English shepherds are not herding specialists. They can herd well, but they are really a jack of all trades. They herd when needed with little or no instruction--they just kind of appear when you need them. When we got our we didn't intend for the dog to do any herding. My hubby just wanted a buddy for fixing fences, etc. Then one day he jumped in and started helping herd. His training consisted of "aanck" and "good boy". By age 2 he could handle 300 heifers in the pasture, was proficient at trailering cattle, never let a cow come near you when you were in the pen, gently walk cows to the milking parlor, and would put the stock away when they got out. We thought he was a special ES. He turned out to be the norm.

I suppose that's really a good thing!
In addition to herding, they do some guardian dog duties and can be avid hunters. I know of ES who count their sheep when putting them back in the barn at night. If one is missing, they will go find her. They will fight ferocious predators that invade the hen house. They will chase hawks off the chicks.
Many ES also kill vermin and chase varmints out of the garden. Ours is an excellent tracker used for finding mortally wounded deer.
They are a complicated dog. They are your best friend and do just about whatever to help you out. Sometimes that's in the trench digging beside you as you lay a water line. Sometimes that's moving 300 heifers around in 20 acre pastures. Sometimes that's pointing which lemon is ready for picking on the lemon tree.
They are amazing dogs.