Instructions
Learn as much as possible about the breed of working dog you have. Research and gain information regarding the traits and characteristics of individual breeds and can be invaluable in getting a fundamental knowledge of what tasks best suit your herding dog and what he or she is bred to do. The American Kennel Club and specific dog breed clubs can provide you with insight into the best tasks for your dog.
Start training your herding dog as a puppy. Train the dog in basic obedience, sit, down, stay and heel. The earlier you start the better your chances of success will be when teaching your dog a new task. While older dogs can learn new tasks, they also will establish bad habits if not trained as puppies that can be very hard to break.
Give tasks that you and your dog can really live with. For example, if you have a border collie and give it the job of catching a Frisbee be sure you have the space, time and energy to dedicate so that your dog can do it on a daily basis.
Use toys to play fetch, tug-of-war, or Frisbee to reinforce the idea that work can be fun for your dog.
Use the same tone of voice when training your dog to do a task. If you train your herding dog to tend sheep, chickens, or some other livestock, the tone of your voice should always be the same -- calm, with authority. Most dogs will not respond to a louder voice and may perceive they have displeased their owner because he or she is yelling.
Challenge your dog by introducing it to new tasks. Playing Frisbee is great, however, your intelligent working dog must be challenged and given other tasks such as fetching a ball, agility training, or even retrieving the newspaper and other household tasks.
Join a local agility club. Dog agility clubs are available in most cities and provide training and a fun atmosphere where you and your dog can learn and practice new tasks and even compete in agility trials against other dogs.
How to Give a Herding Dog a Task
There are many of herding dog breeds to choose from. A herding dog, whether it's a border collie, Australian sheep dog, or even a sheltie, will be happier when it has a job to do. Thus, when you prepare to start training your herding dog and give it a task, it's essential to know the characteristics of your individual breed. While each breed may have greater or lesser abilities in regard to performing a certain task, all working dogs respond to a kind, humane and patient teacher.