WORKING DOG · Reference library
Clear explanations of terminology, records and research.
The outrun is the dog’s approach around the stock to reach a useful position for bringing them towards the handler.
The lift is the transition when the dog first puts the sheep into movement after reaching a working position.
The fetch brings sheep towards the handler after they have been gathered or lifted.
Driving generally means moving livestock away from the handler or along a directed line, rather than gathering them back to the handler.
Shedding separates selected sheep from a group under the requirements of the particular trial course.
Penning moves sheep into the designated pen under the course’s handling rules.
Backing describes a dog moving across the backs of tightly grouped sheep in some yard-working contexts.
Stock sense is an informal description of how a dog responds to livestock movement and positions itself to influence the work.
A qualifying result, an event placing and a sporting title are different records. Their relationship depends on the governing body and class.
Breed describes ancestry or registry classification; working role describes a job; sporting discipline describes a competition framework. They overlap without being interchangeable.
An indication is the trained behaviour by which a dog communicates that it has located a target or target odour.
Tracking follows a scent trail; air scenting searches airborne scent. Real search tasks can involve more than one scenting process.
A verifiable result identifies the event edition, discipline, class, round, dog, handler and original publication.
A class groups entries under stated eligibility rules; a round is a stage of the competition. Both are needed to interpret a result.
A dog’s displayed name is not always a unique identifier. Reliable result matching preserves source spelling and uses corroborating evidence.
Provisional results can change after checks or corrections. A trustworthy record shows publication status and preserves the source of later amendments.
An event series is the recurring competition identity; an edition is one occurrence with its own dates, host, venue, rules and results.
Flanking moves a dog around livestock to reposition. It differs from moving directly towards them.
Balance describes a dog’s useful controlling position. Its meaning depends on the intended livestock movement.
Flight zone describes the space in which an approaching dog can prompt livestock to move away.
Holding stock maintains livestock in a defined area. It is different from simply asking the dog to remain still.
Tending supervises livestock while they graze. It is a different task from gathering them to the handler.
A boundary marks the intended edge of an area in tending work. It can be represented in different ways.
Off contact describes a dog no longer effectively influencing its livestock. It does not simply mean working at a long distance.
A split is an unintended separation of stock. A directed shed is a different handling task.
A pressure point is a useful position and distance for influencing the desired stock movement.
Stock draw describes livestock being attracted towards a place or group. It is context for interpreting a dog’s work.
Settling gives livestock an opportunity to become calmer within the task. It is not the same as making every animal motionless.
In stock-handling discussion, pressure and release describe changing influence on livestock. The phrase does not authorise forceful treatment of a dog.
A handler’s post identifies a position within a trial course. The rules determine when the handler may leave it.
A look-back redirects a dog towards additional stock in a relevant task or course. It is not a universal cue with one standard sound.
Heading and huntaway describe distinct New Zealand stockdog working contexts. They should not be reduced to an assumption that every collie-like dog performs the same job.
Sire names the father and dam the mother in a pedigree. Each label still needs a supported identity.
A breeder prefix is a recorded naming element within a registry. It should not be treated as an independent health or performance certificate.
A registered name and a call name can differ. A match between them needs evidence, especially when several dogs share a familiar short name.
A pedigree describes ancestry; a registered ownership transfer updates a registry’s keeper or ownership record under its procedures. Neither should be substituted for the other.
A registry number identifies a record within an authority; a microchip identifies an implanted device. Their relationship must be verified for the individual dog.
DNA parentage testing compares an offspring with proposed parents. It is a different question from breed identification or a disease test.
A coefficient of inbreeding estimates the probability that an individual’s paired alleles are identical by descent. The calculation method and ancestry coverage matter; the figure is not a health diagnosis.
Carrier and affected are condition-specific genetic labels. Their meaning depends on the tested variant, inheritance pattern and laboratory interpretation.
A clear result concerns the named test and its stated interpretation. It is not proof that a dog is free of every inherited or acquired health condition.
Working or performance titles and conformation awards arise from different assessment frameworks. A shared champion label does not make their meanings equivalent.
A cue requests a learned behaviour; a marker identifies a moment in the response. They serve different communication roles.
Positive reinforcement adds something after behaviour that increases that behaviour’s future likelihood. The effect matters, not simply the trainer’s intention to offer a reward.
Generalisation is learning carrying into a different context. A response at home does not automatically establish the same performance at a busy trial.
Training criteria specify the behaviour and conditions that count as success. Clear criteria make a session easier to assess and discuss.
Completing coursework and earning a professional certification can be separate achievements. Verify the exact credential, issuer and assessment rather than relying on an unexplained badge.
Find the original New Zealand farm-dog research and distinguish an enrolled cohort, an analysis subset and repeated examinations.
