Some breeds of dogs, especially shepherds, collies and sheepdogs, have a natural herding instinct. This instinct can lead to behavior that is annoying to the owners of the dogs, such as herding people. This is a major issue because many dogs will nip the ankles of the people it is trying to herd. It is nearly impossible to rid a dog of its natural instinct. It is possible, however, to redirect the instinct and encourage your dog to behave in a more appropriate manner. Training a dog will take a commitment of time and consistency. Like children, dogs will not learn a proper behavior if negative behavior is only corrected sometimes. Follow a few steps to teach your dog to stop herding.
Instructions
Ignore your dog when it herds. The more that people shout, scream, jump and react to the dog's herding, the more the dog will find herding to be a an entertaining game. If the dog is ignored, the dog will see that herding is not a fun way to play.
Provide your dog with an appropriate outlet for tugging and nipping. Providing your dog with an acceptable way to nip and tug will allow your dog to have a healthy outlet and will reduce its urge to nip and tug. Playing a game of tug-of-war with your dog is a great way for it to nip and tug.
Exercise your dog on a regular basis. This is important because many dogs that herd are simply looking to exercise. Daily walks are ideal. However, other options, such as playing fetch or having your dog jog on a treadmill, are acceptable if it is impossible or impractical to walk your dog daily.
Teach your dog self-control by teaching it basic obedience. Teaching your dog to sit on command will allow you to stop your dog from herding by asking it to sit. Pet stores and animal shelters commonly offer dog obedience classes if you do not feel comfortable training your dog on your own.