stock is released into the arena and set up or staged in one area. The dog is then sent out to round up the stock, usually sheep or ducks and sometimes cattle, and drive them through a set course led or directed by a trainer. The handler and dog are allotted a set amount of time in which to accomplish the task.