Instructions
Throw the rod gently at a sheep to get its attention or warn it not to do something. Shepherds use rods this way as a tool of discipline. Do not throw it to hurt the sheep, just to startle them into compliance.
Throw the rod at a predator to scare it away from your flock, or club aggressive animals or snakes with it. Throw the rod hard at dangerous creatures, aiming to wound or kill them rather than just to alert them.
Inspect your sheep closely by pulling their wool away from their skin with the rod. Check them for rashes, wounds or infestations. Shepherds also traditionally pass their sheep one at a time under their rods to count them.
Guide sheep in the right direction with the staff. Use it in place of a sheepdog to gently poke and press the animals into line.
Lift sheep with the hook on the staff and carry them out of dangerous situations. If a sheep has fallen into a hole or is stuck in a bush, use the staff's hook to lift it to safety. You can also use the hook to carry lambs to their mothers without touching them.
Comfort a nervous sheep by keeping constant contact with it through the staff. Continuously touch it lightly with the staff, reminding it that it has your attention and that you are guiding it.
How to Use the Rod & the Staff in Sheep Herding
Rural shepherds have two primary tools for controlling and protecting their flocks: the rod and the staff. The rod is a wooden club, hand-made by the shepherd; the staff is a tall, hooked stick that often appears in pictures of ancient shepherds. The average modern person is most likely to be familiar with these tools in their Christian context from Psalm 23, verse 4, which refers to the rod and staff of God. However, professional sheep-herders still use them as well.