Dog Glossary

Approach: Action of a dog when it comes up to stock.
Backing: Action of a dog when it jumps up and runs along the back of penned sheep to move them on.
Bark: To “give tongue” or “speak up” on command to frighten and move stock.
Beardie: A type of dog of Scottish origin – usually with long hair. Used as a “handy dog” for all jobs (head and hunt).
Bitch: Female of any age.
Bolt: To run away in fear; out of control.
Brace: Pair of dogs that work together.
Cast: Action of a dog when it leaves the handler to encircle or gather stock. It can be a right hand or left hand cast.
Collie: A breed of dog of Scottish origin. Most common type is the Border Collie.
Dingo: Australian wild dog.
Dog dosing: Drenching or dosing dogs to obtain a sample of faeces to test for internal parasites.
Dog tucker: Food for dogs.
Eye: The trait in a dog to stand and stare at sheep. Dogs are described as “strong eyed” or “plain eyed”.
Eye dog: Same as heading dog that casts around stock to gather them.
Face up: the action of a huntaway to always face the sheep and bark at them.
Handy dog: General-purpose dog that will both head and hunt stock. It will also back sheep, work in sheep yards, wool shed and in the lambing paddock.
Heading dog: Dog that goes around or “heads” stock to gather and hold them, and then bring them back to the shepherd.
Heel: To bite the heels of cattle to make them move. Can be a command to return to the handlers side or heel.
Hunt: Ability of a dog to drive stock away from the handler.
Huntaway: A special type of dog bred in New Zealand for mustering where the main job is to drive stock while barking on command.
Kelpie: Australian sheep and cattle dog.
Lead dog: Dog used to go in front of a mob of stock to control their progress.
Lift: Action of a dog to move sheep from a standing position.
Long head: Task at a dog trial where the dog has to gather sheep placed a long distance from the handler.
Night barker: Dog that barks or howls when chained up at night.
Novice: Young dog that has competed in a limited number of trials.
Outrun: The action where the dog runs away on command from the handler to gather stock.
Overrun the head: Action of a dog that goes too far when heading and does not stop opposite the handler.
Point of balance: Position of the dog directly opposite the handler where it can go in either direction (on command) to move the stock.
Pull: Action of a bringing sheep directly to the handler.
Pup: Young dog of either sex from birth to weaning (6-8 weeks), and may be used up to 6 months.
Ringing sheep: Fault in a dog where it goes in a complete circle around sheep and comes back to the handler. It fails to stop after its outrun directly opposite the handler.
Shed: To separate or cut off one or more sheep from a group.
Short head: A task in a dog trial where the dog has to gather sheep placed a short distance from the handler.
Socialising: Letting a pup from 6-12 weeks old experience different situations such as people, other dogs, vehicles, etc.
Sundowner: Dog that leaves its work, especially when it’s hot. A lazy dog.
Team: Group of dogs owned by a stockperson. Usually made up of a heading dog and couple of huntaways.
Trucking dog: Dog used by truck operator to load stock. Usually a huntaway type that barks and backs stock.
Turning tail: Fault in a dog where it turns away from sheep, often in a circle. It fails to face up to the sheep.
Weaning: removing pups from their mother, usually at 6 weeks old.
Whelp: the action of giving birth to pups.
Whip shy: Dog that is scared of a cracking whip.
Wing heading: Action of a dog going out to the sides of a mob to stop their movement.
Worrier: Dog that chases, attacks or kills sheep.
Yarding: Putting sheep into yards or woolshed with a dog.
Yard dog: Dog that is good at working in the close confinement of stockyards.