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English Shepherd

Have you ever tired a McNab shepherd, they to are great herding Dogs and very inteligent! We raise them just next door in Oklahoma, far better than Border collies and more aggressive but manageable!
Ron Prentice
 
Ron-

Are you using the English Shepherd or the Australian Sheperd to make the cross? I am not sure what to make of the English Shepherd, when it comes to working livestock.

rross
 
A real McNab is not made from a cross anymore. McNab comes form the family name of the people that bred the dogs years ago in California.

Correct me if I am wrong, but a true McNab is no longer made from special breedings. Although I am sure people try to mimic the breeding.
 
My opinion the English Shepherd is the stockmans best kept secret. As a rule you can't go on the farm and mess with the family they keep the varmits out of the chicken pen, they don't go work the cows unless you need them, they are content to lay on the porch until they are needed.
they were what use to be called the old farm shepherd. Mine tree squrriel coon when I go feed they are with me, and strangers don't come on the porch unless they are ask. I don't need a pen or chain to keep them from working. They are probably not for everybody but they work for me. They are not a cross breed of any kind, reg. with IESR, UKC, NKC. since the early 1900's. I don't know anything about the Australian or the McNabb therefore I can't give any insite on their temperment.
 
I grew up with an English Shepard. He watched the gate and kept the cows out of the stackyard for dad, when he was feeding hay. He helped whenever you moved cows, but would bark more than bite.

He was always jumping in the back of the pickup, whenever anyone got in it to go somewhere.

He was a nice dog, but I've had better stock dogs. Tho' he was never really ever trained either.

I think dogs are like cattle or horses. There are good ones in all breeds and some poor ones also.

I would like to see some english shepards. Does anyone ever trial them?

And I know that a trial isnt the best way to tell a lot of thanks about a dog, but it would be fun to see some working.
 
I don't think they would be good at trials, but what do I know I have never been to one. They are just good all arround farm & family dogs. I think you are right about certain lines within a breed. My dog don't bark much but she is not supper aggressive either. What I like about her is she is super smart and want's to please you at what ever she does.

I grew up with one that did what ever you needed he was a little to rough sometime he would get a little blood on the heels, he would not head. Although he would catch the bigest hog that he came to by the ear if you told him to.

I have had blue heelers and border collies and don't like the fact that you have to keep them chained or pened, or they will work when not wanted.
 
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.
 
i had a neighbor growing up that had one and he was a fun dog that would do anything she asked him and played with us kids till we were worn out he was a great dog
i have kelpies to work stock with now and love them dearly
but those es are truly great companions
although they would have a hard time keeping up with my dogs working

i saw the first full blood mcnab i have ever seen today
she's just a big pup just over a yearold but very impressive on stock
keen with alot of work to her
until later
jerry
 
Yup, if you want an ES to be a good dog, he must be your companion, too. He'll bond to you like superglue and would die for you if he had to. A lot different than a Kelpie, but we all have different wants and needs in the work we do from day to day.
 
now don't down the kelpie's about bonding
i had a fella come walking in my derection the other day waving his arms and cussing mad and before i could tell him to calm down i 3 kelpies standing between him and i and they were about to explain to him that he did not mess with me
the es dogs are good but ca'nt get the work done the way i need it done
until later
jerry
 
I ahve a border collie taht will attack anyone and everyone if she dont know em, them i have another one that will walk the stanger to the door and let them in. Every dog has a different personality no matter what the breed!

Katy
 
I know a local farmer who has three or four ES, I have yet to see them do anything useful, they don't herd. Two of them he has to keep chained. They are unfriendly and I wouldn't trust them around people, they'd bite you as soon as let you pet them.
 
I was not meaning to "down" the Kelpie. Here is how my previous post *should* have read.

Yup, if you want an ES to be a good dog, he must be your companion, too. He'll bond to you like superglue and would die for you if he had to.

ES are a lot different than a Kelpie, but we all have different wants and needs in the work we do from day to day.
 
I know a local farmer who has three or four ES, I have yet to see them do anything useful, they don't herd. Two of them he has to keep chained. They are unfriendly and I wouldn't trust them around people, they'd bite you as soon as let you pet them.

ES need to be your right hand man. They won't function well in a pack of dogs because they are always at odds over who gets to be your best friend. They are extremely pack oriented and need the person to be a strong leader.

The situation you are describing is ES hell. I'm sure they'd be good dogs if raised properly.
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