Posts Tagged ‘Farm Collie’
Old Style Farm Collies are also known as American Working Farmcollies, or the Old Farm Shepherd dogs. They were the most popular type of dog in the country at one time. These versatile working dogs were kept by farmers dogs to protect (guard dogs) and keep animals in their proper enclosures (herding dogs). Sometimes they also worked as hunting dogs.
These dogs are not the AKC collies of today, but a breed of herding and shepherd dogs. With a Scotch Collie heritage, their ancestors were brought here from Europe. Dogs that are registered as American Working Farmcollies must meet the following qualifications:
- Of Scotch Collie ancestry (or appear to be so if the background is not known), resembling the breed standard.
- Must qualify in at least two of the three working categories of guardian, herder and hunter.
- Required to be at least one year old.
If a dog qualifies in each of the three working categories, it gets a Certification of Merit. It is also an encouraged practice to double register dogs with both the AFWA (American Working Farmcollie Association) and as an English Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Shetland Sheepdog, Kelpie, AKC collie, or Border Collie.
Knowing the rules and routines of the farm and being well socialized to his or her master are essential traits of a good farm collie. The dog should also know the boundaries of the property and stay within them, besides being aware of what animals are supposed to be on the farm and their appointed places. In the role of guardian, a farm collie should protect the farm animals from predators.
These dogs are meant to be an all-purpose farm dog, working as guardians, herding and hunting. Bear in mind not all dogs will do well in all three categories, so it is important to find the dog that can do the things you want it to do.
Checking out both parents to see what traits they have is a good procedure when buying a puppy. Take into account, however, that the puppy may not mature into exactly the dog you envisioned. Each dog is an individual, and will have a distinct personality of its own. A puppy may not have exactly the strengths you wish for, but if the parents exhibit the traits you’re looking for, the puppy is at least likely to have some of them.
American Working Farmcollies can be a super asset on farms and homesteads of all sizes.