Look-back: redirecting attention to further stock

The task needs context

The ISDS rules provide the formal context for complex gathering work. Before describing a look-back, identify which stock have already been handled and what further group the dog is intended to locate. A dog turning its head in a photograph is not enough evidence that it performed an assessed exercise.

A hypothetical observation

Imagine a handler with one group nearby while the dog turns towards another group farther away. Record both groups, the handler and the dog’s route if visible. Do not infer that the next gather was completed when an edited clip ends immediately after the turn. The start of an action and a successful final outcome are separate facts.

Terminology rather than a training shortcut

Ask the instructor which behaviour and cue they mean, because handler vocabularies differ. A glossary cannot prepare an inexperienced dog for multiple groups of livestock. Keep such work within appropriate supervised preparation, and retain the exact course stage if the term is used to explain a competition result or historical film.

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• International Sheep Dog Society — current trial rules (opens in a new tab)

Keep exploring