Stock sense: describing judgement in a working dog

Make the claim specific

Ask for examples: reading a breakaway, adjusting to hesitant animals or holding a useful position. Describe what can be seen instead of treating the phrase as a certified qualification.

Assess in context

Observe several tasks on appropriate stock with an experienced handler. A rehearsed course, one short video or a breed reputation cannot establish every aspect of judgement.

Using this reference

Use this explanation to understand the term in context. For an entry decision or disputed result, check the current rules and the original event documentation; a glossary cannot replace the authority’s decision.

Replace a label with evidence

A sale description can replace good stock sense with a specific observed example: the dog changed position when sheep attempted to leave a gateway. Retain the demonstration context and who observed it. This is more informative and checkable than assigning an undocumented numerical temperament or instinct score.

Sources & further reading

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

• Working Kelpie Council — National Kelpie Field Trial judging guidelines (opens in a new tab)

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